“Secret Dead Men”

An excerpt from the novel by Duane Swierczynski The year is 1976. Meet Del Winter, hard-boiled dick. But Winter isn't like the other shamuses you find here at THRILLING DETECTIVE. For one thing, he's back from the dead. For another, he has a strange ability: Winter can absorb other recently-departed souls and store them in … Continue reading “Secret Dead Men”

Del Farmer (aka Del Winter)

Created by Duane Swierczynski He's hot, he's hip, he's dead. Meet DEL WINTER, hard-boiled dick. But Winter isn't like the other shamuses you may find on this site. For one thing, he's shuffled off this mortal coil and assumed permanent room temperature. Really. He's dead, Jim. Or at least, he was. For a while. And … Continue reading Del Farmer (aka Del Winter)

The Autobiography of Matthew Scudder (An Excerpt)

By Lawrence Block Not for the first time, I’ve been invited to write about Matthew Scudder—not to produce another slightly fictionalized rendition of one of his cases, though I’m assured such would be welcome, but to furnish a biographical report on the man himself. I can understand why I might be singled out for such … Continue reading The Autobiography of Matthew Scudder (An Excerpt)

No Good from a Corpse

An excerpt from the 1944 novel by Leight Brackett Featuring Ed Clive September 1999 EDITOR'S NOTE: In September 1999, we were really pleased to present this excerpt from Leigh Brackett's classic 1944 novel, featuring private eye Ed Clive, which was republished that year by Dennis McMillan. The bullet hit the rotten step and kept going. The gun … Continue reading No Good from a Corpse

The Lonely Shroud (1964)

An excerpt from the 1964 novel by Scott Mitchell Featuring Brock Devlin     You grow older, quieter, and there are obligations. Kay has just finished her second novel. She never talks of marriage. After all, what's in marriage with me for a girl like her? I know just one trade, and it would be no … Continue reading The Lonely Shroud (1964)

“Zen and the Art of Murder”

An excerpt from the novel by Elizabeth M. Cosin Featuring Zen Moses September 1998   CHAPTER ONE It rained the day I said goodbye to my best friend; the kind of storm that was packaged in a San Francisco-like cold front. December in Santa Monica could blow in from the Pacific like the draft from a meat … Continue reading “Zen and the Art of Murder”

The Dead Beat Scroll

An excerpt from the novel by Mark Coggins Featuring August Riordan September 2019   Chapter One: Golden Fingers The theme music for the quiz show Jeopardy! makes an unsettling ringtone. Although originally composed as a lullaby, its relentless, tick-tock, time-is-running-out associations can’t help but impinge upon your dreams if you’ve already nodded off. Other things that … Continue reading The Dead Beat Scroll