Lawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess of 100 books and no end of short stories. He apprenticed under various pseudonyms in the late 1950s; the first time his name appeared in print was for his short story, "You Can't Lose," in Manhunt (Feb. 1958), and the first book published under his own name was Mona (1961), reprinted by Hard Case Crime under the author's original title, Grifter's Game (2005). Block is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-PI Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller. Block is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He's also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maître du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Société 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.) [...]. Chantelle Aimée Osman is the editor of Agora, an imprint of Polis Books. Agora focuses on crime novels that delve into the most important issues of our time--exploring society, economy, politics, culture, race, and gender in unique and different ways--from a roster of diverse authors from varying backgrounds. The former Editor-in-Chief of RT Book Reviews Magazine and a freelance editor for over 10 years, she also is an instructor at the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, Authors at Large and LitReactor. Chantelle is the author of the non-fiction series on writing The Quick and Dirty Guides To... and has also published numerous works of short fiction in addition to serving as editor for several anthologies. Find her online at [...] and on Twitter [...] Kenneth Wishnia's novels include 23 Shades of Black, an Edgar Allan Poe Award and Anthony Award finalist; Soft Money, a Library Journal Best Mystery of the Year; Red House, a Washington Post "Rave" Book of the Year; and The Fifth Servant, an Indie Notable selection, a Jewish Press Best Mystery of the Year, winner of a Premio Letterario ADEI-WIZO, and a finalist for the Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery Award. His short stories have appeared in publications such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Queens Noir, Long Island Noir, Send My Love and a Molotov Cocktail!, and Denim, Diamonds and Death. He edited the Anthony Award-nominated anthology Jewish Noir for PM Press. He teaches writing, literature, and other deviant forms of thought at Suffolk Community College on Long Island. [...]

Foreword by Lawrence Block

Introduction by Kenneth Wishnia and Chantelle Aimée Osman

LEGACIES
Taking Names by Steven Wishnia
Sanctuary by Doug Allyn
The Cost of Something Priceless by Elizabeth Zelvin
The Black and White Cookie by Jeff Markowitz

SCATTERED AND DISPERSED
Islands by Gabriela Alemán
Datura by Joy Mahabir
Rhododendrons by Xu Xi
Mosquitoes over Bamako by Yigal Zur

A SHANDEH FAR DI GOYIM (YOU SHAME US IN FRONT OF THE WORLD)
Wishboned by Jill D. Block
The Shabbes Goy by Craig Faustus Buck
To Catch a Ganef by Lizzie Skurnick
Inheritance by Terry Shames

THE GOD OF MERCY
Brother’s Keeper by Eileen Rendahl
If It Doesn’t Kill You, Just Wait by D.M. Evans
The Almost Sisters by Ellen Kirschman
Crossover by Zoe Quinton

THE GOD OF VENGEANCE
Bride of Torches by Kenneth Wishnia
Paying the Ferryman by E.J. Wagner
The Just Men of Bennett Avenue by A.J. Sidrasky
Triangle by Rabbi Ilene Schneider

AMERICAN SPLENDOR
The Nazi in the Basement by Rita Lakin
Winter Chill by L.S. Sharrow
The Hanukkah Killer by Robin Hemley
Hunter by Jen Conley

Contributors