Monday, August 20, 2012

2012 Novellas - Doin' Just Fine

Earlier this year when I launched the Spinetingler Award for Best Novella of 2011 I said that if novellas were going to continue to be published then I would consider folding them into the main awards.  Two-thirds of the way through the year it looks like 2012 is shaping up to be another great year for novellas. 

I spent Sunday afternoon updating my list of novellas published in 2012.  I also looked at some of the publishers that have put out novellas in the past.  It looks like Pulp Press is no longer around and that Five Leaves hasn't published anything beyond their re-launch of the Crime Express series.  (If I'm wrong about either of these or if you have any information to share please do so below and I'll update accordingly.)

These are the 2012 novellas that I am aware of  so far.

*A note about the below books. This is a broad list and it's possible that those listed may fall outside of the word count and may fall outside of the crime fiction genre. This post in no way constitutes a nominee for a Spinetingler Award.* 

Blue Eyed Death in Okinawa by Okamoto

A razor sharp 11,000 word hardboiled crime story featuring the deadly but melancholy woman assassin Molly Vance, code named "Akiko." It contains some extreme violence and erotic descriptions so is not suitable for younger readers.

Ishmael Toffee by Roger Smith

HE'S KILLED MORE MEN THAN HE CAN REMEMBER, BUT CAN HE SAVE A CHILD?
Ishmael Toffee's knife put him behind bars and kept him there for twenty years as a prison gang assassin until he lost his taste for blood. Paroled, he finds himself with no money and no family. And no knife in his hand.

He gets a job as a gardener at the luxurious home of a prominent lawyer and makes an unexpected friend--Cindy, the lawyer's six-year-old daughter. When Ishmael discovers that Cindy is being raped by her father he must choose: abandon the girl and walk away, or do what he does best . . .
Clown in the Moonlight by Tom Piccirilli

CLOWN IN THE MOONLIGHT is based in part on the true story of Ricky Kasso, the so-called Acid King, who murdered a friend in the Northport woods back in '84 claiming Satan told him to do it, then proceeded to bring high school classmates to view the mutilated body for days afterward. Occult, hardboiled, and noir matters enter the mix as a nameless drifter teaches Ricky and friends what the true nature of hell is really all about.
The Hunted by Dave Zeltserman

Will you be able to figure out the mind-blowing secret of THE HUNTED?

From the author of the groundbreaking 'man out of prison' noir trilogy (Small Crimes, Pariah, Killer) comes an exciting new novella series mixing hardboiled crime with government conspiracy. In this first explosive novella, THE HUNTED, Dan Willis is unemployed and desperate when he is recruited by The Factory. Trained to hunt down and kill insurgents hellbent on destroying the country, Willis methodically and efficiently performs his job. But there's a dark secret behind The Factory, and when Willis discovers it no one is safe...
The Dame by Dave Zeltserman

In this explosive followup to THE HUNTED, Dan Willis finds himself a fugitive and on the run from The Factory. When a misfit group of criminals recruits him to steal a priceless Dutch painting titled The Dame, it looks easy enough, at least until another dame gets into the picture. Then all hell breaks loose as double crosses pile up fast and furiously.
The Man on the Bench by Robert Smartwood

In the summer of 1922, nine-year-old Ethan's only worries are chores, having fun, and keeping out of trouble.

But a shadow soon falls over the tiny backwater town of Benton, Pennsylvania that threatens to change everything.

First the cats disappear.

Then the little girls.

After that, the real horror begins.
 McGrave by Lee Goldberg

Los Angeles cop John "Tidal Wave" McGrave is an unstoppable force of nature who always gets his man...even if it means laying waste to everything around him, including his own career...which is exactly what happens in his pursuit of Sebastian Richter, the ruthless leader of an international gang of violent thieves.

When Richter flees to Berlin, McGrave chases after him...even though the cop doesn't know the language, the laws, or the culture. But McGrave doesn't care...he speaks the universal language of knee in the groin and fist in the face...and he won't let anything get in his way.
Party Doll by Steve Brewer

Bubba Mabry returns in a new novella guaranteed to thrill and amuse fans of the series featuring the Albuquerque, NM, private eye.

Bubba bumbles back into action when he's hired to find a missing stripper who goes by the stage name Joy Forever. Joy's boss says business has been off since she disappeared, owing him money. He wants Bubba to find Joy and find her fast.

But there's more here than meets the eye. A federal prosecutor is interested in Joy as well, and Bubba's wife, newspaper reporter Felicia Quattlebaum, is working on a crusade that seems to be entangled with the case.
Adversary by Mark Wheaton

When an industrial spy is captured in a multinational’s Berlin skyrise, the company's lead counsel, Annie Bennett, is sent to interrogate him while they await the police. She soon learns that the man isn’t a spy at all, but a mysterious scientist who accuses Annie’s company of kidnapping his wife and holding her in a laboratory. As a series of murders erupt throughout the building, Annie discovers that her company has been attempting to accelerate human evolution to adapt man to extraterrestrial environments. Only, instead of testing on humans, they’ve been using tens of thousands of scientifically-harvested ghosts. As the intruder prepares to release all of the vengeful ghosts at once to slaughter the building's employees, Annie must decide who the real enemy is.
Own It by E.R. White Jr.

The first tale is a novella that introduces private dick Jay Dafoe. He’s in a dirty business, and cold hard cash has always made up for twinges his conscience might occasionally feel, or so he thought until he’s hired to find a missing daughter. How does the amoral Dafoe handle the horror he unwittingly becomes entwined with? 
Brother's Keeper by Glen Krisch

Growing up, Jason and Marcus Grant were close as only brothers can be. As they reached adolescence, they started to drift apart, taking opposite paths into adulthood. Jason went to college before getting a job at for the local newspaper. Marcus chose a path littered with drugs, violence, and self-destruction.

Now adults, Jason has cut Marcus from his life and considers himself an only child.

Clean and sober, Marcus finds his true calling when he joins the Arkadium, a secret society dating back millennia. They plan on setting history back ten thousand years by unleashing a world-wide calamity that will destroy modern man's domination of the planet. As the Arkadium set their plan in motion, Marcus reaches out to his brother, wanting him by his side to record the new prehistoric era. Jason is forced to make a choice, join his brother in the time of humanity's descent, or die like so many others.
Road Gig by Trey Barker

Kinney Fahey has been on the job for six months. He's not focusing his efforts on the paperwork and it's gonna bite him…real bad.
RIP Robbie Silva by Tony Black

Jed Collins, fresh from jail, is struggling to go straight when he hooks up with wild child Gail. Before long Jed is back to blagging ― with Gail in tow.

But Jed has a past, and Gail has a secret about her gangster father that she wants to keep under wraps.

One week in the Scottish capital for Jed and Gail turns into a bloody rollercoaster ride that leads straight to Hell.
Saved by the Moll by Bill Raetz

Sometimes a dame can get you OUT of trouble!

The call girl said huskily, “I must have the wrong room.”
I said, “You’ve got the right place—and perfect timing.”

Bryce Attewelle is no stranger tovtight spots—or getting out of them. When he goes after a notorious gun-runner, getting in isn’t the problem. Finding himself in need of an exit strategy, he grabs the first thing to come along...THE GIRL.
Six Bullets by Simon Dunn

Six bullets.

Seven terrorists.

Everyone else on board was dead.

The Bjørg Istad is the world’s largest container ship, and she’s on her maiden voyage. Trond Nystrand has stowed away, running from a terrible secret. Halfway to his new life, Trond wakes up to the sound of gunfire, heralding the arrival of seven terrorists intent on wreaking havoc.

A rip-roaring quick-read novella adventure across the high seas.
Bottomland by Curtis Hox

A writer instructor challenges his students to spend the night in an abandoned house in the mountains. He just wants to see if they can do it, maybe help with their writing projects, maybe scare them a little. He never expects real trouble to follow.
A Marine at the Door by Eddie Vega

When a U.S. Marine shows up at the Brooklyn home of Rad Cordoba, a graffiti writer, it is to relay the news of his Marine brother's death in Iraq. As his parents struggle with the loss, Rad takes to the streets and the dark byways of the subway tunnels with his graffiti bombing crew known as The Alien Nation. He has something to say. None of it pretty.
98 Minutes to Paris by Marko Peric

As a loyalist Irish paramilitary fighter, Patrick Corrigan used to operate on the wrong side of the law. He now works in law enforcement hunting terrorists and mercenaries. An anonymous email tip has brought him to board the TGV high speed train to Paris, seeking an old foe and an opportunity to find closure on a dark chapter of his past.
Without a Trial by Maxwell Cunningham

What would you do to save the ones you love?

When the police commissioner of Edinboro suddenly retires after a raid gone wrong, hardball cop, Todd Williams, finds himself in the middle of a dangerous game that threatens the safety of those he loves the most. His morals are put to the test when he must act as executioner to suspected criminals who are condemned to death...without a trial.
First Case by Roger Stelljes

Award winning author, Roger Stelljes, delivers a mystery NOVELLA (12 chapters/25,280 words) that is the prequel to the McRyan Mystery Series. First Case provides an introduction and backstory to the lead character, "Mac" McRyan and his fellow detectives. Stelljes' knack for GRITTY and REAL DIALOGUE (slang/jargon/behind the scenes dialog), as well as his uncanny sense of place and time, will put you in the middle of the action allowing you to feel the desperation of Mac McRyan and his fellow detectives.
Tomato Can Comeback (Fight Card Series)

Tom Garrick had a heart of gold, a jaw of iron, and heavy artillery in both fists. This orphan from the Windy City returned from the Korean War to battle his way up the welterweight ranks, inspiring speculation about a title bid. Then he slugged it out with a top contender who humiliated him over eleven rounds and cut short his victory march.

Popular opinion was he had been exposed as a lucky pretender. The newspapers dubbed him "Tomato Can" after watching the blood splatter around the ring like tomato juice from a tin can being battered by a tire iron.

Now, for some mysterious reason, 'Tomato Can' Garrick is lacing on the gloves again, hoping for a shot at redemption. He has no promoter, no manager, not even a sparring partner. The only one in his corner is a buddy from the war who has never been inside the boxing game before.

There's a punch-drunk pantheon of bums, brawlers and cutthroat contenders just waiting to pound him into Palookaville ... a lonely war widow with her claws in his heart ... and a regimen of dubious training methods which may do more harm than good to his chances. But Garrick isn't going to go down in history as "the Tomato Can" without a fight.
King of the Outback (Fight Card series)

Outback Australia 1954

Two rival tent boxing troupes clash over a territorial dispute in the Outback town of Birdsville. In the sweltering heat, tensions simmer, tempers flare, and as things reach boiling point, a boxing tent is burned to the ground.

Fighting men know only one way to solve their disputes, and that’s in the ring. The solution, a show-down, smack-down, winner take all bout between the two rival outfits.

In the blue corner, representing ‘Walter Wheeler’s Boxing Sideshow’ is Tommy King, a young aboriginal boxer with a big heart and iron fists.

In the red corner, representing ‘Arnold Sanderson’s Boxing Show’, is ‘Jumpin’ Jack Douglas, a monstrous wrecking machine from the city – a man who’ll do anything to win.

The fight – brutal. In the world of Tent Boxing, in the harsh Australian Outback, weight divisions and rules don’t count for much. It’s a fight to decide, who is indeed, King of the Outback!
Hard Road (Fight Card series)

Atlantic City, 1957

Professional boxers Roberto Varga and Michael Boyle were once pals growing up at St. Vincent’s Asylum for Boys in Chicago. Under the guidance of Father Tim, the fighting priest, they learned values, respect, responsibility, and how to fight fair.

But those lessons didn’t stick with Boyle. Two years after leaving St. Vincent’s, Boyle and Varga face-off in the ring with Boyle pounding out a bloody, lopsided decision, Varga swore wasn’t on the up and up.

In the seven years since, their careers have taken different paths. Guided by unscrupulous manager Tommy Domino, Boyle is positioned for a title shot against Sugar Ray Robinson. Varga, however, has struggled in a career still haunted by the bloody loss to Boyle.

When the boxer scheduled to fight Boyle in Atlantic City breaks his hand two weeks before the fight, Domino scrambles for a replacement. He finds Varga toiling in a Philadelphia gym and offers him the rematch Varga has been waiting years to get. For Varga, it’s a chance to finally even the score, a chance to get the title shot he’s always dreamed about. But Boyle is not the only formidable foe aligned against Varga.

Redemption comes at a bloody price – a price perhaps too high for Varga to pay …
Counterpunch (Fight Card series)

Danny Dugronski has been a fighter all his life.

As an orphan at St. Vincent's Asylum for Boys, he first learned the "sweet science" of boxing from Father Tim, the battling priest. Then the Marine Corps taught him far more lethal fighting tactics before shipping him off to do battle in the hell of the South Pacific.

Now, with World War II over, Danny "The Duke" has returned home and earned a respectable ranking as a regional heavyweight in the Milwaukee area. But his record, free of KO losses, is jeopardized by a mob front man who tries to push him into a series of rigged fights.

When Danny refuses, hard push comes to deadly shove, and he must call upon all his fighting skills to stand his ground. And when Danny comes out swinging, he’s determined to put the mob down for the count.
In the Frame by Michael D'Asti

Eddie Deuchar is a young cop that thought he knew the dark side of London’s streets. But he has a lot to live up to. His dad was number one at the Met before him and when gorgeous TV presenter Carol Boarding asks him a leading question about his father it starts Eddie down a road he doesn’t know at all well.
What is the meaning behind Carol’s curious question? And where does an old Victorian painting come into the picture?

He has to confront a dangerous underworld villain and suffer some harsh character assassination along the way before finding a resolution. Even his dad’s old crew come under suspicion in the violence that erupts on the city’s streets. Chasing the answers takes Eddie into dark places in his hunt for the true nature of not only his own past but Carol’s as well.

To save a good name and salvage a fortune, Eddie must walk some mean streets of his own.
Driving Through the Desert by Donna Lynch

In the aftermath of a violent occurrence, a young girl named Kam and her friend Henry flee through the Nevada desert in a stolen car. Desperate to reach the coast, they find the terror, sorrow, and pain has traveled with them, twisting their realities until they are lost in a place far worse than the cold, isolated desert.
Unchronic Tales: The Horn by W. Peter Miller

Uchronic Tales: The Horn follows Clark Tyler, an investigator for the Ace Insurance Company, as a simple job spirals toward an Earth-shattering conclusion. This story is set against the backdrop of the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.

What is the Horn and why do some distinctively nasty visitors want to get their hands on it? What would happen if someone decides to give it a blow? Clark is there to stop that from happening. Clark is joined in “The Horn“ by a daring aviatrix, a charming archaeologist, and a strange mercenary from Clark’s past.

Join us for the mysteries, the thrills, and the startling conclusion of…
The Horn.

In the months ahead, danger will put Clark in middle of many Uchronic Tales. Look for stories featuring the classic days of Hollywood, earth-shattering danger, lost civilizations, and bizarre visitors from the unknown aether.

Welcome to Uchronic Tales

Things To Do Before You Die by Roz Southey and Bang, Bang, You're Dead! by Nick Quantrill (Best of British series)

Have you read any of them? Plan on reading any of them? Have I missed any?

4 comments:

Anonymous-9 said...

Thanks for this, Brian!

Jim said...

John Rector and Chuck Wendig both had novellas come out in 2012.

Brian Lindenmuth said...

Shit, I even read Rector's novella.

[This is part of the reason I make these lists public.]

David Cranmer said...

Brian, Thanks for this list and I'm going to toss in BEAT to a PULP's "Vin of Venus" novella. Written by Paul Brazill, Garnett Elliott, and yours truly. It's a mash-up of crime and sword and planet.