Roachkiller and Other Stories

Literature & Fiction

Narvaez, Richie

United States

Street Press

Holly Hernandez, voted "Miss Bright of '79" and valedictorian at her previous school, is excited to start fresh at Flatbush Technical High School, one of the most competitive public schools in New York City. She'll be one of thousands; anonymous. But her dreams of a normal school life disappear when her mother, a homicide detective, has to investigate the murder of Mr. Friedman, the social studies teacher. One of her classmates, Xander Herrera, quickly becomes the primary suspect. The tall, awkward boy is socially inept, but Holly doesn't think he's a murderer. She is intent on exonerating him--but he wants nothing to do with her. To Xander, Holly is the overly enthusiastic student who always sits in the front row and answers all the teachers' questions--correctly. He hates perky people! Eventually cleared of the crime, Xander is determined to find the killer before Holly. As they race to solve the case, their separate investigations lead to a slew of suspects, including another teacher seen arguing with Friedman and a mysterious person named Steve who met with him several times before his death. Could it have been a disgruntled student? Ultimately, a trophy for a disco-dancing contest leads the intrepid young detectives to the Mission Venus nightclub and a murderer intent on killing again!

Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco

Teen & Young Adult

Pinata Books

On September 20th, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island of Puerto Rico as a Category 4—a devastatingly powerful storm that left immense suffering in its wake. The island still hasn’t recovered completely; a victim of continued neglect and the continued efforts of many to demean and frame Puerto Ricans as “other” or “lesser” even though they are citizens of the United States. Net proceeds from ¡Pa’Que Tu Lo Sepas! will benefit The Hispanic Federation: UNIDOS Disaster Relief &amp; Recovery Program to Support Puerto Rico, a program working to help those still affected by the disaster and ensure continued safety in the face of continued weather-related events that can and will happen again. With a foreword by editor Angel Luis Colón and 11 stories from veteran and newcomer Latinx authors who need to be on your radar, ¡Pa’Que Tu Lo Sepas! is a loud and proud celebration of Latinx writing, joy, trauma, and most of all, love. Contributors: Chantel Acevedo, Hector Acosta, David Bowles, Hector Duarte Jr., Carmen Jaramillo, Jessica Laine, Richie Narvaez, Christopher Novas, Cina Pelayo, Alex Segura, and Désirée Zamorano. Praise for ¡PA’QUE TU LO SEPAS! “While cause-related anthologies aren’t unusual, what clearly separates Pa’Que Tu Lo Sepas from the pack is the diligence and care the contributors obviously put into their work, and how deftly Angel Luis Colón curated the writers and their stories. This is an important, necessary, lovely collection, one that plunges the reader into the variety of cultures and beauty within the LatinX community. Truly, Sepas is magical, and filled with magical writing. A must-read, now and always.” —E.A. Aymar, author of The Unrepentant

Pa'Que Tu lo Sepas

Bowles, David

Acevedo, Chantel

Segura, Alex

Acosta, Hector

Colón, Angel Luis

Jaramillo, Carmen

Duarte Jr., Hector

Laine, Jessica

Novas, Christopher

Dramas & Plays

Down & Out Books

Think you can’t buy a thrill? This book proves you wrong. Katy lied. Or did she? As with the blues and Elvis and somebody else’s favorite song, it’s open to interpretation. These twelve tales interpret shady pasts, dubious presents, and doomed futures. There’s no hiding inside a hall of rock and sand from stories as deliciously wicked and terrifically twisty as the jazz-rock noir that inspired them. These masters of crime fiction heard the call and wrote it on the wall for you and me. As they name the beast, they make alive worldly wonders in characters you’ve known for decades through the hypnotically woven tapestries of Steely Dan, destined to live on as indelibly as the hallucinatory memories in the caves of Altamira. Edited by Brian Thornton with stories by Steve Brewer, W.H. Cameron, Reed Farrel Coleman, Libby Cudmore, Aaron Erickson, Naomi Hirahara, Matthew Quinn Martin, Richie Narvaez, Kat Richardson, Peter Spiegelman, Jim Thomsen, and Jim Winter.

A Beast Without a Name: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Steely Dan

Coleman, Reed Farrel

HIRAHARA, Naomi

Brewer, Steve

Richardson, Kat

Thornton, Brian

Cudmore, Libby

Martin, Matthew Quinn

Thomsen, Jim

Winter, Jim

Short Stories & Anthologies

A reluctant assassin is born. A con man tries to sell the Grand Central clock. A superhero is dying to lose her powers. In thirteen fast-moving stories, the author of Hipster Death Rattle explores the tragic world of noir fiction with a wide range of Latinx characters. These stories define noir as tales of people who fall not from great heights but from the stoop and the sidewalk. A follow-up to the author's Roachkiller and Other Stories, which received the Spinetingler Award for Best Anthology/Short Story Collection, this contains a sequel to that anthology's eponymous story. Praise for NOIRYORICAN: "It strikes an authentic tone that rings true to my seasoned ear. The array of characters encompasses the Nuyorican experience devoid of sentiment or artifice. Score one for the home team." -Edwin Torres, author of Carlito's Way "With considerable style, poise, and humor, Richie Narvaez's Noiryorican unpacks a world of grifters, street punks and hangers-on just trying to get by in the big city when the odds are stacked against them. At his street poet best Narvaez gives Jonathan Lethem and Junot Diaz a run for their money. I loved this collection."-Adrian McKinty, bestselling author of The Chain "In this eclectic collection of noir stories, Narvaez takes the reader across the boroughs of New York City, Puerto Rico, LA, and Texas. Open this book and take this ride through the mazes of Narvaez's imagination."-Ivelisse Rodriguez, author of Love War Stories

Noiryorican: Short Fiction

Hipster Death Rattle

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Mystery

Dreamscape Media

The “black car” has appeared both conspicuously and inconspicuously throughout the annals of fiction—its presence both mysterious and menacing, its appearance enough to pause your heart. It’s the sedan just within sight that seems to be mimicking your speed and movements as you walk down the dark deserted street late at night. As the hairs rise on the back of your neck you wonder, Who is behind the wheel and what is the driver’s intent? It’s The Black Car Business and its presence means your life is about to abruptly change. You try to assure yourself there’s nothing wrong, but your pace quickens nonetheless, and soon you’re running, desperate for that narrow sliver between two buildings to slip through, the one too narrow for the black car to pass through. It’s that car parked just down the block that sends chills down your spine and keeps you awake throughout the night. It’s the sanctuary you race toward when you’re being chased, only to explode when you turn the key. It’s the one that skids off the icy mountain overpass and plunges into the cavernous grotto. It’s where Clemenza garrotes Carlo just as he’s about to be driven to the airport. It’s The Black Car Business. If The Black Car Business Volume 1 made you nervous Volume 2 will have you climbing the walls. Here are eleven fresh takes on that ominous black whip coming out of nowhere to stun and lay waste to your psyche. You may lose a few nights’ sleep but we promise it will be worth it. Contributors: Jonathan Ashley, Brett Battles, Kathy Bennett, Austin Camacho, Tim Ellis, Ty Hutchinson, Rick Murcer, Richie Narvaez, Gary Ponzo, Jeff Soloway, and Frank Zafiro.

The Black Car Business Volume 2

Battles, Brett

Ponzo, Gary

Kelter, Lawrence

Hutchinson, Ty

Camacho, Austin S.

Murcer, Rick

Bennett, Kathy

Ellis, Tim

Ashley, Jonathan

Murder is trending. Hipsters are getting slashed to pieces in the hippest neighborhood in New York: Williamsburg, Brooklyn. While Detectives Petrosino and Hadid hound local gangbangers, slacker reporter Tony Moran and his ex Magaly Fernandez get caught up in a missing person’s case—one that might just get them hacked to death. Filled with a cast of colorful characters and told with sardonic wit, this fast-moving, intricately plotted novel plays out against a backdrop of rapid gentrification, skyrocketing rents, and class tension. New Yorkers and anyone fascinated with the city will love the story’s details, written like only a true native could. Entertaining to the last, this rollicking debut is sure to make Richie Narvaez a rising star on the mystery scene. Praise for HIPSTER DEATH RATTLE: “Richie Narvaez has created something that’s been missing from recent fiction: a vivid, loving look at city living from the street view.” —Sara Paretsky, award-winning author of Shell Game “Hipster Death Rattle is a smart piece of work featuring the unlikely yet likeable hero Tony ‘Chino’ Moran. Fierce and funny…with a light touch that masks Narvaez’s biting social commentary.” —Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of What You Break “[Narvaez] has one of the most compelling writing styles I’ve come across in years.” —Lawrence Kelter, author of Back to Brooklyn “Hipster Death Rattle is a debut bursting with verve and personality, loaded with memorable characters and a clear, distinctive voice—courtesy of Richie Narvaez’s knack for sly wit and a crackling plot. A love letter to a forgotten slice of New York that manages to also evoke classic mystery novels of years past, Hipster Death Rattle is both of the moment and evergreen. Not an easy feat, but Narvaez does it with panache. I couldn’t put this book down.” —Alex Segura, author of Blackout and Dangerous Ends “Edgy and wildly entertaining, with a colorful cast of characters and a sweep reminiscent of Tom Wolfe, Hipster Death Rattle is the slasher novel you need in your life right now.” —Michele Campbell, international bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband “Narvaez has some brutal points to make about gentrification…that give the text a crackling fission you don’t find in a typical mystery.” —Mystery Tribune

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

Orion's Belt 2022 Year-End Anthology

Gray, Lora

Milbrodt, Teresa

Every, Gary

Pueyo, H

Sidell, Crystal

Hickson, Tim

Fagan, Joshua A.

Hyslop, Jess

Bostwick, Rose Jean

Independently published

Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression

Davidson, Hilary

Cosby, S.A.

Queally, James

Press, Rock and a Hard Place

Soloway, Jeff

Lang, Preston

Hannah, James D.F.

Wade Beaty, Travis

Gonzales, Michael A.

Rock & a Hard Place Press

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