Crimes happen in a flash. Before you even know it, the shots have rung out, the jewels have been stolen, and the bodies are cooling on the floor.

In this anthology, over eighty authors - including veterans such as Chuck Hogan, Ken Bruen, and Tasha Alexander - come together to tell tales of murder and mayhem, all in one thousand words or less. Dare to confront these fearful, furious tales, each offering a glimpse of the darkness lurking in the human heart: The mystifying murder of a pack rat’s wife...A mother’s terrifying attempts to save her children’s souls...The runaway consequences of a mindless act of violence...A detective who can’t resist the disturbing lure of his latest case...The cold-blooded scheming of a desperate businessman...Told with precision and punch, these stories come and go as quickly as a gunshot.