“A Day’s Work” by John Bosworth

“Thieves,” Officer Summers said, “are generally lazy.”

EVENT ALERT: Joe Meno and Nina Revoyr!

Fans of the Joe Meno and Nina Revoyr, take note: Joe and Nina are embarking on a nationwide tour this October to promote their new titles, Marvel and a Wonder and Lost Canyon.

“The Vacation” by Dorothy Stone

She knew she was not his first. The concrete room contained evidence of several that had been here before her: photos, locks of hair, single earrings, fingernails . . .

“a murder of crows” by Antonio Hopson

In their black eyes, one could see morning’s sun rise into sweet rapture . . .

“Coot Song: A Tragic Love Story” by Madeleine Angevine

Green Lake in the hour before dawn: Seattle’s beautiful, teeming dark heart, its still surface broken only by the skittering of hundreds of phosphorescent coot feet, its quiet violated only by the self-conscious chatter of female walkers seeking fitness in cautious herds, or the indigestive squawk of a disturbed heron. A headlamped solitary jogger, disappearing into pools of darkness along the intermittently lit trail, then reappearing triumphant, steeled herself for the prolonged period of darkness that awaited her at the lake’s poorly illuminated southern end . . .

“The Hostage” by Timothy Ready

Matty saw the asshole as soon as he climbed over the fence from Volunteer Park into Lakeview Cemetery. Butchie was waving, like an idiot, right where he had told Matty to meet him: Bruce Lee’s grave at two a.m. Like he had to wave, like there’d be anybody else but Butchie the Rat by Bruce Lee’s grave at two a.m.

He walked over to the asshole. “Where’s my cat, Butchie?”