Back in Black: An Anthology of New Mystery Short Stories

Music and Murder Mystery #3

by Don Bruns

Inspired by songs from ACDC‘s bestselling album, Back in Black, this anthology contains ten murder mysteries from ten bestselling writers—including a new Jack Reacher original by Andrew Child.

The third in the collection of the Music and Murder Mystery Series, Back in Black features one story for each song from the seminal hard rock album of the same name. This book showcases ten brilliant mystery writers at the top of their game, Reed Farrel Coleman, Heather Graham, Tori Eldrige, Ward Larsen, and Andrew Child, among others.

Chilling and unexpected, Back in Black has a mystery for everyone.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Anthologies, Crime, Audiobook, Fiction

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2024

About the author

Don Bruns is a writer, novelist, musician, songwriter, painter, cook, advertising executive and stand up comic who has no idea what he wants to be when he grows up. He's the author of nine books and was editor of the mystery/music anthology A Merry Band Of Murderers.

Don's published novels cover two series. One, a Caribbean thriller collection and two, the Stuff series, a humorous look at two twenty-four year old guys in South Florida who start their own detective agency and end up neck - deep in trouble.

Jamaica Blue, Barbados Heat, South Beach Shakedown, St. Barts Breakdown and Bahama Burnout make up the Caribbean books. The Stuff series consists of Stuff To Die For, Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Stuff To Spy For, and Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. Bruns is currently working on the fifth Stuff book, Too Much Stuff.

He currently resides on Florida's West coast.

Bahama Burnout/ Finalist, National Best Books Award - Mystery/Suspense 2009
South Beach Shakedown/ Winner National Best Books Award -Fiction/Suspense 2006
South Beach Shakedown/ Winner, Indie Excellence, 2006 Award - Mystery/Suspense
South Beach Shakedown/ Winner USA Book Award, 2006 - Mystery
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of/ Winner Indie Excellence Award 2009 - Mystery/Suspense
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of/IndieBound Notable, October 2008
Stuff Dreams Are Made Of/Winner Florida Writer's Association -
Stuff To Die For/ Starred review Booklist

Reviews

[Jillian Ferry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just came across this book through the library and it was very unique. The stories are murder mysteries by different authors with inspiration from AC/DC songs.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the unique premise of this collection of short mystery stories. Each of the ten stories in this collection was inspired by songs from AC/DC's bestselling album, Back in Black. I’m not a superfan of the group, but am familiar with their most popular songs and love the idea of mystery stories that are inspired by rock songs. The stories are from a wide variety of authors and like any collection of stories, I of course had my favorites.

I've never read a full-length novel in the series, but I enjoyed the new Jack Reacher story by Andrew Child. I also liked Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution by Tori Eldridge.This story is a suspenseful story about a radio psychologist who has to face a shooter who has broken into the studio.

Heather Graham’s contribution to the collection is a good one, but my favorite story in the book is Sandra Bolzo's Back in Black. She has such a clever take on the phrase/song title and how it relates to the main character in this story. Cate is a newlywed who goes on a cruise to Auckland, but seems to have an agenda that has nothing to do with the tour itinerary.

I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, but that’s the beauty of a collection like this - there is something for everyone in this fun volume of short mystery stories.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of collections themed on an album and its track list from editor Don Bruns is so cleverly conceived and continues to be a successful endeavor in its third installment.

This time we’re doing AC/DC’s Back in Black. I thought the selection of authors and stories was slightly better in Thriller (the preceding collection) but this installment felt truer to the songs themselves, and it includes plenty of good offerings.

Best of the collection: Give the Dog a Bone, Back in Black, Shoot to Thrill: A Tale from Gun Church, and What Do You Do for Money Honey.

I hope Bruns keeps going with these. I’m eager to see which album he chooses next.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Back in Black” is an anthology of mystery short stories edited by Don Bruns, each story is based on a song title from the “Back In Black” album by AC/DC. Being a mystery fan and a teen in the 1980’s, I was looking forward to seeing how one of the seminal albums of my youth played out as inspiration for some mysteries. As is the case in any collection, some were better than others, but overall it was quite an enjoyable read.

“Shake A Leg” by Rick Bleiweiss: an ex-hitman in Hawaii decides to become a “white knight” and help others in need, a nice quick story.
“Let Me Put My Love Into You” by Don Bruns: a hitman goes after a New York small time seller of counterfeit luxury goods, but someone beats him to the hit. Great sets of double-crosses.
“You Shook Me All Night Long” by Andrew Child: during the cold war, the Reacher brothers deal with a defector trying to get to the KGB. Great use of the song lyrics in the story.
“Givin The Dog A Bone” by Dave Bruns: a dog leads Carl to a grisly discovery and a chance for revenge.
“Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” by Tori Eldridge: Candace offers advice on her late night radio show, but a disgruntled husband decides to take his revenge on her for his wife’s leaving.
“Back In Black” by Sandra Balzo: a woman who might have helped her parents shuffle off their mortal coils has an interesting experience in the jungle with her new husband.
“Shoot To Thrill: A Tale From Gun Church” by Reed Farrel Coleman: a bully’s victim joins the cool kids playing with guns.
“Hells Bells” by Heather Graham: a woman starts to have doubts about her significant other while a serial killer is on the loose.
“Have A Drink On Me” by Charles Todd: Rutledge takes up an offer for a drink two years after the end of the war.
“What Do You Do For Money Honey” by Ward Larsen: A terminally ill rich man hires a PI who finds a long lost sister, or does he?

I just noticed that this was the third book in the series, all of which are based on album titles, and something I will have to find and enjoy.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I'm a big fan of short stories so was pleased that most of the stories were enjoyable. Several of the authors were new to me and I plan on looking for more of their work.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories inspired by songs from AC/DC’s bestselling album, Back in Black. I would call this a very loose description. All of the stories titles are indeed a song title from the album, however I found very few of the stories to have anything other than a mention of the song title. This is a clever idea for a short story anthology and of the ten stories included, I really liked 'Givin the Dog a Bone' by Dave Bruns, and 'Hells Bells' by Heather Graham.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great, musically inspired group of short stories! While I throughly enjoyed the 3rd in the series, Hotel California is my favorite by a long shot. About to start Thriller, so we will see if that changes!

Rock n’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, Givin The Dog a Bone, Let Me Put My Love Into You, Shake a Leg, and Back in Black were great. Each told a gripping mystery with a really unique twist on the song title. I had these “Ah-ha!” moments when I could connect the song title to the story. I really wanted to love You Shook Me All Night Long, which is the Jack Reacher short story, I just needed more Reacher!

Overall solid collection!

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some excellent stories in this anthology, including a great Jack Reacher story from Andrew Child.

The stings at the end of a few of these tales are cleverly thought out and well executed.

[Kevintipple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by songs from the bestselling AC/DC album, Back in Black: An Anthology of New Mystery Short Stories, is the resulting anthology. The book features short stories by ten authors all of who are major names. Billed as third in the Music and Murder Mystery Series, music rarely goes beyond the song title used as the story title.

The book opens with “Shake A Leg” by Rick Bleiweiss. In this multi chapter tale, Walker is on the run in Maui after he escaped from killers sent to take out the premier New York City hitman. He takes the time to save a teenage girl from a Hawaiian gang who killed her parents and are hunting her. Where the two go from there is the point of the tale.

Being a hitman and being good at it is the idea of “Let Me Put My Love Into You” by Editor Don Bruns. Ginger Gallagher is dressed to meld into a crowd. That is a good idea when you are going after Tito Tarantino. It is a job and he is good at it.

“You Shook Me All Night Long” by Andrew Child features Jack Reacher. Joe Reacher, espionage, and cold war stuff. Major William Hunt is trying to defect and take a briefcase full of secrets with him to Russia. The Reacher brothers, and others, want to stop that and plug the intelligence leak.

Carl lives out in the desert and is at his adobe when the dog shows up carrying a human body part. The dog has been hanging around the last several days. But, this body part in his mouth thing is new in “Givin The Dog A Bone” by Dave Bruns begins. Carl follows him and finds the rest of the body in a crashed plane. He also finds a lot more. Now he has to figure out what to do.

Candace Stone is a life coach on the radio. She gives out advice to callers who often just are not ready to hear what she is telling them. What is a normal boring shift becomes high stakes when a shooter opens fire and is looking for her in “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” by Tori Eldridge.

“Back In Black” by Sandra Balzo comes next takes the readers to a ship in the Tasman Sea. The boat is headed to Auckland, New Zealand. While on a smoke break, Leo overhears a snippet of conversation among several tourists. Minutes later a couple has gone overboard and things are set in motion.

A Story from Reed Farrel Coleman is always a treat. “Shoot To Thrill: A Tale From Gun Church” recounts how one boy, picked on for years, is befriended by others and taught a lot of things. Carter McMillian and Leeza had their own agenda for befriending him. Deceit to your face is way worse than obvious hostility.

A serial killer is working the Los Angeles area and the media is in a frenzy. Conner Marley, ex-marine, assures April, that their place in San Diego means they are safe and not in the killer’s hunting ground. Are they really safe? One wonders, as does April, in “Hell’s Bells” by Heather Graham.

Charles Todd takes readers to the western front in April 1916 in “Have A Drink On Me” by Charles Todd. Rutledge is trying to protect his men as they fight in the trenches. Sergeant Sullivan is making promises that he may not be able to keep.

“What Do You Do For Money Honey” by Ward Larsen is the final story. Thomas Driscol is a tech mogul and has been using the services of Burt Torkelson as an investigator and more for five years. The latest subject is Maricia Dahl in this complicated tale of cross and double cross.

The book closes with short bios of the various authors.

Back in Black: An Anthology of New Mystery Short Stories is an interesting read of crime and mystery short stories even though the music that inspired it nearly always does not reach beyond the use of story titles. Lots of big names are at work in this playground and the read is worth a look.

My reading copy was an ARC via the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, through NetGalley with no promise of a review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024

[Whatshereads727 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by songs from AC/DC's bestselling album, Back in Black is an anthology containing ten murder mysteries from ten bestselling writers.
The third collection in the Music and Murder Mystery Series, Back in Black features one story for each song from the seminal hard rock album of the same name. This book showcases ten mystery writers at the top of their game, including Reed Farrel Coleman, Heather Graham, Tori Eldridge, Ward Larsen, and Andrew Child, among others. Chilling and unexpected, Back in Black has a mystery for everyone.
This was a fast read for me with ten mysteries. Some were more interesting than others. It was just ok for me. Nothing stood out to me. Just an ok read. I gave this 3 stars.

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories full of murder, revenge, drugs, detectives, and enough of the seamy underbelly of humanity to thrill the hard-core mystery junkie. The strongest stories in the collection are those by Andrew Child, Charles Todd, and heather Davis. Longtime mystery buffs will enjoy seeing old genre favorits taking star turns, while newer aficionados will discover authors they want to follow. The book was nicely designed, with each story set up like its own miniature novel, and the author bios at the back were a nice mix of quirky and factual. If there's one lesson to be learned from the book, it's that anyone from any background can become an author ... or a killer.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's part of the Music and Murder Mystery series. It's a collection of short stories by a variety of authors including Heather Graham (my reason for getting the book from the library), Don Bruns, Dave Bruns, Tori Eldridge, Sandra Balzo, and others. I only read the stories by these five authors and my review is based solely on them. These stories were quick, fun reads that drew me in immediately and kept me hooked. I absolutely enjoyed each story and recommend the book. Whether you read all of them or just one, you'll be sure to find a story you love.

[Dawn Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this concept of creating an anthology of short stories based on the classic AC/DC album. I hope to find time to read the other two - Hotel California and Thriller. Some of the stories I liked more than others. That is to be expected. I found this was a great way to become acquainted with writers I was not aware of. Recommended especially for those readers who don't have time for an entire novel. Very enjoyable!

[Louise Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read the Charles Todd story so far but it was marvelous! So good to read about Rutledge and Hamish again! Highly recommended!

[Cybercrone · Rating 2 out of 5]

A couple of good stories here, but mostly meh.

[Duncan McGinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this collection. Like any anthology, some stories were better than others. I particularly liked Have a Drink on Me

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to listen. Some stories are better than others, but worth the time if you like mystery/crime.

[Mark Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Several short stories named after AC/DC songs.
Stories move pretty fast. I feel like the stories are a little to quick
Nothing to do with the band or music.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved my Jack Reacher story!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of short stories based on songs from AC/DC's classic album, Back in Black. My personal fave - Hell's Bells, funny and scary!

[Christy Weatherholtz-Morales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ten short stories, all bearing the titles of AC/DC songs. If that doesn't pique your interest then nothing will. Well written with twists, turns and a longing for some music after.

[Chris-Cuddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of ten thrilling mystery short stories inspired by the titles of AC/DC songs. As a Reacher fan, enjoyed Child's bite-sized taster.

[Dawn]

DNF

[Misty B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story that caught my attention the most was Back in Black by Sandra Balzo. I looked for more books by them right away. I hope all of their books have that same spark.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 some very good stories, some that were just "meh".

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Back in Black is an interesting collection of previously unpublished short fiction by some top-shelf authors, arranged to coordinate with the songs of the iconic AC/DC album, edited by Don Bruns. Due out 16th July 2024 from Blackstone, it's 242 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

A glance at the story contributors on the cover will provide most readers of mystery/thriller fiction with enough motivation to pick up and give the anthology a try. Readers should be aware that although listed as mystery, there are only a couple of stories which really fit the mystery mold, they are mostly thriller and non-mystery fiction selections. There are 10 stories, one to correspond with each of the songs on the album.

As with any anthology, some stories hit better than others depending on readers' moods, but they're all from well known authors writing at a high level of competency. One good thing about short fiction anthologies is that if a story doesn't grab the reader, there's another story in just a few pages.

Four stars. Well written and thrilling. The stories generally have only the very loosest connection to the eponymous song tracks.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Back in Black is an anthology inspired by the AC/DC album, with each story based on one of the album's tracks. It's subtitled as being mystery stories, which is highly inaccurate, as there is really one, maybe two entries that resemble mysteries; the rest are outright thrillers or generic fiction. And only two or three seem genuinely inspired by their corresponding album track, namely "Givin the Dog a Bone," "Have a Drink on Me" and, beating the reader over the head with the title, "Hells Bells." A couple stories lazily include the name of the track once, then pretty much forget about the concept, while several of the others barely seem to consider their inspiration at all. The best story by far is Andrew Child's Jack Reacher story "You Shook Me All Night Long," while "Givin the Dog a Bone" was the only other fairly solid one, though it borrows a bit much from No Country for Old Men and A Simple Plan. The other stories read like a mediocre episode of some 80s "Equalizer"-ish TV show or other blase potboiler. Pretty disappointing book altogether.

[Raven Nivhaar · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the most monotonous books I've ever read. Despite containing stories from several authors, everything read the same and I found myself skimming the remaining stories.
Overall, I don't think I've discovered anyone that I'm in a hurry to read from again, unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Michelle "Champ" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy old time radio mystery shows, this book was like reading some of those shows. It is a book filled with various mystery type stories. Each story is different and can stand alone. If you enjoyed Johnny Dollar or The Whistler, you’re going to love this book.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me have this one.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent anthology featuring new and well known author. The level of the stories is high and I throroughly enjoyed them
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine