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Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap: An Anthology of Grime, Grift, and Grim Justice
This is not the world of heroes.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap delivers a hard-hitting anthology of blood-drenched vengeance, haunted pasts, and the bleak seduction of survival at any cost. In these pages, con artists barter in lies and ghost stories. Mercenaries stalk fog-drenched cities where morality drowns in saltwater. Runaways rise from chains to fire and fury. And somewhere in the woods, a monument made of bones watches a girl build meaning from death, one brittle piece at a time.
Told in voices as sharp as broken glass, these tales don't ask for your forgiveness. They dare you to look away.
Cheap? Maybe. Dirty? Oh yes. Done? Not until the last body falls.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap delivers a hard-hitting anthology of blood-drenched vengeance, haunted pasts, and the bleak seduction of survival at any cost. In these pages, con artists barter in lies and ghost stories. Mercenaries stalk fog-drenched cities where morality drowns in saltwater. Runaways rise from chains to fire and fury. And somewhere in the woods, a monument made of bones watches a girl build meaning from death, one brittle piece at a time.
Told in voices as sharp as broken glass, these tales don't ask for your forgiveness. They dare you to look away.
Cheap? Maybe. Dirty? Oh yes. Done? Not until the last body falls.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 1, 2025
“The dark surged her like absence made animate, sliding past her skin and into the marrow, unspooling meaning as it went——taking names, memories, shape.”
I was giving a free copy of this collection for an honest review. A few of the stories in this book were mediocre but two of them really stood out with superior writing.
The Spited and The Hunted by Dan Reckert
Shepherd of Fire by Thaniel Crowe
I was giving a free copy of this collection for an honest review. A few of the stories in this book were mediocre but two of them really stood out with superior writing.
The Spited and The Hunted by Dan Reckert
Shepherd of Fire by Thaniel Crowe
August 6, 2025
Each short story in the collection is packed with interesting characters and unexpected twists that keep you turning the pages. The authors featured in the anthology bring distinct voices and styles to the table, making each tale feel fresh while still contributing to a unified theme of morally gray adventures (Reminds me of the grown up version of “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”).
While many of the stories delve into the seedy side of human nature—crime, betrayal, and revenge, they never lose their sense of twisted fun.
Whether it’s a gritty back-alley deal gone wrong or a surprisingly tender act of redemption, the narratives are punchy and dark. The variety in storytelling leaves something for almost everyone to enjoy. Not all of them hit home, which is why a star was removed though.
Overall, this is a fun and short dark read for fans of crime fiction with a quirky edge. Whether you're in it for the action, the laughs, or twists, this anthology is dirt cheap, but worth every penny. 😜
While many of the stories delve into the seedy side of human nature—crime, betrayal, and revenge, they never lose their sense of twisted fun.
Whether it’s a gritty back-alley deal gone wrong or a surprisingly tender act of redemption, the narratives are punchy and dark. The variety in storytelling leaves something for almost everyone to enjoy. Not all of them hit home, which is why a star was removed though.
Overall, this is a fun and short dark read for fans of crime fiction with a quirky edge. Whether you're in it for the action, the laughs, or twists, this anthology is dirt cheap, but worth every penny. 😜
October 25, 2025
The very first story sets the tone, dark and grim, in the back room of a seedy tavern where the edges of right and wrong are blurry. The right amount of coin or cause can turn the head or eyes. These are the stories that go bump in the night. The ones that weigh on your soul, the ones that come for you in the small, quiet hours.
Let me start off by saying I am not usually a fan of short story collections. I love to be immersed and often with short stories they stop right when I want more. These were really fantastic stories that wove in the cliffhanger endings in the best possible way. All the stories were well-written. That being said, I do pick favorites, and there were a few that stood out to me.
Bone Monument by Sierra Wardjamin shines, a perfect blend of believable and unsettling. Just real enough to say, well maybe…Wardjamin’s narrative style was so easy to read, I got completely lost in her story. I could easily see a full novel or novella around the Bone Monument.
No Man’s Land by Jack Calloway was incredibly written. Pulling on battlefield myths of ghosts haunting bloody land, this one gave me the shivers. I’m not normally a fan of war/battle stories, but the descriptions of the dead having too smooth of movements rather than halting or stiff movements… that is going to haunt me for a long time.
Sovereign by Marisol Varela may be the shortest of all the stories in this anthology. In just a few pages it weaves a story of power and truth. It’s eerie and otherworldly, and it is completely stuck in my head. The lyrical prose in this the shortest of short stories is so compelling. Another author I hope to see more of in the future!
The one that surprised me the most, that packed the biggest punch, was The Letter That Brought The Storm by Alex Howthorne. This was such an incredibly intricately woven story. We got setting, background, a wonderfully complex duel all around righting a wrong for someone in need. I was genuinely sad when I got to the end of this one. I could easily see it spinning out into a full length novel.
Last and certainly not least is Francisco Calvo Casanova’s The Sepulcher. Bloody, dark, and twisted in all the right ways. This one is absolutely perfect for the spookiest of seasons. Grab yourself a copy, a comfy blanket, a few (ok, ALL) the lights and curl up with this one!
Huge thank you to Zoltan Egel and Rock & Roll Publishing for the gifted e-book! This was a blast to read! All opinions are my own.
Let me start off by saying I am not usually a fan of short story collections. I love to be immersed and often with short stories they stop right when I want more. These were really fantastic stories that wove in the cliffhanger endings in the best possible way. All the stories were well-written. That being said, I do pick favorites, and there were a few that stood out to me.
Bone Monument by Sierra Wardjamin shines, a perfect blend of believable and unsettling. Just real enough to say, well maybe…Wardjamin’s narrative style was so easy to read, I got completely lost in her story. I could easily see a full novel or novella around the Bone Monument.
No Man’s Land by Jack Calloway was incredibly written. Pulling on battlefield myths of ghosts haunting bloody land, this one gave me the shivers. I’m not normally a fan of war/battle stories, but the descriptions of the dead having too smooth of movements rather than halting or stiff movements… that is going to haunt me for a long time.
Sovereign by Marisol Varela may be the shortest of all the stories in this anthology. In just a few pages it weaves a story of power and truth. It’s eerie and otherworldly, and it is completely stuck in my head. The lyrical prose in this the shortest of short stories is so compelling. Another author I hope to see more of in the future!
The one that surprised me the most, that packed the biggest punch, was The Letter That Brought The Storm by Alex Howthorne. This was such an incredibly intricately woven story. We got setting, background, a wonderfully complex duel all around righting a wrong for someone in need. I was genuinely sad when I got to the end of this one. I could easily see it spinning out into a full length novel.
Last and certainly not least is Francisco Calvo Casanova’s The Sepulcher. Bloody, dark, and twisted in all the right ways. This one is absolutely perfect for the spookiest of seasons. Grab yourself a copy, a comfy blanket, a few (ok, ALL) the lights and curl up with this one!
Huge thank you to Zoltan Egel and Rock & Roll Publishing for the gifted e-book! This was a blast to read! All opinions are my own.
October 14, 2025
[3.5 ⭐️] this anthology is a roller coaster, with a wide-range of sub-genres and varying story lengths, and it stands out amongst the average cut and dry horror anthology.
I have to say, there were some really stand out stories, including the Bone Monument and No Man’s Land. Both were well thought out, eerie, and satisfying from start to finish with clear settings and story lines, and also tapped into whatever emotions they were trying to elicit. I would love to see more from these authors in the future!
Other honourable mentions, to only name a couple, would go to The Snitch and The Price of Life. Two very interesting and vastly different tales, but unfortunately with the same shortcoming— an abrupt and unsatisfying ending. I found this to be the case with a few stories, the worlds and characters were set up quickly but well, but the endings felt lacklustre and sudden. A short story always leaves you wanting more, but there is a fine-line to this before it becomes a disappointing ending. But again, I think the bones to these stories were impressive so I still enjoyed the journey.
My only other notes are that I would love to see authors notes at the end of each story to learn more about each author’s background and I would love a table of contents at the start.
Overall, I think this book is impressive and contains a lot of budding talent with imaginative ideas and tall tales. Ranging from game of thrones-like fantasy to vigilante westerns to horrors of ancient spirits, this anthology covers the spectrum of gritty and dark fiction and does it well!
Last but not least, thank you to Rock & Roll publishing for trusting me with an ARC of this collection!
I have to say, there were some really stand out stories, including the Bone Monument and No Man’s Land. Both were well thought out, eerie, and satisfying from start to finish with clear settings and story lines, and also tapped into whatever emotions they were trying to elicit. I would love to see more from these authors in the future!
Other honourable mentions, to only name a couple, would go to The Snitch and The Price of Life. Two very interesting and vastly different tales, but unfortunately with the same shortcoming— an abrupt and unsatisfying ending. I found this to be the case with a few stories, the worlds and characters were set up quickly but well, but the endings felt lacklustre and sudden. A short story always leaves you wanting more, but there is a fine-line to this before it becomes a disappointing ending. But again, I think the bones to these stories were impressive so I still enjoyed the journey.
My only other notes are that I would love to see authors notes at the end of each story to learn more about each author’s background and I would love a table of contents at the start.
Overall, I think this book is impressive and contains a lot of budding talent with imaginative ideas and tall tales. Ranging from game of thrones-like fantasy to vigilante westerns to horrors of ancient spirits, this anthology covers the spectrum of gritty and dark fiction and does it well!
Last but not least, thank you to Rock & Roll publishing for trusting me with an ARC of this collection!
October 4, 2025
This is my honest review in return for an ARC from the publisher. When I first looked into this anthology, I wasn't sure if it would match my taste but I decided to give it a chance and I'm glad that I did. This was a great kickoff to spooky season with a collection for stories that - while different in themes and genres - were all tied together with a lingering sense of dread.
As expected, some stories are going to be stronger than others. I particularly enjoyed Bone Monument as it leaned into the emotional turmoil of a teenage girl with chronic pain. Another strong story was No Man's Land; which utilizes language and POV to really build on the suspense of the story.
I did feel that putting a chapter story in the middle of the book was jarring. It felt like it messed with the style of the book.
Overall, I was expecting darker stories than we got but still enjoyed the experience of this anthology. Definitely worth a read if you're looking for something quick and easy for October.
As expected, some stories are going to be stronger than others. I particularly enjoyed Bone Monument as it leaned into the emotional turmoil of a teenage girl with chronic pain. Another strong story was No Man's Land; which utilizes language and POV to really build on the suspense of the story.
I did feel that putting a chapter story in the middle of the book was jarring. It felt like it messed with the style of the book.
Overall, I was expecting darker stories than we got but still enjoyed the experience of this anthology. Definitely worth a read if you're looking for something quick and easy for October.
October 3, 2025
It's been a while since I last checked out an anthology, so when R&R Publishing brought their collection to my attention, I was more than happy to check it out. It didn't hurt that the opening stories were short and wasted no time setting the tone for the collection.
As is usually the case, a story anthology contains some winners and some stories that fall short of the mark. I don't rate a collection based on its weakest link, but rather on the percentage of stories that felt strong, with some bonus points for those that blew my hair back. For an anthology of 12 stories like this one, if there are two or more stories that I loved, then I consider the collection a success.
I greatly enjoyed about half of this collection with a 3-way tie for favorite between Dan Reckert's The Spited and The Hunted, Noor Haddad's The Price of Life, and Francisco Calvo Casanova's The Sepulcher. All three stories were immaculate, and their prose was nothing short of savory. I enjoyed each of these the same way I would a morning cup of coffee on the balcony: sip by sip and with periods of reflection.
Not far behind these stellar offerings was not one, but both of Sierra Wardjamin's stories, Bone Monument and The Snitch.
All the aforementioned stories had certain things in common: excellent prose, great world-building, and characterization through subtle details. With short stories, making every sentence count is essential.
Without going into too much detail, the lack of those strengths usually caused a story to miss for me. When a story relies heavily on adverbs, it often feels overwritten and repetitive. After the wind moans or the embers lick hungrily for the third time in as many pages, I can't help but lose my immersion. It becomes especially painful for me if the story is on the longer side of the short story spectrum.
But one of the great things about short story collections is that there's usually something for everyone. As one will likely see when browsing the various reviews, each person's favorite story may very well be entirely different, and it speaks to the strength of the collection that it fields such a well-rounded offering. Each of the stories I mentioned as favorites was wildly different from the others, so kudos to the anthology curators.
I would highly recommend this anthology for anyone who enjoys shorter works, especially those leaning into grim and gritty realities, with many dabbling heavily in horror. Though if you're looking for romance, then this might not be for you. See below for some extra thoughts on my favorites.
Dan Reckert - The Spited and The Hunted
This was the third story in the collection and what really cemented my interest. The prose was relentlessly workmanlike, quickly establishing the setting and the competence of the main character, Valyn, a native man hired to track a woman on the run. Despite Valyn's skills, he gets little appreciation from his employer, who seems to be a rather despicable person. How do we know Valyn's employer isn't the greatest guy? From dialogue such as, "I'll have her crucified upside-down so dogs can piss on her face!"
The story further sets the collection's tone with Valyn being a sympathetic character (anyone who's just trying to make it to the end of their 9-to-5 and go home for the day will relate), operating in a morally gray area to make ends meet. The story advanced with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my figurative seat, reminding me of some of my favorite Robert E. Howard stories.
Sierra Wardjamin - Bone Monument
I knew this story would be interesting from the opening line: Cash was hard to come by when I was a kid, so Mom dealt in meat.
This story is a great example of using lived experiences to create a uniquely authentic setting and set of characters. You can tell the author or someone they know grew up in a home similar to what's described in the story, and the details will likely be fascinatingly foreign to your average city-dweller. I also really liked the exploration of growing up with the unsettling arrival of a supernatural element. It's a classic horror formula the author used to great effect.
Sierra Wardjamin - The Snitch
The author had not one but two stories in this collection and I enjoyed both of them. Not just because they were both good, but I also appreciated how different they were from one another. While Bone Monument demonstrated the author's skill in building a setting and populating it with interesting characters, The Snitch was an exploration of unreliable narration, focusing on character voice. The story is revealed entirely through dialogue as police interrogate a man after the events in question.
Francisco Calvo Casanova - The Sepulcher
As mentioned earlier, this was one of my absolute favorites. The prose and imagery were gorgeous, which might sound unusual considering the story is a Lovecraftian occult mystery set against the backdrop of a war. But consider this description of a letter received by carrier pigeon: It wasn't any cipher. The letters didn't conform to sector glyphs or trench-cant. They curved, fractal and impossible, like something glimpsed in a dream right before waking. But the words beneath the spirals-those were worse. They weren't written in ink. They had been scored into the parchment like clawmarks on a sarcophagus lid.
I loved the colorful language describing something the mind instinctively shies away from, but we also have something very concrete to latch onto with our mind's eye that reinforces the idea of maybe we leave things alone: claw marks on a sarcophagus lid. Your average person would want to avoid disturbing a sarcophagus, let alone one covered in claw marks. But our main character in this story has little choice but to go where the mission demands.
Noor Haddad - The Price of Life
This is what a story looks like when an author is skilled enough to incorporate a meaningful message without sacrificing story to do so. There's nothing supernatural here, but a creeping sense of dread grows as you go deeper into the story.
Covering the topic of medical tourism, the story presents a juxtaposition of events seen from opposing sides of the same coin: the recipient and the donor. They didn't speak. They wouldn't meet. But in a few hours, their blood would share the same path. It's not flowery, but it's poetic and powerful stuff. The main character is what one might consider a typical privileged person from a first-world European country. Despite preaching ethics and morals in the classroom throughout her career, the character is forced into self-reflection as a medical condition worsens.
"There's nothing noble about dying by the book." The conversation kept returning to her, echoing through the static of her daily routine.
It sounds cliché to say this is one of those stories that makes you think, but it is what it is. Compared to other stories in the collection, I felt like this one encouraged the reader to self-insert and ask themselves the same questions. I always appreciate it when a story allows me to contemplate without feeling like I'm being lectured.
As is usually the case, a story anthology contains some winners and some stories that fall short of the mark. I don't rate a collection based on its weakest link, but rather on the percentage of stories that felt strong, with some bonus points for those that blew my hair back. For an anthology of 12 stories like this one, if there are two or more stories that I loved, then I consider the collection a success.
I greatly enjoyed about half of this collection with a 3-way tie for favorite between Dan Reckert's The Spited and The Hunted, Noor Haddad's The Price of Life, and Francisco Calvo Casanova's The Sepulcher. All three stories were immaculate, and their prose was nothing short of savory. I enjoyed each of these the same way I would a morning cup of coffee on the balcony: sip by sip and with periods of reflection.
Not far behind these stellar offerings was not one, but both of Sierra Wardjamin's stories, Bone Monument and The Snitch.
All the aforementioned stories had certain things in common: excellent prose, great world-building, and characterization through subtle details. With short stories, making every sentence count is essential.
Without going into too much detail, the lack of those strengths usually caused a story to miss for me. When a story relies heavily on adverbs, it often feels overwritten and repetitive. After the wind moans or the embers lick hungrily for the third time in as many pages, I can't help but lose my immersion. It becomes especially painful for me if the story is on the longer side of the short story spectrum.
But one of the great things about short story collections is that there's usually something for everyone. As one will likely see when browsing the various reviews, each person's favorite story may very well be entirely different, and it speaks to the strength of the collection that it fields such a well-rounded offering. Each of the stories I mentioned as favorites was wildly different from the others, so kudos to the anthology curators.
I would highly recommend this anthology for anyone who enjoys shorter works, especially those leaning into grim and gritty realities, with many dabbling heavily in horror. Though if you're looking for romance, then this might not be for you. See below for some extra thoughts on my favorites.
Dan Reckert - The Spited and The Hunted
This was the third story in the collection and what really cemented my interest. The prose was relentlessly workmanlike, quickly establishing the setting and the competence of the main character, Valyn, a native man hired to track a woman on the run. Despite Valyn's skills, he gets little appreciation from his employer, who seems to be a rather despicable person. How do we know Valyn's employer isn't the greatest guy? From dialogue such as, "I'll have her crucified upside-down so dogs can piss on her face!"
The story further sets the collection's tone with Valyn being a sympathetic character (anyone who's just trying to make it to the end of their 9-to-5 and go home for the day will relate), operating in a morally gray area to make ends meet. The story advanced with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my figurative seat, reminding me of some of my favorite Robert E. Howard stories.
Sierra Wardjamin - Bone Monument
I knew this story would be interesting from the opening line: Cash was hard to come by when I was a kid, so Mom dealt in meat.
This story is a great example of using lived experiences to create a uniquely authentic setting and set of characters. You can tell the author or someone they know grew up in a home similar to what's described in the story, and the details will likely be fascinatingly foreign to your average city-dweller. I also really liked the exploration of growing up with the unsettling arrival of a supernatural element. It's a classic horror formula the author used to great effect.
Sierra Wardjamin - The Snitch
The author had not one but two stories in this collection and I enjoyed both of them. Not just because they were both good, but I also appreciated how different they were from one another. While Bone Monument demonstrated the author's skill in building a setting and populating it with interesting characters, The Snitch was an exploration of unreliable narration, focusing on character voice. The story is revealed entirely through dialogue as police interrogate a man after the events in question.
Francisco Calvo Casanova - The Sepulcher
As mentioned earlier, this was one of my absolute favorites. The prose and imagery were gorgeous, which might sound unusual considering the story is a Lovecraftian occult mystery set against the backdrop of a war. But consider this description of a letter received by carrier pigeon: It wasn't any cipher. The letters didn't conform to sector glyphs or trench-cant. They curved, fractal and impossible, like something glimpsed in a dream right before waking. But the words beneath the spirals-those were worse. They weren't written in ink. They had been scored into the parchment like clawmarks on a sarcophagus lid.
I loved the colorful language describing something the mind instinctively shies away from, but we also have something very concrete to latch onto with our mind's eye that reinforces the idea of maybe we leave things alone: claw marks on a sarcophagus lid. Your average person would want to avoid disturbing a sarcophagus, let alone one covered in claw marks. But our main character in this story has little choice but to go where the mission demands.
Noor Haddad - The Price of Life
This is what a story looks like when an author is skilled enough to incorporate a meaningful message without sacrificing story to do so. There's nothing supernatural here, but a creeping sense of dread grows as you go deeper into the story.
Covering the topic of medical tourism, the story presents a juxtaposition of events seen from opposing sides of the same coin: the recipient and the donor. They didn't speak. They wouldn't meet. But in a few hours, their blood would share the same path. It's not flowery, but it's poetic and powerful stuff. The main character is what one might consider a typical privileged person from a first-world European country. Despite preaching ethics and morals in the classroom throughout her career, the character is forced into self-reflection as a medical condition worsens.
"There's nothing noble about dying by the book." The conversation kept returning to her, echoing through the static of her daily routine.
It sounds cliché to say this is one of those stories that makes you think, but it is what it is. Compared to other stories in the collection, I felt like this one encouraged the reader to self-insert and ask themselves the same questions. I always appreciate it when a story allows me to contemplate without feeling like I'm being lectured.
October 19, 2025
I love anthologies so much!! I'm so happy I had a chance to read another!!
This novel had so many interesting stories! Even though it wasn't my usual kind of read, there were some really strong stories here!
I definitely found some stories stronger than others, but I still found each of them really enjoyable. Each of the authors had a strong style of writing and a distinct voice that felt so informative of the topics that they were writing about. I would love to read more work from the authors in this book, and hope that more people have a chance to read their writing because it's so worth it!
I think that my favourite stories in the novel were Bone Monument, No Man's Land, The Letter That Brought The Storm, The Snitch, The Price of Life, and The Hired Hand (shoutout to Eli for having the same last name as me!). Although these stories are each pretty different, I loved that they were somewhat rooted in real life scenarios, from various time periods and experiences. I always tend to lean away from fantasy, but I still found the more fantastical stories really enjoyable in this book as well!
I think each of these stories felt really fun, despite being about such dark things that made the anthology super enjoyable. I also never felt like I was reading the same story again, each story felt so different from the next, and it made it really interesting to find out what the next story would be about. It was a really nice curation of stories. I also loved the illustrations at the beginning of each story and trying to see how they would tie into the story they were attached to!
Overall, this was a really enjoyable, quick read, and I had a fun time reading it! This novel is totally worth picking up, and I recommend it if you're looking for some interesting short stories to pass the time with. Thank you to Rock and Rolk Publishing for sending me a copy of this to read!
This novel had so many interesting stories! Even though it wasn't my usual kind of read, there were some really strong stories here!
I definitely found some stories stronger than others, but I still found each of them really enjoyable. Each of the authors had a strong style of writing and a distinct voice that felt so informative of the topics that they were writing about. I would love to read more work from the authors in this book, and hope that more people have a chance to read their writing because it's so worth it!
I think that my favourite stories in the novel were Bone Monument, No Man's Land, The Letter That Brought The Storm, The Snitch, The Price of Life, and The Hired Hand (shoutout to Eli for having the same last name as me!). Although these stories are each pretty different, I loved that they were somewhat rooted in real life scenarios, from various time periods and experiences. I always tend to lean away from fantasy, but I still found the more fantastical stories really enjoyable in this book as well!
I think each of these stories felt really fun, despite being about such dark things that made the anthology super enjoyable. I also never felt like I was reading the same story again, each story felt so different from the next, and it made it really interesting to find out what the next story would be about. It was a really nice curation of stories. I also loved the illustrations at the beginning of each story and trying to see how they would tie into the story they were attached to!
Overall, this was a really enjoyable, quick read, and I had a fun time reading it! This novel is totally worth picking up, and I recommend it if you're looking for some interesting short stories to pass the time with. Thank you to Rock and Rolk Publishing for sending me a copy of this to read!
November 3, 2025
Thanks to rock and roll publishing for eARC
Settings/POVs: Past, present, real world, supernatural; various
12 Stories:
i. 4
ii. 3.5
iii. 3
iv. 4.5
v. 5 - However, too many 'alikes' in one section, at least four, making it distracting for me
vi. 4
vii. 3.5 - too many "deliberate/ly s"
viii. 0 DNF - awkwardly written/paced
ix. DNF, poorly written, tense changes, far too many typos
x. 4
xi. 2
xii. 3
Most stories are enjoyable, and besides the obvious complaints listed above, any issues I had are me problems; I have an eye for typos and repeated phrases and lack of a thesaurus, so those things tend to distract or bother me more than the average reader, I would assume? So, overall, 3.75ish stars, to accommodate for the lower-rated stories. A variety of 'dirty deeds' from murder-for-hire, war, organ donation, so on and so forth, and I appreciated said variety.
Settings/POVs: Past, present, real world, supernatural; various
12 Stories:
i. 4
ii. 3.5
iii. 3
iv. 4.5
v. 5 - However, too many 'alikes' in one section, at least four, making it distracting for me
vi. 4
vii. 3.5 - too many "deliberate/ly s"
viii. 0 DNF - awkwardly written/paced
ix. DNF, poorly written, tense changes, far too many typos
x. 4
xi. 2
xii. 3
Most stories are enjoyable, and besides the obvious complaints listed above, any issues I had are me problems; I have an eye for typos and repeated phrases and lack of a thesaurus, so those things tend to distract or bother me more than the average reader, I would assume? So, overall, 3.75ish stars, to accommodate for the lower-rated stories. A variety of 'dirty deeds' from murder-for-hire, war, organ donation, so on and so forth, and I appreciated said variety.
October 27, 2025
It is rare to find a cohesive anthology that has such a strong core theme.
I was provided a copy to read and review.
My main reading time is just before bed, and the tone of this book was just a little too unsettling to read then. This is a plus. The stories were varied, and a few will stay in my mind.
Overall a great read with the kind of visceral storytelling of old that will jump off the page.
If you are any kind of reader, pick this up and try something fresh and dark.
I was provided a copy to read and review.
My main reading time is just before bed, and the tone of this book was just a little too unsettling to read then. This is a plus. The stories were varied, and a few will stay in my mind.
Overall a great read with the kind of visceral storytelling of old that will jump off the page.
If you are any kind of reader, pick this up and try something fresh and dark.
July 12, 2025
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," Rock & Roll Publishing's debut anthology, is an excellent, refreshing read, with top-notch writing and high quality stories of horror and dark fantasy. In fact, the book's superbly edited, flawlessly curated, featuring a wide array of engaging new voices (I confess I've never heard of any of the authors before), all this without a big name backing it up - it'd be a shame if the book were to get lost in the fray! Let's take a look.
The title is obviously a reference to the AC/DC album of the same name, because (as the publisher puts it) "Like the best rock, these stories don’t ask permission. They just grab the mic and wail"! Indeed, the twelve stories within, ranging over epic fantasy, folk horror, dark fantasy, religious, medical, weird, and military horror, are all easy reads, entertaining, occasionally touching on deeper issues, usually going for the macabre twist or the emotionally heavy ending, surprisingly (for a debut anthology, that is) always well plotted and skillfully crafted.
Out of the dozen stories, I'll mention five which I found the most intriguing and the most accomplished. Weirdly for me, two of them are fantasy - and I don't like fantasy myself. Neither is ground-breaking, yet the writing was so good, I enjoyed myself too much not to include them among my favorites. One of the two is the opening story, Alex Howthorne's "In The Human Tide of Droskar": set in a Game of Thrones-like city (that's how far my knowledge of epic fantasy goes!), it's an atmospheric tale of one man in a tavern watching the people around him and reflecting on the city he grew up in, commenting on the rich and the poor, the workers and the princes; where does he himself belong, however? The ending gives the somewhat unexpected, but thoroughly satisfying, answer. The second fantasy tale is Francisco Calvo Casanova's dark fantasy "The Sepulcher," bordering on sci-fi fantasy and, themewise, very much reminiscent of Gene Wolfe's books: a mysterious message forces the government to bring an "Exegetist" to decipher the meaning of the message, sending him to the trenches to find out who sent it. The writing is quite good for this kind of mission into the unknown: hinting more than revealing, implying rather than describing - culminating in a grandiose, baroque writing style that perfectly fits the bizarre visuals of this story.
I enjoyed even more Jack Calloway's "No Man's Land," about two WWII soldiers, a Russian and a German, forced to partner up in order to face a supernatural threat in the middle of a forest. It has good pacing, though it's mostly descriptive, keeping things tight and least emotional, so that the abrupt ending won't lose none of its full force. Next, a very weird tale thriving on subtlety and insinuation is Sierra Wardjamin's "The Snitch," told in police interview format; very creepy, very effective in never coming out and naming the dread permeating the piece. Finally, a story based on true facts (unfortunately) is Noor Haddad's "The Price of Life," a harrowing chronicle of an illegal kidney transplantation. The less I say about it, the more shocking it'll be, I think.
My single complaint would be the lack of author bio; I have absolutely no idea who these authors are. Nevertheless, if you enjoy variety, originality, and discovering new authors, I would encourage you to check this anthology out. You will devour the stories in a few sittings, and appreciate the many talented fresh voices introduced in the volume. Recommended!
October 24, 2025
I was given a free copy of this short story anthology in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is phenomenal and has to be some of the best that I've read in a while. Each author brings the "Grime, Grift, and Grim Justice" to life. This is what impressed me most about this anthology.
As the title suggests, these are not "they lived happily ever after" stories. They all have some level of darkness.
My favorite was "No Man's Land" by Jack Calloway, a story about two WWII combatants, one German, one Russian, sharing a dark cold, night of horror. This story would make a great Twilight Zone episode.
I so wanted to give this anthology a 5 / 5. Unfortunately, I did not like the way a lot of the stories ended quite abruptly. Typically, I prefer more closure at the end of a story, book, or movie. I still highly recommend this anthology.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars!
The writing is phenomenal and has to be some of the best that I've read in a while. Each author brings the "Grime, Grift, and Grim Justice" to life. This is what impressed me most about this anthology.
As the title suggests, these are not "they lived happily ever after" stories. They all have some level of darkness.
My favorite was "No Man's Land" by Jack Calloway, a story about two WWII combatants, one German, one Russian, sharing a dark cold, night of horror. This story would make a great Twilight Zone episode.
I so wanted to give this anthology a 5 / 5. Unfortunately, I did not like the way a lot of the stories ended quite abruptly. Typically, I prefer more closure at the end of a story, book, or movie. I still highly recommend this anthology.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars!
September 21, 2025
Interesting mix of creepy stories but my favourite was ‘No Man’s Land’. That was very creepy. Imagine seeing a dead soldier rise. You’d absolutely die.
The other stories were ok, and though Bone Monument was good - it stuck in my head because a dreamed of bone monuments.
Overall, a good mix and for the incoming spooky season, it is well timed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Rock and Roll publishing for this ARC.
The other stories were ok, and though Bone Monument was good - it stuck in my head because a dreamed of bone monuments.
Overall, a good mix and for the incoming spooky season, it is well timed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Rock and Roll publishing for this ARC.
September 25, 2025
A nice collection of spooky stories that are quick reads . My favorite had to be Bone Monument. Sone of the stories were just meh but not bad .Def a good read for spooky season
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy. This is my honest review
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy. This is my honest review
July 23, 2025
I was privileged to get an ARC for this book from Rock and Roll publishing for an honest review. Solely because the content of this collection contained stories which would resonate with me. After finishing it I can say that their assumption was correct. At first when I read the blurb, seeing that the title was taken from the AC/DC album name I thought, ok this might be interesting.
So....I really enjoyed this . Comprising of 12 short stories, some very short. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap contains situations where the characters have, are about to or are thinking about doing some deed. And, as it states in the title, some of them are grim.
The standout entries here are "No Man's Land" by Jack Calloway, a zombie, Lovecraftian World War horror. "The Letter that brought the storm" by Alex Howthorn, a tale of lost love and class. "The Spited and the Hunted" by Dan Reckert. A brilliant bit of world building and fantasy horror. "Bone Monument" by Sierra Wardjamin. A superb King type horror tale and finally "In the Human Tide of Droskar" by Alex Howthorn. A fantasy , Game of Thrones type affair where nothing much happens, but you just can't stop reading.
Good stuff but I wish the book contained some info about who these authors are. I felt that their stories were almost prototypes of something bigger, or ideas they were putting down on paper, all which ended up in this collection. The "Droksar" story's world building is brilliant and I wanted more at the end. Hopefully I'll see more of these people in the future.
Again, my copy of this was an ARC and was obviously a pre-published version. So the finished product might be different. And there were numerous font issues in the version I had, with sizing changing from some paragraphs. But nothing detracted from the meat of the book.
Really good stuff. And well worth your time here.
So....I really enjoyed this . Comprising of 12 short stories, some very short. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap contains situations where the characters have, are about to or are thinking about doing some deed. And, as it states in the title, some of them are grim.
The standout entries here are "No Man's Land" by Jack Calloway, a zombie, Lovecraftian World War horror. "The Letter that brought the storm" by Alex Howthorn, a tale of lost love and class. "The Spited and the Hunted" by Dan Reckert. A brilliant bit of world building and fantasy horror. "Bone Monument" by Sierra Wardjamin. A superb King type horror tale and finally "In the Human Tide of Droskar" by Alex Howthorn. A fantasy , Game of Thrones type affair where nothing much happens, but you just can't stop reading.
Good stuff but I wish the book contained some info about who these authors are. I felt that their stories were almost prototypes of something bigger, or ideas they were putting down on paper, all which ended up in this collection. The "Droksar" story's world building is brilliant and I wanted more at the end. Hopefully I'll see more of these people in the future.
Again, my copy of this was an ARC and was obviously a pre-published version. So the finished product might be different. And there were numerous font issues in the version I had, with sizing changing from some paragraphs. But nothing detracted from the meat of the book.
Really good stuff. And well worth your time here.
November 5, 2025
An anthology of dark, grim short stories full of ominous writing.
This took me a while to get through because it wasn't what I was expecting, but I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t already a huge fan of thrillers or dark tales.
I received a copy from the publishers, and I am thankful for the opportunity to provide them with my honest review.
“The Snitch” 1/5
An interview between two detectives and “Lucky John” after an incident at one of Lucky’s jobs.
This was the worst story in this collection.
I liked the script format, but if I have to read one more “um,” I’m going to lose it.
“In the Human Tide of Droskar” 1/5
“In this life, each friend made was another potential ghost to carry, another reminder that the only certainty was that, sooner or later, the tide would take you under.”
A man thinking about his life in Droskar, watching the men at the bar.
This story didn’t feel complete to me and seemed more like a character rundown.
“The Sepulcher” 2/5
“TRESPASS MEANS MEMORY”
A message from an abandoned station raises alarms. A team of Exegetists investigates and gets pulled in by the Sepulcher.
The writing style is a bit choppy for me, and random lines such as “Like the inside of a ribcage left in the rain too long,” or “sinking into the lungs of a buried animal” take me out of the story.
The repetition at the end seemed more of a mistake than intentional. If the story ended with “It always has”, it would have been a better conclusion.
“The Hired Hand” 3/5
“That’s what bought your grave.”
A mystery man walks into town looking for work. He gets a job to bury a parcel holding an unknown item, that’s it. When the man discovers what’s inside, things don’t go so well for his employer.
Not much happens, but it’s an easy and delightful read. I really like the man’s bravado.
The ending was very abrupt. I was expecting a fight or a runaway, at least.
“No Man’s Land” 3/5
“The artillery had moved on, the gunfire had faded, and all that remained was silence and the dead.”
Two soldiers from different sides of a war are stranded in the middle of a snow-covered battlefield. They are alone in the cold and must work together to survive. Both men are injured and struggle with the language barrier, but they become partners when it comes to surviving the unknown.
I like the message of this story; how people from opposite sides can come together and survive.
“The Spited and The Hunted” 4/5
“Had Valyn been hunting game, he’d be spoiled for choice. Be he wasn’t on the trail of a beast; his quarry was of the human variety.”
A freeman turned slave tracker is hired by slave owners to hunt down a runaway slave girl. The hunting party is captured by a group of “savages” looking for revenge.
I like the story and love the gore.
“Dopo la Truffa” 4/5
“Here, the buildings leaned toward each other as if sharing secrets, their facades worn but proud, kissed by centuries of wind and salt.”
A con artist gets confronted by her past.
Very vague towards the end.
“The Letter That Brought the Storm” 4/5
“I was one forgotten figure among a sea of figures meant to be forgotten.”
A man comes back to his hometown after receiving a letter from a woman he loved asking him to help her daughter.
This story was a great read. I do wish there was more to the character’s past (Who is Ulfar?). And those last lines were a little over the top and took me out of the story.
“The Price of Life” 4/5
“They didn’t speak. They wouldn’t meet. But in a few hours, their blood would share the same path.”
A patient with kidney failure is in desperate need of a transplant, and a young Kenyan man needs to find work.
A true story about “the imbalance of power, the ethical gray zones, and the human cost” of surviving in a world against you.
I really liked this story and hate that this actually happens around the world today.
“The Shepherd of Fire” 4/5
“The fire was not merely warmth, nor defense, nor tool. It was the only thing left that made them more than the creeping void beyond its reach.”
Seyethe, a Shepherd of Fire, dreamed of a forgotten god in the darkness, but her actions led to an awakening of something worse than evil.
For one, I love the name Seyethe, and I have a feeling that she is not the only character who dreamed beyond the fire
“Sovereign” 5/5
“I have watched the ones passing trace their faith in ink and call it truth.”
A tree reigns over a forest, dreaming of a legacy from a single seed.
I love this lyrical writing style, full of imagery.
“The Bone Monument” 5/5
“Maybe I couldn’t control my changing body or my inflamed brain, but I could whip my memento mori monument back into shape.”
A kid builds a bone monument out of animal bones after her parents are done carving the carcasses to honor the animals. As the girl grows up, she develops a chronic illness, severe depression, and anxiety that get in the way of everyday life. As a way to deal with her mental health, she decides to rebuild the bone monument. Unfortunately, the monument takes up a life of its own, becoming a danger to the girl and her family.
I do agree with people saying “The Bone Monument” is the most developed story in this collection.
I like how the story started with a childish tone, then grew with the main character, and started focusing on chronic health issues and mental illness. The ending was a little abrupt for me. It wasn’t the ending I was expecting or hoping for.
This took me a while to get through because it wasn't what I was expecting, but I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t already a huge fan of thrillers or dark tales.
I received a copy from the publishers, and I am thankful for the opportunity to provide them with my honest review.
“The Snitch” 1/5
An interview between two detectives and “Lucky John” after an incident at one of Lucky’s jobs.
This was the worst story in this collection.
I liked the script format, but if I have to read one more “um,” I’m going to lose it.
“In the Human Tide of Droskar” 1/5
“In this life, each friend made was another potential ghost to carry, another reminder that the only certainty was that, sooner or later, the tide would take you under.”
A man thinking about his life in Droskar, watching the men at the bar.
This story didn’t feel complete to me and seemed more like a character rundown.
“The Sepulcher” 2/5
“TRESPASS MEANS MEMORY”
A message from an abandoned station raises alarms. A team of Exegetists investigates and gets pulled in by the Sepulcher.
The writing style is a bit choppy for me, and random lines such as “Like the inside of a ribcage left in the rain too long,” or “sinking into the lungs of a buried animal” take me out of the story.
The repetition at the end seemed more of a mistake than intentional. If the story ended with “It always has”, it would have been a better conclusion.
“The Hired Hand” 3/5
“That’s what bought your grave.”
A mystery man walks into town looking for work. He gets a job to bury a parcel holding an unknown item, that’s it. When the man discovers what’s inside, things don’t go so well for his employer.
Not much happens, but it’s an easy and delightful read. I really like the man’s bravado.
The ending was very abrupt. I was expecting a fight or a runaway, at least.
“No Man’s Land” 3/5
“The artillery had moved on, the gunfire had faded, and all that remained was silence and the dead.”
Two soldiers from different sides of a war are stranded in the middle of a snow-covered battlefield. They are alone in the cold and must work together to survive. Both men are injured and struggle with the language barrier, but they become partners when it comes to surviving the unknown.
I like the message of this story; how people from opposite sides can come together and survive.
“The Spited and The Hunted” 4/5
“Had Valyn been hunting game, he’d be spoiled for choice. Be he wasn’t on the trail of a beast; his quarry was of the human variety.”
A freeman turned slave tracker is hired by slave owners to hunt down a runaway slave girl. The hunting party is captured by a group of “savages” looking for revenge.
I like the story and love the gore.
“Dopo la Truffa” 4/5
“Here, the buildings leaned toward each other as if sharing secrets, their facades worn but proud, kissed by centuries of wind and salt.”
A con artist gets confronted by her past.
Very vague towards the end.
“The Letter That Brought the Storm” 4/5
“I was one forgotten figure among a sea of figures meant to be forgotten.”
A man comes back to his hometown after receiving a letter from a woman he loved asking him to help her daughter.
This story was a great read. I do wish there was more to the character’s past (Who is Ulfar?). And those last lines were a little over the top and took me out of the story.
“The Price of Life” 4/5
“They didn’t speak. They wouldn’t meet. But in a few hours, their blood would share the same path.”
A patient with kidney failure is in desperate need of a transplant, and a young Kenyan man needs to find work.
A true story about “the imbalance of power, the ethical gray zones, and the human cost” of surviving in a world against you.
I really liked this story and hate that this actually happens around the world today.
“The Shepherd of Fire” 4/5
“The fire was not merely warmth, nor defense, nor tool. It was the only thing left that made them more than the creeping void beyond its reach.”
Seyethe, a Shepherd of Fire, dreamed of a forgotten god in the darkness, but her actions led to an awakening of something worse than evil.
For one, I love the name Seyethe, and I have a feeling that she is not the only character who dreamed beyond the fire
“Sovereign” 5/5
“I have watched the ones passing trace their faith in ink and call it truth.”
A tree reigns over a forest, dreaming of a legacy from a single seed.
I love this lyrical writing style, full of imagery.
“The Bone Monument” 5/5
“Maybe I couldn’t control my changing body or my inflamed brain, but I could whip my memento mori monument back into shape.”
A kid builds a bone monument out of animal bones after her parents are done carving the carcasses to honor the animals. As the girl grows up, she develops a chronic illness, severe depression, and anxiety that get in the way of everyday life. As a way to deal with her mental health, she decides to rebuild the bone monument. Unfortunately, the monument takes up a life of its own, becoming a danger to the girl and her family.
I do agree with people saying “The Bone Monument” is the most developed story in this collection.
I like how the story started with a childish tone, then grew with the main character, and started focusing on chronic health issues and mental illness. The ending was a little abrupt for me. It wasn’t the ending I was expecting or hoping for.
September 26, 2025
'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' is a bit of a mixed bag. All of the stories were interesting in concept, but some felt a little overblown or not edited to release their full potential.
One story, which I shall not name, suffered from an overdose of adjectives and adverbs, which slightly brought down what was, at heart, an interesting concept.
Jack Calloway's "No Man's Land, Alex Howthorne's "The Letter That Brought the Storm" and Noor Haddad's "The Price of Life" are the real standouts in this anthology, since they feel the most polished. My personal favourite was "The Letter That Brought the Storm", since Howthorne made his protagonist feel realistic as well as ruthless and the antagonist could easily have been two dimensionally the "bad guy", but is fleshed out during the duel to feel more than a simple fop.
One story, which I shall not name, suffered from an overdose of adjectives and adverbs, which slightly brought down what was, at heart, an interesting concept.
Jack Calloway's "No Man's Land, Alex Howthorne's "The Letter That Brought the Storm" and Noor Haddad's "The Price of Life" are the real standouts in this anthology, since they feel the most polished. My personal favourite was "The Letter That Brought the Storm", since Howthorne made his protagonist feel realistic as well as ruthless and the antagonist could easily have been two dimensionally the "bad guy", but is fleshed out during the duel to feel more than a simple fop.
November 24, 2025
First ARC Review thanks to Rock and Roll publishing!
Overall, I’m a big fan of anthologies, and this collection reminded me why. I love experiencing the storytelling styles of multiple authors, and that variety really shone through here. As with any anthology, a few pieces stood out more than others, but the collection as a whole was engaging. There was some interesting world building throughout, and several stories left me wanting to see their worlds explored even further.
Overall, I’m a big fan of anthologies, and this collection reminded me why. I love experiencing the storytelling styles of multiple authors, and that variety really shone through here. As with any anthology, a few pieces stood out more than others, but the collection as a whole was engaging. There was some interesting world building throughout, and several stories left me wanting to see their worlds explored even further.
November 5, 2025
This collection of short stories has some promise but I struggled through the first half of it. The second half I felt like I blew through pretty quickly but some of them just got a little too far into descriptions for me when I think of short stories.
January 3, 2026
Dark anthology of the seedy underbelly of society. Each story was interesting and entertaining. I do love anthologies, you never get tired of the book because each story is different and entertaining in a new way. I really enjoyed this read.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.
October 1, 2025
Review to come.
October 30, 2025
ARC provided by Rock and Roll Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: ⭐⭐
This was my first ARC, and I was so excited to read it, but it didn’t live up to what I hoped for. The collection has some strong ideas and moments of solid storytelling, but overall, it often feels overly polished in a way that takes away from the emotion and voice behind the stories. Some of the prose reads like it’s been heavily edited or run through writing software, which gives it that "too smooth” feeling, technically fine, but missing warmth.
Story One didn’t work for me at all. Story Two was better, though still a bit stiff. Dan Reckert's "The Spited and The Hunted", however, really stood out, and "Bone Monument” by Sierra Wardjamin was by far my favorite. It gave me similar vibes to Shane Hawk’s Behind Colin’s Eyes from Never Whistle at Night! Child's POV with great pacing, layered perspective, and strong emotional pull. No Man’s Land was also a solid read with a twist that caught me off guard, and Sovereign had beautiful prose centered on the Tonka tree, though it felt a little too "cleaned up.” That one especially left me wishing for more of the rawness behind the concept.
After that, the collection started to lose momentum for me. A few stories felt rushed or stretched too thin, and some ended abruptly or with unresolved ideas. The Price of Life was interesting for the topic it tackled - organ donor exploitation in poorer countries - but still felt like it could’ve gone deeper.
I truly appreciate the ambition behind this anthology and the work that goes into publishing new authors. There’s a lot of potential here, and I hope future collections lean more into the writers’ unique styles and voices rather than smoothing them out too much. The ideas were there; they just needed to breathe a little more.
Rating: ⭐⭐
This was my first ARC, and I was so excited to read it, but it didn’t live up to what I hoped for. The collection has some strong ideas and moments of solid storytelling, but overall, it often feels overly polished in a way that takes away from the emotion and voice behind the stories. Some of the prose reads like it’s been heavily edited or run through writing software, which gives it that "too smooth” feeling, technically fine, but missing warmth.
Story One didn’t work for me at all. Story Two was better, though still a bit stiff. Dan Reckert's "The Spited and The Hunted", however, really stood out, and "Bone Monument” by Sierra Wardjamin was by far my favorite. It gave me similar vibes to Shane Hawk’s Behind Colin’s Eyes from Never Whistle at Night! Child's POV with great pacing, layered perspective, and strong emotional pull. No Man’s Land was also a solid read with a twist that caught me off guard, and Sovereign had beautiful prose centered on the Tonka tree, though it felt a little too "cleaned up.” That one especially left me wishing for more of the rawness behind the concept.
After that, the collection started to lose momentum for me. A few stories felt rushed or stretched too thin, and some ended abruptly or with unresolved ideas. The Price of Life was interesting for the topic it tackled - organ donor exploitation in poorer countries - but still felt like it could’ve gone deeper.
I truly appreciate the ambition behind this anthology and the work that goes into publishing new authors. There’s a lot of potential here, and I hope future collections lean more into the writers’ unique styles and voices rather than smoothing them out too much. The ideas were there; they just needed to breathe a little more.
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