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Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: A Suspense Magazine Anthology
The sun sets. The moon takes its place, illuminating the most evil corners of the planet. What twisted fear dwells in that blackness? What legends attach to those of sound mind and make them go crazy in the bright light of day? Only Suspense Magazine knows…
Teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled: “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.” This thrilling collection consists of thirteen original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.
Readers’ favorites come together to explore the mystery of midnight. The ‘best of the best’ presenting these memorable tales, include: Joseph Badal, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Shannon Kirk, Jon Land, John Lescroart, D. P. Lyle, Kevin O’Brien, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.
Take their hands…walk into their worlds…but be prepared to leave the light on when you’re through. After all, this incredible gathering of authors, who will delight fans of all genres, not only utilized their award-winning imaginations to answer that age-old question of why “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight”—they also made sure to pen stories that will leave you…speechless.
Teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled: “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.” This thrilling collection consists of thirteen original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.
Readers’ favorites come together to explore the mystery of midnight. The ‘best of the best’ presenting these memorable tales, include: Joseph Badal, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Shannon Kirk, Jon Land, John Lescroart, D. P. Lyle, Kevin O’Brien, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.
Take their hands…walk into their worlds…but be prepared to leave the light on when you’re through. After all, this incredible gathering of authors, who will delight fans of all genres, not only utilized their award-winning imaginations to answer that age-old question of why “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight”—they also made sure to pen stories that will leave you…speechless.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2020
238 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
About the author
Jeffery Deaver
509 books11.7k followers#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
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November 17, 2020
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: A Suspense Magazine Anthology - Various authors
I've started reading more short stories this year than I've ever read in the past. In this case, the short stories are a great way to sample the work of established authors. Several of the stories that stood out to me are:
Tonic by D. P. Lyle - two cousins have the job of grave robbing. When they try to eliminate the middleman, they find out who is really paying for the bodies. So much to think about with this one and there is a big twist at the end.
Night Shift by Lin Barclay and Gone Forever by Joseph Badal, both of which give us insight into the minds of potential mass murderers.
Several of these stories feature characters who are in long running series. All the stories work to prove that "Nothing Good Happens After Midnight". Put all these stories together and you are not safe anywhere! I suggest staying out of bars, parking lots, cemeteries, your own home, church...there is no where that is safe.
Publication: November 17th 2020
Thank you to Suspense Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
I've started reading more short stories this year than I've ever read in the past. In this case, the short stories are a great way to sample the work of established authors. Several of the stories that stood out to me are:
Tonic by D. P. Lyle - two cousins have the job of grave robbing. When they try to eliminate the middleman, they find out who is really paying for the bodies. So much to think about with this one and there is a big twist at the end.
Night Shift by Lin Barclay and Gone Forever by Joseph Badal, both of which give us insight into the minds of potential mass murderers.
Several of these stories feature characters who are in long running series. All the stories work to prove that "Nothing Good Happens After Midnight". Put all these stories together and you are not safe anywhere! I suggest staying out of bars, parking lots, cemeteries, your own home, church...there is no where that is safe.
Publication: November 17th 2020
Thank you to Suspense Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
November 20, 2020
EXCERPT: A moment later Beth heard a soft sound behind her.
Humming.
Gasping, Beth turned and, in shock, stared at Joanne, who was gazing at her sister-in-law. Her face had the same eerie, blank expression as Robert's.
And the humming too, was the same as earlier, the notes her husband had hummed over and over again.
The notes that spelled D-E-A-D.
- A Creative Defense by Jeffrey Deaver.
ABOUT 'NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT': The sun sets. The moon takes its place, illuminating the most evil corners of the planet. What twisted fear dwells in that blackness? What legends attach to those of sound mind and make them go crazy in the bright light of day? Only Suspense Magazine knows…
Teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled: “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.” This thrilling collection consists of thirteen original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.
Readers’ favorites come together to explore the mystery of midnight. The ‘best of the best’ presenting these memorable tales, include: Joseph Badal, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Shannon Kirk, Jon Land, John Lescroart, D. P. Lyle, Kevin O’Brien, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.
Take their hands…walk into their worlds…but be prepared to leave the light on when you’re through. After all, this incredible gathering of authors, who will delight fans of all genres, not only utilized their award-winning imaginations to answer that age-old question of why “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight”—they also made sure to pen stories that will leave you…speechless.
MY THOUGHTS: An interesting collection. There is not one story in this collection that I disliked. And there's three good solid five star reads amongst the thirteen offerings. There are authors that I am familiar with, and others that I have not previously read. The title line, 'Nothing good happens after midnight' appears in several of the stories.
My favourite three stories, in the order that they appear in this anthology, are:
Night Shift by Linwood Barclay, who is a 'go to' author for me;
Midnight in the Garden of Death by Heather Graham, a new author to me, and which had my heart pounding; and
A Creative Defense by Jeffrey Deaver.
My least favourite was 12:01am by Alan Jacobson
A good collection for dipping into when you have five minutes to fill.
⭐⭐⭐.6
#NothingGoodHappensAfterMidnight #NetGalley
ABOUT JEFFREY DEAVER: #1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Suspense Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Nothing Good Happens After Midnight, collated by Jeffrey Deaver, for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Humming.
Gasping, Beth turned and, in shock, stared at Joanne, who was gazing at her sister-in-law. Her face had the same eerie, blank expression as Robert's.
And the humming too, was the same as earlier, the notes her husband had hummed over and over again.
The notes that spelled D-E-A-D.
- A Creative Defense by Jeffrey Deaver.
ABOUT 'NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT': The sun sets. The moon takes its place, illuminating the most evil corners of the planet. What twisted fear dwells in that blackness? What legends attach to those of sound mind and make them go crazy in the bright light of day? Only Suspense Magazine knows…
Teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled: “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.” This thrilling collection consists of thirteen original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.
Readers’ favorites come together to explore the mystery of midnight. The ‘best of the best’ presenting these memorable tales, include: Joseph Badal, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Shannon Kirk, Jon Land, John Lescroart, D. P. Lyle, Kevin O’Brien, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.
Take their hands…walk into their worlds…but be prepared to leave the light on when you’re through. After all, this incredible gathering of authors, who will delight fans of all genres, not only utilized their award-winning imaginations to answer that age-old question of why “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight”—they also made sure to pen stories that will leave you…speechless.
MY THOUGHTS: An interesting collection. There is not one story in this collection that I disliked. And there's three good solid five star reads amongst the thirteen offerings. There are authors that I am familiar with, and others that I have not previously read. The title line, 'Nothing good happens after midnight' appears in several of the stories.
My favourite three stories, in the order that they appear in this anthology, are:
Night Shift by Linwood Barclay, who is a 'go to' author for me;
Midnight in the Garden of Death by Heather Graham, a new author to me, and which had my heart pounding; and
A Creative Defense by Jeffrey Deaver.
My least favourite was 12:01am by Alan Jacobson
A good collection for dipping into when you have five minutes to fill.
⭐⭐⭐.6
#NothingGoodHappensAfterMidnight #NetGalley
ABOUT JEFFREY DEAVER: #1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Suspense Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Nothing Good Happens After Midnight, collated by Jeffrey Deaver, for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 17, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jeffrey Deaver (editor), and Suspense Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
I have always found that you can discover the true mettle of an author by how well they can handle writing with strict parameters. Jeffrey Deaver tosses the challenge out to twelve other authors (as well as himself) to pen a short story apiece with a ‘late’ or ‘midnight’ theme. Each entry in this collection differs greatly from one another, with a stellar collection of published authors offering something for the reader to enjoy. A great collection of pieces that read with ease, perfect for those who are familiar with the authors or enjoy something a little shorter.
There is such a great cross-section of ideas in this collection that each reader will surely find something to their liking. Some will likely flock to Alan Jacobson’s piece about a death row inmate who may have some key information about a copycat. Others will enjoy Kevin O’Brien’s recounting of a man who hates technology, while still others may find the antics of Linwood Barclay’s piece about a graveyard shift at a newspaper something that tickles their fancy. Each piece is unique and entertaining in its own way and Deaver ensures there is no repetition at all. Quick reads on their own or a decent binge of shorter writing for those who wish to indulge. Whatever your fancy, watch out, as you’ll surely be sucked in, much like some of the characters in Deaver’s own entry in this collection.
The short story allows little time for character development, even if it is an offshoot of a series some will know well. Jeffrey Deaver does well at finding some wonderful contributors whose styles and abilities are surely second to none. Each story contains some strong characters, a few who are part of a larger series, others dreamt up for their debut in these pages. At approximately the same length, each story used plots and developments effectively, though uniquely, begging the reader to choose some of their favourites. With some strong writing overall, this is a collection not to be missed and I would love to see more of this in the future, as I know Jeffrey Deaver has created some wonderful and witty writing projects for many in the genre before.
Kudos, Mr. Deaver and your twelve other contributors, for a great collection of stories that really get to the heart of the midnight hour.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I have always found that you can discover the true mettle of an author by how well they can handle writing with strict parameters. Jeffrey Deaver tosses the challenge out to twelve other authors (as well as himself) to pen a short story apiece with a ‘late’ or ‘midnight’ theme. Each entry in this collection differs greatly from one another, with a stellar collection of published authors offering something for the reader to enjoy. A great collection of pieces that read with ease, perfect for those who are familiar with the authors or enjoy something a little shorter.
There is such a great cross-section of ideas in this collection that each reader will surely find something to their liking. Some will likely flock to Alan Jacobson’s piece about a death row inmate who may have some key information about a copycat. Others will enjoy Kevin O’Brien’s recounting of a man who hates technology, while still others may find the antics of Linwood Barclay’s piece about a graveyard shift at a newspaper something that tickles their fancy. Each piece is unique and entertaining in its own way and Deaver ensures there is no repetition at all. Quick reads on their own or a decent binge of shorter writing for those who wish to indulge. Whatever your fancy, watch out, as you’ll surely be sucked in, much like some of the characters in Deaver’s own entry in this collection.
The short story allows little time for character development, even if it is an offshoot of a series some will know well. Jeffrey Deaver does well at finding some wonderful contributors whose styles and abilities are surely second to none. Each story contains some strong characters, a few who are part of a larger series, others dreamt up for their debut in these pages. At approximately the same length, each story used plots and developments effectively, though uniquely, begging the reader to choose some of their favourites. With some strong writing overall, this is a collection not to be missed and I would love to see more of this in the future, as I know Jeffrey Deaver has created some wonderful and witty writing projects for many in the genre before.
Kudos, Mr. Deaver and your twelve other contributors, for a great collection of stories that really get to the heart of the midnight hour.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
November 5, 2020
This book is the second great collection of horror and ghostly stories I have read recently. I think horror/suspense is a genre that particularly lends itself to a short story format. I have read a few other short stories this year and was not impressed.
This book, however, has something for everyone. While I didn’t find it scary, one story - Tonight is the Night by Shannon Kirk (an author I had not heard of before but will be looking into) - had and extremely pervasive sense of creeping menace. It was really well done. Other noteworthy stories were Night Shift by Linwood Barclay and a Creative Defence by Jeffery Deaver. These were all 5 star reads for me. There was a bunch of 4 star stories too by Alan Jacobson, Kevin O’Brien, Heather Graham and D.P. Lyle. Some of these showed great creativity and there was also some humour, particularly O’Brien’s Cell Phone Intolerant.
I think most people would find something to enjoy in these pages. Many thanks to Netgalley, Suspense Publishing and all the wonderful authors for providing a copy. My opinions are my own.
This book, however, has something for everyone. While I didn’t find it scary, one story - Tonight is the Night by Shannon Kirk (an author I had not heard of before but will be looking into) - had and extremely pervasive sense of creeping menace. It was really well done. Other noteworthy stories were Night Shift by Linwood Barclay and a Creative Defence by Jeffery Deaver. These were all 5 star reads for me. There was a bunch of 4 star stories too by Alan Jacobson, Kevin O’Brien, Heather Graham and D.P. Lyle. Some of these showed great creativity and there was also some humour, particularly O’Brien’s Cell Phone Intolerant.
I think most people would find something to enjoy in these pages. Many thanks to Netgalley, Suspense Publishing and all the wonderful authors for providing a copy. My opinions are my own.
November 23, 2020
Jeffery Deaver has compiled a stellar collection of short stores in this crime/thriller anthology. There are 13 stories by leading suspense writers, which should please most readers. In the past, I have been disappointed in similar collections of short stories. I rarely have liked more than a couple of the stories in suspense anthologies and found the rest to be lacking in thrills and chills. I began to compile a list of my favourite short stories in this book and ended up with eight, and the remaining were also very good.
The stories all take place in the dead of night. The phrase," Nothing good happens after midnight," is found in many of these thrilling stories, and we are shown the time frame in other stories. This book has introduced me to many suspense writers unfamiliar to me, and I tend to pursue their other stories.
The stories all take place in the dead of night. The phrase," Nothing good happens after midnight," is found in many of these thrilling stories, and we are shown the time frame in other stories. This book has introduced me to many suspense writers unfamiliar to me, and I tend to pursue their other stories.
September 7, 2020
Thirteen stories by widely known writers with the theme of midnight. The genre falls more into crime fiction than horror. With thirteen different authors, there are jarringly widely diverse styles. Not all the stories were great, but all were readable. The standouts included "12:01 a.m." By Alan Jacobson, a serial killer at midnight, "Cellphone Intolerant" by Kevin O' Brien, which draws a direct link between technological progress, magic, and anger, and ATM" by Jon Land, which crosses grittiness with redemption.
December 11, 2020
A huge shout out to Blackthorn Book Tours for this grand opportunity to read and review Nothing Good Happens After Midnight. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
Phew…. Get Set Go for this fantabulous ride to the mix of suspense short stories that will take a reader thru the whole gamut of emotions.
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is a Suspense Magazine Anthology by various authors with an introduction by Jeffery Deaver which provide succulent short eats or starters before one can pick a full-fledged novel by any of these authors.
12:01 AM BY ALAN JACOBSON: A serial killer is hours away from being lethally injected but Karen Vail, ace FBI profiler needs one last chance with him and save a kidnapped woman. What a start to the anthology. Racing against time with heart in the mouth suspense this one offered a perfect beginning.
CELL PHONE INTOLERANT BY KEVIN O’BRIEN: The title says it all, brilliant in its concept, had a surprising ending.
ALL ABOARD BY HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Overnight journey via train, reminiscent of Murder on the Orient Express, this one fell a little short for me coz of my huge expectation.
GONE FOREVER BY JOSEPH BADAL: Heart-breaking and a massacre that can cause nightmares, Gone Forever made my heart bleed.
NIGHT SHIFT BY LINWOOD BARCLAY: Wow, this was a doozy with a twisty end that I never saw coming. Working the nightshift is never gonna be the same again.
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF DEATH BY HEATHER GRAHAM: What can I say, it is Heather Graham and she can do no wrong in my book. A group of friends on a dare, spending the night in a cemetery, obviously things should go bump in the night and it does spectacularly.
THE SIXTH DECOY BY PAUL KEMPRECOS: A former cop turned a charter fishing boat captain who also works as a pvt. Investigator is tasked to find a missing carved bird but the discovery leads to unforeseen paths. A thoroughly enjoyable tale of righting the scales.
A CREATIVE DEFENSE BY JEFFERY DEAVER: OK, now this one scared the living daylights of me. A sonatina and the effects of hypnotism, how crazy can it get? Brilliant.
AFTER MIDNIGHT BY RHYS BOWEN: Who is going to forget Cinderella and her midnight bargain, but Rhys Bowen has given a beautiful twist to this lovely fairy tale with THEN and NOW versions.
EASY PEASEY BY JOHN LESCROART: Want to be a part of the cool gang? Be careful of the prank you pull at midnight coz there are 1000 ways it can go wrong.
TONIC BY D. P. LYLE: Yes of course it’s a short story but this one will stay with me for a while simply coz of its sheer brilliance. Huh, to enjoy a “WHAT THE” expression at the end!
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT BY SHANNON KIRK: A Snowstorm, a blizzard, a robot, and a killer on the loose bound with romance. Awesome!
ATM BY JON LAND: A fitting story to end the anthology leaving the reader with hopes and dreams. Touching!
I loved each story in this collection and highly recommend it for all mystery lovers who might discover a new author. Some of the authors in this anthology are familiar to me but I have discovered some new authors that am gonna watch out for.
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India and twitter.
Phew…. Get Set Go for this fantabulous ride to the mix of suspense short stories that will take a reader thru the whole gamut of emotions.
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is a Suspense Magazine Anthology by various authors with an introduction by Jeffery Deaver which provide succulent short eats or starters before one can pick a full-fledged novel by any of these authors.
12:01 AM BY ALAN JACOBSON: A serial killer is hours away from being lethally injected but Karen Vail, ace FBI profiler needs one last chance with him and save a kidnapped woman. What a start to the anthology. Racing against time with heart in the mouth suspense this one offered a perfect beginning.
CELL PHONE INTOLERANT BY KEVIN O’BRIEN: The title says it all, brilliant in its concept, had a surprising ending.
ALL ABOARD BY HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Overnight journey via train, reminiscent of Murder on the Orient Express, this one fell a little short for me coz of my huge expectation.
GONE FOREVER BY JOSEPH BADAL: Heart-breaking and a massacre that can cause nightmares, Gone Forever made my heart bleed.
NIGHT SHIFT BY LINWOOD BARCLAY: Wow, this was a doozy with a twisty end that I never saw coming. Working the nightshift is never gonna be the same again.
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF DEATH BY HEATHER GRAHAM: What can I say, it is Heather Graham and she can do no wrong in my book. A group of friends on a dare, spending the night in a cemetery, obviously things should go bump in the night and it does spectacularly.
THE SIXTH DECOY BY PAUL KEMPRECOS: A former cop turned a charter fishing boat captain who also works as a pvt. Investigator is tasked to find a missing carved bird but the discovery leads to unforeseen paths. A thoroughly enjoyable tale of righting the scales.
A CREATIVE DEFENSE BY JEFFERY DEAVER: OK, now this one scared the living daylights of me. A sonatina and the effects of hypnotism, how crazy can it get? Brilliant.
AFTER MIDNIGHT BY RHYS BOWEN: Who is going to forget Cinderella and her midnight bargain, but Rhys Bowen has given a beautiful twist to this lovely fairy tale with THEN and NOW versions.
EASY PEASEY BY JOHN LESCROART: Want to be a part of the cool gang? Be careful of the prank you pull at midnight coz there are 1000 ways it can go wrong.
TONIC BY D. P. LYLE: Yes of course it’s a short story but this one will stay with me for a while simply coz of its sheer brilliance. Huh, to enjoy a “WHAT THE” expression at the end!
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT BY SHANNON KIRK: A Snowstorm, a blizzard, a robot, and a killer on the loose bound with romance. Awesome!
ATM BY JON LAND: A fitting story to end the anthology leaving the reader with hopes and dreams. Touching!
I loved each story in this collection and highly recommend it for all mystery lovers who might discover a new author. Some of the authors in this anthology are familiar to me but I have discovered some new authors that am gonna watch out for.
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India and twitter.
November 19, 2020
This is a brilliant, suspense-filled collection of stories from a group of talented, best-selling authors who all put their own spin on what might happen after midnight. These stories run the gamut from crime to horror to psychological thrillers and dark fantasy. There is something here for every fan of those genres. This collection is edited by international best-selling author Jeffrey Deaver , and he provides a story as well. My personal favorites were "12:01 AM" by Alan Jacobson and "A Creative Defense" by Jeffrey Deaver. I recommend this for everyone who likes the spooky, the thrilling, the suspenseful, and even the horror-filled side of fiction.
As part of a book blog tour, I was given an excerpt from the first story, "12:01 AM" by Alan Jacobson. You can read this and the rest of my review on my blog at this link. https://bonniereadsandwrites.wordpres...
I received a free copy of this book from R&R Book Tours. My review is voluntary.
As part of a book blog tour, I was given an excerpt from the first story, "12:01 AM" by Alan Jacobson. You can read this and the rest of my review on my blog at this link. https://bonniereadsandwrites.wordpres...
I received a free copy of this book from R&R Book Tours. My review is voluntary.
July 26, 2020
A fantastic collection of short stories, mostly mysteries, all taking place after midnight. This is one of the best mystery/thriller short story collections I have read recently. There are really almost no weak links.
Not a surprise how much I enjoyed the stories by Jeffrey Deaver (who also edited this anthology), Hank Philippi Ryan, and Linwood Barclay. These are great writers I already knew and loved. But also? I discovered new authors I really enjoyed, like Kevin O’Brien (who wrote the very entertaining “Cell Phone Intolerant”); Shannon Kirk (who wrote a deeply weird and wonderful tale of love and murder), and Jon Land, who wrote a Twilight Zone-worthy story called “The ATM.”
Linwood Barclay’s story was probably my favorite of the bunch, but really there were fully six excellent stories here, and even the weaker stories were still mostly great. If you like mysteries, definitely do yourself a favor and pick up this very entertaining read!
Thanks to editor and writer Jeffrey Deaver, NetGalley, and Suspense Publishing for the ARC of this great anthology. I had not heard about Suspense Magazine before (the source of some of these tales), but if the stories in it are this good, best believe I’ll be subscribing!
Not a surprise how much I enjoyed the stories by Jeffrey Deaver (who also edited this anthology), Hank Philippi Ryan, and Linwood Barclay. These are great writers I already knew and loved. But also? I discovered new authors I really enjoyed, like Kevin O’Brien (who wrote the very entertaining “Cell Phone Intolerant”); Shannon Kirk (who wrote a deeply weird and wonderful tale of love and murder), and Jon Land, who wrote a Twilight Zone-worthy story called “The ATM.”
Linwood Barclay’s story was probably my favorite of the bunch, but really there were fully six excellent stories here, and even the weaker stories were still mostly great. If you like mysteries, definitely do yourself a favor and pick up this very entertaining read!
Thanks to editor and writer Jeffrey Deaver, NetGalley, and Suspense Publishing for the ARC of this great anthology. I had not heard about Suspense Magazine before (the source of some of these tales), but if the stories in it are this good, best believe I’ll be subscribing!
December 4, 2020
I love anthologies! You get a quick short burst of whatever the theme is, be romance, fantasy, thriller or suspense. My love started with Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl which has since become my benchmark for anthologies.
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight as the title suggests has a common theme of grisly events happening just after midnight. As with any anthology some stories will be liked more than others. I rated each story to my enjoyment. Some were three star, some four and some five star reads. I averaged the book out to four stars overall.
I did initially worry that these might be horror stories but they were mostly entertaining tales, some with a chilling twist and some I found quite amusing.
My favourite five star stories were Linwood Barclay's Night Shift and Shannon Kirk's Tonight is the Night, both authors used revenge as a plot line. Jon Land writes an eerie but uplifting tale using magical realism in ATM. Whilst Kevin O'Brien's Cell Phone Intolerant is a humorous and cautionary tale starring a curmudgeonly vigilante. Jeffery Deaver's A Creative Defense was another five star read.
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is an anthology of thirteen short stories, from the masters of suspense, that will have you glued to the pages until well after midnight.
*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight as the title suggests has a common theme of grisly events happening just after midnight. As with any anthology some stories will be liked more than others. I rated each story to my enjoyment. Some were three star, some four and some five star reads. I averaged the book out to four stars overall.
I did initially worry that these might be horror stories but they were mostly entertaining tales, some with a chilling twist and some I found quite amusing.
My favourite five star stories were Linwood Barclay's Night Shift and Shannon Kirk's Tonight is the Night, both authors used revenge as a plot line. Jon Land writes an eerie but uplifting tale using magical realism in ATM. Whilst Kevin O'Brien's Cell Phone Intolerant is a humorous and cautionary tale starring a curmudgeonly vigilante. Jeffery Deaver's A Creative Defense was another five star read.
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is an anthology of thirteen short stories, from the masters of suspense, that will have you glued to the pages until well after midnight.
*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
December 17, 2020
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT: A Suspense Magazine Anthology by Jeffrey Deaver, et al. is a new suspense, thriller, mystery anthology and is my favorite anthology of this year. The thirteen short stories pull the reader in and this anthology has some of my favorite authors contributing.
The theme of these thirteen short stories is that – nothing good happens after midnight. I usually only like about a third to a half of most anthologies I read, but I enjoyed all these stories, some more than others, but all captured my attention to keep me reading and I did not skip any of them.
This is an exceptional anthology because there is something for everyone who loves short stories, loves suspense, thrillers, mysteries and a small amount of horror and wants a short read from their favorite author or are looking for a new author to follow.
I highly recommend this anthology!
NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT: A Suspense Magazine Anthology by Jeffrey Deaver, et al. is a new suspense, thriller, mystery anthology and is my favorite anthology of this year. The thirteen short stories pull the reader in and this anthology has some of my favorite authors contributing.
The theme of these thirteen short stories is that – nothing good happens after midnight. I usually only like about a third to a half of most anthologies I read, but I enjoyed all these stories, some more than others, but all captured my attention to keep me reading and I did not skip any of them.
This is an exceptional anthology because there is something for everyone who loves short stories, loves suspense, thrillers, mysteries and a small amount of horror and wants a short read from their favorite author or are looking for a new author to follow.
I highly recommend this anthology!
November 7, 2020
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is a collection of 13 short stories by today's best selling mystery and thriller writers, charged with writing stories with the theme of the collection's title.
As with any short story collection, there is going to be great, good, and not so good stories. My personal favorites are Cellphone Intolerant, and The Sixth Decoy. My least favorites were Midnight in the Garden of Death and After Midnight. All others fell in between those two parameters. Overall there are more 4 star reads than anything else, so I'm going with that as my rating.
If you're a fan of short crime fiction than this is for you!
Thank you to Suspense Publishing, Editor Jeffery Deaver, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
As with any short story collection, there is going to be great, good, and not so good stories. My personal favorites are Cellphone Intolerant, and The Sixth Decoy. My least favorites were Midnight in the Garden of Death and After Midnight. All others fell in between those two parameters. Overall there are more 4 star reads than anything else, so I'm going with that as my rating.
If you're a fan of short crime fiction than this is for you!
Thank you to Suspense Publishing, Editor Jeffery Deaver, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 12, 2020
A dozen short stories by various crime authors around the theme of what happens after midnight. Many well-known suspense story writers such as Linwood Barclay, John Lescroart, Heather Graham and Jeffery Deaver all contribute. There is a mixture of protagonists from a serial killer, inventor, teenagers, men sitting at a bar, PR agent, train passengers and even Cinderella. Well written with a varying level of tension, but most will find enjoyment. Overall, a fine collation of twisted tales and rated 4 stars.
December 14, 2020
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight is an anthology of thirteen stories where events occur after midnight. All the authors who collaborated on this anthology, except for one, were new to me. I found a few of the stories likeable, but some not so much. When I first saw the title, I thought it would be an anthology of horror stories, but they turned out to be tales of suspense, some of which had interesting psychological twists and some humorous moments.
The focus of my review will be on the stories I enjoyed the most. So here goes:
In 12:01 am by Alan Jacobson, the reader met Karen Vail, an FBI agent on the trail of a copycat killer. The story delivered a fast-paced and gripping read. It had me on the edge of my seat as the characters raced against time to catch the kidnapper and save his victim before it is too late. Will something good happen after Midnight?
Cellphone Intolerant by Kevin O’Brien tells the story of Ed McKinnon. One day while shopping he observed the unhealthy behaviour of owners of mobile users. Angered by their actions, he came up with a plan, hoping to end it all. Will he succeed? Well, let’s just say I for one am glad that I do not live in Ed’s world, nor do I have an unhealthy relationship with my mobile device. I guess plans made after Midnight is not conducive to one’s physical being.
In All Aboard Hank Phillipi Ryan delivered a psychological thriller featuring a Public Relations expert who overheard a sinister plot, while travelling on a train and gets involved. An interesting tale of turning the tables on someone when they least expect it.
Night Shift by Linwood Barclay of a reporter and his editor, who while working the graveyard shift received a phone call from someone threatening to carry out a mass shooting. Interesting tale with a doozy of a twist at the end.
Midnight in the Garden of Death by Heather Graham delivered a chilling tale of teenagers who had a sleepover in a cemetery past the Midnight hour. Well, let’s just say things did not go as planned.
The Sixth Decoy by Paul Kemprecos featured Aristotle Socarides a former marine and police officer turned private investigator. A suspicious and rather strange individual hired him to find a bird sculpture.
In Creative Defense Jeffery Deaver treated the reader to a creepy tale of a young lawyer driven insane after attending a classical concert and an unusual murder.
Tonic by D.P Lyle proved to be a strange but interesting tale of two cousins who made a living by a weird and gruesome means. This story had me thinking about the stuff we put in our bodies in order to achieve optimum health. How well, all I will say is what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.
The stories are perfect for fans of the suspense and thriller genre who do not have the time to commit to a longer read. Each story delivered sufficient entertainment, leaving me wanting more from these authors. I will definitely look at other stories they penned.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
The focus of my review will be on the stories I enjoyed the most. So here goes:
In 12:01 am by Alan Jacobson, the reader met Karen Vail, an FBI agent on the trail of a copycat killer. The story delivered a fast-paced and gripping read. It had me on the edge of my seat as the characters raced against time to catch the kidnapper and save his victim before it is too late. Will something good happen after Midnight?
Cellphone Intolerant by Kevin O’Brien tells the story of Ed McKinnon. One day while shopping he observed the unhealthy behaviour of owners of mobile users. Angered by their actions, he came up with a plan, hoping to end it all. Will he succeed? Well, let’s just say I for one am glad that I do not live in Ed’s world, nor do I have an unhealthy relationship with my mobile device. I guess plans made after Midnight is not conducive to one’s physical being.
In All Aboard Hank Phillipi Ryan delivered a psychological thriller featuring a Public Relations expert who overheard a sinister plot, while travelling on a train and gets involved. An interesting tale of turning the tables on someone when they least expect it.
Night Shift by Linwood Barclay of a reporter and his editor, who while working the graveyard shift received a phone call from someone threatening to carry out a mass shooting. Interesting tale with a doozy of a twist at the end.
Midnight in the Garden of Death by Heather Graham delivered a chilling tale of teenagers who had a sleepover in a cemetery past the Midnight hour. Well, let’s just say things did not go as planned.
The Sixth Decoy by Paul Kemprecos featured Aristotle Socarides a former marine and police officer turned private investigator. A suspicious and rather strange individual hired him to find a bird sculpture.
In Creative Defense Jeffery Deaver treated the reader to a creepy tale of a young lawyer driven insane after attending a classical concert and an unusual murder.
Tonic by D.P Lyle proved to be a strange but interesting tale of two cousins who made a living by a weird and gruesome means. This story had me thinking about the stuff we put in our bodies in order to achieve optimum health. How well, all I will say is what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.
The stories are perfect for fans of the suspense and thriller genre who do not have the time to commit to a longer read. Each story delivered sufficient entertainment, leaving me wanting more from these authors. I will definitely look at other stories they penned.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
November 14, 2020
As a fan of thrillers, I was intrigued by the book Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: A Suspense Magazine Anthology. This is a collection of terrific short stories by a group of authors who each have impressive track records for excellence in the genre. Some of the authors I was very familiar with, some are new to me. Several of the authors wrote about established characters in existing series. Some stories read like episodes from The Twilight Zone. The authors include Jeffery Deaver, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Heather Graham, Rhys Bowen and more.
Short form fiction is not something I read a lot of. It takes a real skill to quickly bring the reader into a story, get you to care without a long build up and then quickly hit you with a meaningful twist at the end. These authors, in this delightfully creative book, manager to aptly tingle the spine each time. Here’s a summary of each story:
In 12:01 AM, Alan Jacobson tells the heart-pounding story of an FBI profiler trying to get information from a serial killer minutes before his execution as it appears a copycat or trained partner is continuing his work.
Cell Phone Intolerant by Kevin O’Brien is about a man who is fed up with rude people who are constantly on their cell phones. We can all relate. But Ed takes his anger a little too far.
One of my favorites was All Aboard by Hank Phillippi Ryan. With shades of Strangers on a Train, this great story is about a PR executive on a sleeper train who overhears from the next room a plot against a woman. When the train stops, Cady inserts herself into the situation.
Gone Forever by Joseph Badal is a sad tale of a mass killing. Given the subject matter, this was my least favorite.
In Night Shift by Linwood Barclay, we were taken into a newsroom where a man has called in threatening to go on a killing spree.
Heather Graham brings on the creepy in Midnight in the Garden of Death where a group of teens have a sleepover in a graveyard.
Paul Kemprecos’ series character Aristotle Socarides is featured in The Sixth Decoy. The sometimes private investigator takes a case working for a man of questionable character.
Jeffery Deaver is the editor of this book and has also included one of its most creative stories aptly titled, A Creative Defense about a very unusual murder.
Rhys Bowen’s After Midnight offers two variations on the story of Cinderella.
Easy Peasy by John Lescroart shows us how antics of high school kids can turn out very badly.
Tonic by D.P. Lyle is about a very sinister way two cousins decide to make a living.
Shannon Kirk’s Tonight is the Night is a suspenseful ride in a ski resort where one of the worker’s tall tales may catch up with him.
Jon Land’s ATM is another favorite. A young man in New York City who has had a hard life, may find his luck is about to change.
Well worth checking this book out.
Many thanks to Suspense Publishing and LibraryThing for the opportunity to read this wonderful collection in advance of its November 17, 2020 release.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Short form fiction is not something I read a lot of. It takes a real skill to quickly bring the reader into a story, get you to care without a long build up and then quickly hit you with a meaningful twist at the end. These authors, in this delightfully creative book, manager to aptly tingle the spine each time. Here’s a summary of each story:
In 12:01 AM, Alan Jacobson tells the heart-pounding story of an FBI profiler trying to get information from a serial killer minutes before his execution as it appears a copycat or trained partner is continuing his work.
Cell Phone Intolerant by Kevin O’Brien is about a man who is fed up with rude people who are constantly on their cell phones. We can all relate. But Ed takes his anger a little too far.
One of my favorites was All Aboard by Hank Phillippi Ryan. With shades of Strangers on a Train, this great story is about a PR executive on a sleeper train who overhears from the next room a plot against a woman. When the train stops, Cady inserts herself into the situation.
Gone Forever by Joseph Badal is a sad tale of a mass killing. Given the subject matter, this was my least favorite.
In Night Shift by Linwood Barclay, we were taken into a newsroom where a man has called in threatening to go on a killing spree.
Heather Graham brings on the creepy in Midnight in the Garden of Death where a group of teens have a sleepover in a graveyard.
Paul Kemprecos’ series character Aristotle Socarides is featured in The Sixth Decoy. The sometimes private investigator takes a case working for a man of questionable character.
Jeffery Deaver is the editor of this book and has also included one of its most creative stories aptly titled, A Creative Defense about a very unusual murder.
Rhys Bowen’s After Midnight offers two variations on the story of Cinderella.
Easy Peasy by John Lescroart shows us how antics of high school kids can turn out very badly.
Tonic by D.P. Lyle is about a very sinister way two cousins decide to make a living.
Shannon Kirk’s Tonight is the Night is a suspenseful ride in a ski resort where one of the worker’s tall tales may catch up with him.
Jon Land’s ATM is another favorite. A young man in New York City who has had a hard life, may find his luck is about to change.
Well worth checking this book out.
Many thanks to Suspense Publishing and LibraryThing for the opportunity to read this wonderful collection in advance of its November 17, 2020 release.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
November 19, 2020
I loved these short stories: creepy, mystery, suspense, all great.
Thank you Netgalley for this anthology.
Thank you Netgalley for this anthology.
January 20, 2022
I had three favorites from this group of authors:
Jeffery Deaver's story on the "midnight" theme was very sharp and well done: "A Creative Defense".
"Night Shift" by Linwood Barclay was captivating, taut and smart.
Rhys Bowen's offering on Cinderella theme was fun, "After Midnight."
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Jeffery Deaver's story on the "midnight" theme was very sharp and well done: "A Creative Defense".
"Night Shift" by Linwood Barclay was captivating, taut and smart.
Rhys Bowen's offering on Cinderella theme was fun, "After Midnight."
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December 16, 2020
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: A Suspense Magazine Anthology is a collection of thirteen stories from a variety of authors with a central theme of midnight.
For me personally I found this anthology to be enjoyable and rated most of the stories between 3*-4* . While I didnt LOVE every single story I didnt particularly dislike any either. I think this anthology can offer something to fans of genres ranging from horror to crime.
Some of the authors were completely NEW to me. After finishing this book I went and added all of D.P. Lyles books to my goodreads account!That is one of my personal favorite take aways from anthologies, that you are given a small look at various authors and their writing style.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you again Blackthorn Book Tours for including my review.
For me personally I found this anthology to be enjoyable and rated most of the stories between 3*-4* . While I didnt LOVE every single story I didnt particularly dislike any either. I think this anthology can offer something to fans of genres ranging from horror to crime.
Some of the authors were completely NEW to me. After finishing this book I went and added all of D.P. Lyles books to my goodreads account!That is one of my personal favorite take aways from anthologies, that you are given a small look at various authors and their writing style.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you again Blackthorn Book Tours for including my review.
December 7, 2020
A solid anthology of dark fiction, with stories ranging from crime to horror and even uplifting, there is something for everyone within these pages.
Standouts for me were Midnight in the Garden of Death by Heather Graham. A horror story about teens holding a sleepover in a graveyard that had a lot going for it.
Tonight is the night by Shannon Kirk which packs an awful lot of story into a short and works on multiple levels.
ATM by Jon Land about a young man in need of rescuing that is heartwarming without being saccharine.
I received a free copy from Blackthorn Book tours in exchange for an honest review.
Standouts for me were Midnight in the Garden of Death by Heather Graham. A horror story about teens holding a sleepover in a graveyard that had a lot going for it.
Tonight is the night by Shannon Kirk which packs an awful lot of story into a short and works on multiple levels.
ATM by Jon Land about a young man in need of rescuing that is heartwarming without being saccharine.
I received a free copy from Blackthorn Book tours in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2020
I am normally not a fan of short stories, but when I saw Jeffrey Deaver edited this I was anxious to give it a try. I love everything he writes.
It turns out, I do like short stories, at least in the suspense genre. I loved most of the stories in this book, and the few that I didn't love so much? Well, it wasn't much of a time commitment so it didn't even matter.
* Thanks to BookSirens for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
It turns out, I do like short stories, at least in the suspense genre. I loved most of the stories in this book, and the few that I didn't love so much? Well, it wasn't much of a time commitment so it didn't even matter.
* Thanks to BookSirens for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 29, 2020
Anthologies can be such a mixed bag; often you get one or two good stories and the rest are duds. Sometimes you luck out and get a solid collection, and that was the case here. "Nothing Good Happens After Midnight" is wonderful story telling. Short stories are a challenge to do well, with not much room for character development or world building and the story has to be tight. Another challenge with anthologies is whether or not the writers can all successfully pull off the theme and this group did. The stories happen at or right after midnight or involve midnight as a plot point.
There are some heavy hitters in this group of authors and I think it works well as an introduction to any you haven't read before. The stories are all stand alones and most are not part of an existing series. I was impressed with the author lineup; honestly, that was the attraction for me. The theme was interesting but it was the authors who grabbed me. I had read some before and others were new to me. While a couple of the stories were underwhelming, the rest were very good and I got to sample authors I hadn't read yet. It was a win.
My favorite stories were Cell Phone Intolerant by Kevin O'Brien - most of us can relate to people who are rude in their cell phone usage; Night Shift by Linwood Barclay - a fascinating premise with an ending I never saw coming; Easy Peasy by John Lescroart - an all too realistic comedy of errors that fortunately has a happyish ending; and ATM by Jon Land - slightly odd and radically different from the one book of his I've read, which I hated. So that was a nice surprise.
"Nothing Good Happens After Midnight" is very good and well worth reading. Tight, engrossing stories written by authors who are masters of their crafts. I expect I'll be rereading some of these.
There are some heavy hitters in this group of authors and I think it works well as an introduction to any you haven't read before. The stories are all stand alones and most are not part of an existing series. I was impressed with the author lineup; honestly, that was the attraction for me. The theme was interesting but it was the authors who grabbed me. I had read some before and others were new to me. While a couple of the stories were underwhelming, the rest were very good and I got to sample authors I hadn't read yet. It was a win.
My favorite stories were Cell Phone Intolerant by Kevin O'Brien - most of us can relate to people who are rude in their cell phone usage; Night Shift by Linwood Barclay - a fascinating premise with an ending I never saw coming; Easy Peasy by John Lescroart - an all too realistic comedy of errors that fortunately has a happyish ending; and ATM by Jon Land - slightly odd and radically different from the one book of his I've read, which I hated. So that was a nice surprise.
"Nothing Good Happens After Midnight" is very good and well worth reading. Tight, engrossing stories written by authors who are masters of their crafts. I expect I'll be rereading some of these.
August 1, 2020
This is a brilliant collection of short stories. They are excellent mysteries and each of them is very well written.
“Debra Mead gathered her reusable grocery sack against her chest and trudged toward her Subaru. Taylor, her twelve-year-old son, sat waiting in the car playing a game on his iPad, not wanting to be seen with his mother shopping for groceries.” Take the above quote from Alan Jacobson’s story. The beginning might lull you into the sense that this is going to be a somehow pedestrian tale. Here we have Debra prissily carrying her reusable shopping bag, heading back to her son in the car. Things change in a flash though, the atmosphere becomes tense, and the story races along. Before long we are encountering a Serial killer on death row who “taught his son how to kidnap and murder women, but one thing he didn’t teach him about was how not to get caught.”
Kevin O’Brien’s zany and entertaining story “Cell Phone Intolerant” was a favourite. Ed, an uber organised guy with a prostate problem, is desperate for a pee during Christmas shopping and uses a department store toilet. Just as he’s finally started to pee at a urinal ( bemoaning the paucity of toiket stalls) a lout bursts in the restroom door talking loudly on his mobile, which interrupts Ed’s flow. Ed is infuriated. He gets his own back by shouting so the guy’s girlfriend at the other end can hear: “HE DIDN’T FLUSH AND HE DIDN’T WASH HIS HANDS AFTER HE PEED!” So the theme of cell phones and aberrant behaviour begins.
Another favourite was Jeffrey Deaver’s “A Creative Defense.” “Murder at Boston Concert. Man in Audience Goes Berserk. Italian Piece Claimed to Send Him into Bloody Frenzy.” A man is driven into a homicidal frenzy after listening to The Midnight Sonatina and his lawyer decides he has to come up wth a creative defence.
I also really enjoyed reading Jon Land’s “The ATM.”
I highly recommend these superb short stories to others. Thank you to Booksirens and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Debra Mead gathered her reusable grocery sack against her chest and trudged toward her Subaru. Taylor, her twelve-year-old son, sat waiting in the car playing a game on his iPad, not wanting to be seen with his mother shopping for groceries.” Take the above quote from Alan Jacobson’s story. The beginning might lull you into the sense that this is going to be a somehow pedestrian tale. Here we have Debra prissily carrying her reusable shopping bag, heading back to her son in the car. Things change in a flash though, the atmosphere becomes tense, and the story races along. Before long we are encountering a Serial killer on death row who “taught his son how to kidnap and murder women, but one thing he didn’t teach him about was how not to get caught.”
Kevin O’Brien’s zany and entertaining story “Cell Phone Intolerant” was a favourite. Ed, an uber organised guy with a prostate problem, is desperate for a pee during Christmas shopping and uses a department store toilet. Just as he’s finally started to pee at a urinal ( bemoaning the paucity of toiket stalls) a lout bursts in the restroom door talking loudly on his mobile, which interrupts Ed’s flow. Ed is infuriated. He gets his own back by shouting so the guy’s girlfriend at the other end can hear: “HE DIDN’T FLUSH AND HE DIDN’T WASH HIS HANDS AFTER HE PEED!” So the theme of cell phones and aberrant behaviour begins.
Another favourite was Jeffrey Deaver’s “A Creative Defense.” “Murder at Boston Concert. Man in Audience Goes Berserk. Italian Piece Claimed to Send Him into Bloody Frenzy.” A man is driven into a homicidal frenzy after listening to The Midnight Sonatina and his lawyer decides he has to come up wth a creative defence.
I also really enjoyed reading Jon Land’s “The ATM.”
I highly recommend these superb short stories to others. Thank you to Booksirens and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2020
Great anthology with a little bit of something for everybody who loves a good mystery. I had not read all the authors before so this gave me a nice taste of their writing styles, another reason why I love anthologies. I'm a huge Rhys Bowen fan (which was what drew me to this book to start with) but there were several other notable story inclusions in here, particularly the ones by Linwood Barclay. Jon Land, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Jeffrey Deaver. There really wasn't a bad story in the bunch. I highly recommend this if you are looking for something fresh and exciting to read this summer.
August 2, 2020
Amazing!
This is a great collection of short stories. Love the different styles of writing in one volume, and how the perspective of each author will keep you on your toes. The outcome of each story is really unexpected and after one specifically, had to take a breather because of the bone chilling factor of the turn of events.
Great for adding authors to follow and look up their work.
Note: I received and ARC for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.
This is a great collection of short stories. Love the different styles of writing in one volume, and how the perspective of each author will keep you on your toes. The outcome of each story is really unexpected and after one specifically, had to take a breather because of the bone chilling factor of the turn of events.
Great for adding authors to follow and look up their work.
Note: I received and ARC for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.
January 28, 2021
“Nothing Good Happens After Midnight” is a must-have anthology for every mystery reader. It is a collection of quick yet fantastic reads by today’s top mystery writers, including Jeffery Deaver, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Jon Land, John Lescroart, Kevin O'Brien, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Joseph Badal, and D. P. Lyle. It has something for every reader. In a time of both staying at home and waiting in line (safely six feet away from people) this collection is perfect. Mystery fans can quickly finish the entire story. And, if wearing a mask, one can cringe with fear or excitement and no one will be the wiser.
I received an advance copy of this collection to review, and it gave me a reason to stop binge-watching old TV detective shows. I loved every story, but do not read alone in the dark.
I received an advance copy of this collection to review, and it gave me a reason to stop binge-watching old TV detective shows. I loved every story, but do not read alone in the dark.
August 26, 2021
I love short story anthologies. Creating an impact within a few thousand words is such a difficult job and only a really talented writer can master this art. So when you see the writers' credits on this book with Jeffrey Deaver as the editor, you know you're in for a treat.
"Nothing going to happen after midnight" is a suspense anthology, with every story having one thing in come: it deals with things that happen after midnight. Jeffrey Deaver describes the book in his introduction as a "volume of suspense stories describing incidents of the curious, the eerie, the disturbed, the violent that occur in that netherworld after the witching hour..." The stories are pretty distinct from each other in the type of thrill they offer. You get a suspense thriller, an atmospheric thriller, a horror thriller, a psychological thriller, a police procedural, .... So you never quite know what to expect from the next story. However this also leads to some disappointment. As some of the stories are quite slow-paced because of their plot structure, they are quite drab to read, especially if they come after a pacy, nerve-wrecking one.
As each of the thirteen stories is by a different author, I'll begin by the individual reviews. I found the following stories fabulous.
CELL PHONE INTOLERANT: I found myself actually empathising with the lead character of this story. Maybe you'll discover a bit of your deep dark desires in him too. Read it to know why!
ALL ABOARD: Not much thrilling as it is interesting. A casual overheard conversation leads to an amusing outcome. This was a fun read that builds up thrill in a very different way.
GONE FOREVER: One of the best stories in the book, this talks of the aftermath of a mass murder. The suspense is unveiled in the course of the police investigation, so it amps up the shock factor by not telling you much at the start and slowly revealing what happened.
NIGHT SHIFT: A newspaperman on the night shift receives a call from a person saying that he will be going in a killing spree the next day. What would you do if you were in that journalist's place? Unlike what you think, most of the action in this story takes place on the phone and yet it is captivatingly done.
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF DEATH: A midnight party in the cemetery goes drastically wrong for a group of teenagers. It takes the classic popular kids vs. geeks tussle and adds a scary effect to the same. Good story in idea, could have been better in execution. But a nice read nonetheless.
A CREATIVE DEFENSE: This is sheer brilliance in writing. If you ever consider an anthology worth a read for a single story, then this is that story. You won't be able to let this story go long after you complete it. I'm not revealing anything more about this story. Just read it!
AFTER MIDNIGHT: A story in two distinct parts, this one offers a retake of Cinderella in two different time settings. While not thrilling in the conventional sense, the story is still gripping enough.
TONIC: Heard of people who would do anything, literally anything, for money? Well, you have a whole bunch of them in this story. The plot is quick and the twist is shocking.
ATM: One thing I definitely didn't expect in this book is a sweet story. But that's what ATM was to me. It has suspense, yes, but nothing of the scary or apprehensive kind. I loved this "fantastic" story.
Everyone knows that in an anthology, not all the stories would be at the same level. I consider a short story collection worth reading if it has at least 75% interesting stories. This book has 9 great stories, just about making the cut. So it's definitely worth reading. As long as you remember that every story offers a different kind of suspense, you'll enjoy going through a book where much happens only after midnight.
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review and the above opinion is completely mine and completely honest.**
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"Nothing going to happen after midnight" is a suspense anthology, with every story having one thing in come: it deals with things that happen after midnight. Jeffrey Deaver describes the book in his introduction as a "volume of suspense stories describing incidents of the curious, the eerie, the disturbed, the violent that occur in that netherworld after the witching hour..." The stories are pretty distinct from each other in the type of thrill they offer. You get a suspense thriller, an atmospheric thriller, a horror thriller, a psychological thriller, a police procedural, .... So you never quite know what to expect from the next story. However this also leads to some disappointment. As some of the stories are quite slow-paced because of their plot structure, they are quite drab to read, especially if they come after a pacy, nerve-wrecking one.
As each of the thirteen stories is by a different author, I'll begin by the individual reviews. I found the following stories fabulous.
CELL PHONE INTOLERANT: I found myself actually empathising with the lead character of this story. Maybe you'll discover a bit of your deep dark desires in him too. Read it to know why!
ALL ABOARD: Not much thrilling as it is interesting. A casual overheard conversation leads to an amusing outcome. This was a fun read that builds up thrill in a very different way.
GONE FOREVER: One of the best stories in the book, this talks of the aftermath of a mass murder. The suspense is unveiled in the course of the police investigation, so it amps up the shock factor by not telling you much at the start and slowly revealing what happened.
NIGHT SHIFT: A newspaperman on the night shift receives a call from a person saying that he will be going in a killing spree the next day. What would you do if you were in that journalist's place? Unlike what you think, most of the action in this story takes place on the phone and yet it is captivatingly done.
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF DEATH: A midnight party in the cemetery goes drastically wrong for a group of teenagers. It takes the classic popular kids vs. geeks tussle and adds a scary effect to the same. Good story in idea, could have been better in execution. But a nice read nonetheless.
A CREATIVE DEFENSE: This is sheer brilliance in writing. If you ever consider an anthology worth a read for a single story, then this is that story. You won't be able to let this story go long after you complete it. I'm not revealing anything more about this story. Just read it!
AFTER MIDNIGHT: A story in two distinct parts, this one offers a retake of Cinderella in two different time settings. While not thrilling in the conventional sense, the story is still gripping enough.
TONIC: Heard of people who would do anything, literally anything, for money? Well, you have a whole bunch of them in this story. The plot is quick and the twist is shocking.
ATM: One thing I definitely didn't expect in this book is a sweet story. But that's what ATM was to me. It has suspense, yes, but nothing of the scary or apprehensive kind. I loved this "fantastic" story.
Everyone knows that in an anthology, not all the stories would be at the same level. I consider a short story collection worth reading if it has at least 75% interesting stories. This book has 9 great stories, just about making the cut. So it's definitely worth reading. As long as you remember that every story offers a different kind of suspense, you'll enjoy going through a book where much happens only after midnight.
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review and the above opinion is completely mine and completely honest.**
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September 20, 2020
I like mysteries and crime stories in any format - full-length novels, novellas, and short stories, so this book caught my eye. The benefit of an anthology like this is the chance to read a variety of authors all in one book. This collection has thirteen short stories with the common theme of “midnight”. I was introduced to some new authors and also was able to experience some familiar authors in a new way.
All of the stories in the collection are well-written, but a couple are too dark for my taste. Some of my favorites are by authors whose novels I really enjoy. Jeffery Deaver’s “A Creative Defense” is clever and creepy, and Linwood Barclay’s “Night Shift” has a twist ending I didn’t see coming. I’ve read cozy mysteries by Jon Land but his story, “ATM” showcases his writing in a whole new way. Another of my favorite stories in the collection is by an author I hadn’t read before. “The Sixth Decoy” by Paul Kemprecos is about a part-time private investigator who ends up in danger after taking on an eccentric wealthy client. There is something for all mystery lovers in this well-rounded collection. The title is clever and the stories are well-written and entertaining.
I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Suspense Publishing. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
All of the stories in the collection are well-written, but a couple are too dark for my taste. Some of my favorites are by authors whose novels I really enjoy. Jeffery Deaver’s “A Creative Defense” is clever and creepy, and Linwood Barclay’s “Night Shift” has a twist ending I didn’t see coming. I’ve read cozy mysteries by Jon Land but his story, “ATM” showcases his writing in a whole new way. Another of my favorite stories in the collection is by an author I hadn’t read before. “The Sixth Decoy” by Paul Kemprecos is about a part-time private investigator who ends up in danger after taking on an eccentric wealthy client. There is something for all mystery lovers in this well-rounded collection. The title is clever and the stories are well-written and entertaining.
I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Suspense Publishing. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
April 28, 2021
A big thanks to Cozy Mysteries Reviews for giving me the opportunity to read and review this anthology.
In recent years, short stories and short fiction have not been as popular as full length novels. I must confess that I don't go looking for anthologies unless one of my longtime favorite authors is part of it. In my younger days I read women's magazines that contained excellent short stories and many of those writers went on to great acclaim.
In reading Nothing Good Happens After Midnight, I was reminded how it takes great talent to write a complex tale in relatively few pages. All the authors who are part of this anthology take the themes of midnight and dark to tell tales that are unique.
I was familiar with quite a few of the authors from reading their work in the past, but was introduced to some who were new to me. That is the great thing about anthologies and short fiction. You can try a small dose and decide if you want to add someone new to you TBR pile.
I enjoyed all the stores in this collection, but my favorite was one where the main character was fed up with technology that led to people being rude or reckless. To me smartphones are a real miracle since I am old enough to think transistor radios were amazing.
If you want to have a book that allows you to either read something engaging in short bursts or binge read, pick up this wonderful collection.
In recent years, short stories and short fiction have not been as popular as full length novels. I must confess that I don't go looking for anthologies unless one of my longtime favorite authors is part of it. In my younger days I read women's magazines that contained excellent short stories and many of those writers went on to great acclaim.
In reading Nothing Good Happens After Midnight, I was reminded how it takes great talent to write a complex tale in relatively few pages. All the authors who are part of this anthology take the themes of midnight and dark to tell tales that are unique.
I was familiar with quite a few of the authors from reading their work in the past, but was introduced to some who were new to me. That is the great thing about anthologies and short fiction. You can try a small dose and decide if you want to add someone new to you TBR pile.
I enjoyed all the stores in this collection, but my favorite was one where the main character was fed up with technology that led to people being rude or reckless. To me smartphones are a real miracle since I am old enough to think transistor radios were amazing.
If you want to have a book that allows you to either read something engaging in short bursts or binge read, pick up this wonderful collection.
September 10, 2020
Thank you netgalley for providing me the book in exchange for an honest review.
The rating you see is the total average of individual ratings of the various books.
The book is an anthology consisting of stories that are all centred around midnight, and with the pivotal punchline being the title of the book.
To be fair most were pretty average and below average to me but certain stood out.
A creative defence by Jeffrey Deaver scared the living hell out of me!! It was so well done for the short story. And creeped me out big time. That is my only five star story in the anthology though.
Midnight in the garden of death by Heather Graham comes in close second, with the perfect blend of supernatural and actual horrors inflicted by the humans.
12.01 by Alan Jacobson was also a close favourite, for one it was a thriller with a high speed chase and a good plot. Though not for the surprises, or plot twist but for being a fast paced.
When all the stories focussed on how things most definitely goes bad after midnight, ATM by Jon Land brought in the needed subtle happy fuzzy feels.
#netgalley #nothinggoodhappensaftermidnight
November 19, 2020
Thank you to Booksirens and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review Nothing Good Happens after Midnight. I don't read that many short stories, but this jumped out due to the numerous great authors involved and the introduction by Jeffery Deaver.
It didn't disappoint and it is a great way to be introduced to new authors. There's definitely a couple of authors whose books I will be on the look out for now, and maybe a couple who I wont, but on the whole am really glad I read this book.
There some stories which are more enjoyable than others and my favs were by authors such as Linwood Barclay, D P Lyle, Heather Graham, Jeffery Deaver himself and Paul Kemprecos, which stars his Aristotle Socarides character and I'll definitely be looking at picking up the rest in this series as the both the story and characters were really interesting and was my favourite.
A couple ended a little too abruptly, but on the whole, a fantastic collection of short stories all taking place "after midnight".
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It didn't disappoint and it is a great way to be introduced to new authors. There's definitely a couple of authors whose books I will be on the look out for now, and maybe a couple who I wont, but on the whole am really glad I read this book.
There some stories which are more enjoyable than others and my favs were by authors such as Linwood Barclay, D P Lyle, Heather Graham, Jeffery Deaver himself and Paul Kemprecos, which stars his Aristotle Socarides character and I'll definitely be looking at picking up the rest in this series as the both the story and characters were really interesting and was my favourite.
A couple ended a little too abruptly, but on the whole, a fantastic collection of short stories all taking place "after midnight".
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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