The vision of the editors was to produce a collection of dark tales, half written by mystery writers, the other half by mainstream literary writers, in which it is clear that the lines between the two camps have blurred. Some of the world’s most distinguished authors have written original, never previously published, stories for this landmark volume. The contributors to this collection are Madison Smart Bell, Lawrence Block, Stephen L. Carter, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Lynn Freed, James Grady, Amy Hempel, Janice Lee, Jonathan Lethem, Laura Lippman, Patrick McCabe, Val McDermid, Joyce Carol Oates, Francine Prose, Abraham Rodriguez Jr., S. J. Rozan, Jonathan Santlofer, and Edmund White.

In one fast-paced story, a strong and aggravated man considers the pretty woman at the bar while he fingers the knife in his pocket. But what becomes of his prey when they move to the bedroom? In another tale, a man remembers the victim of a ghastly murder who visited the same hair salon as he does. And a Don Juan of a protagonist has a hobby of marrying vulnerable women, getting access to their bank accounts, and then robbing them blind.

But there is much more to this collection than dark-haired vixens and crimes of passion. Some stories are brooding, some twisted; some bring righteous satisfaction, some linger in the back of your mind. What is truly on display is an impressive collection of literary talent: a group of some of the best writers we have, weaving fresh and memorable stories from a pair of classic themes. Taken as a whole, they are a rare treat for fans of great fiction, whether it's high literature, good old-fashioned suspense, or anything in between. Original black-and-white art by artist/author Jonathan Santlofer completes this innovative, exciting, and irresistibly intriguing book - a true literary gem.