Alan Orloff

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About Alan Orloff

Before Alan stepped off the corporate merry-go-round, he had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.

Alan Orloff's debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD (Midnight Ink), was a 2010 Agatha Award Finalist for Best First Novel. He's written two books in the Last Laff mystery series, KILLER ROUTINE and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (also from Midnight Ink), and writing as his darker half Zak Allen, he's published three books: THE TASTE, FIRST TIME KILLER, and RIDE-ALONG. His novel, RUNNING FROM THE PAST, was one of the initial Kindle Scout selections. His most recent novel, PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT, won the 2019 ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original.

His next novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP, will be published by Down & Out Books in February 2020.

His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, WINDWARD, SNOWBOUND, and LANDFALL (BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES 2016, 2017, 2018, respectively), THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL. His flash fiction story, "Happy Birthday," was nominated for a 2018 Derringer Award, and his story, "Dying in Dokesville," won a 2019 Derringer Award. His story, "Rule Number One" (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.

He loves arugula and cake, but not together. Never together.

Alan can be followed/stalked on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alanorloff) and Twitter (@alanorloff). For more info, visit www.alanorloff.com

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Books By Alan Orloff

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The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell Apr 7, 2020

by Marilyn Todd , Alan Orloff , Christine Poulson , Art Taylor , Elaine Viets , Greg Herren , Barb Goffman , Michael Bracken , John Floyd , Josh Pachter

( 11 )

$5.99

1/3 of the author royalties will be donated to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in Joni Mitchell's name.

With nine Grammys, multiple lifetime achievement awards, inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a Top Ten ranking on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” Joni Mitchell has established herself as one of the most important singer/songwriters, not only of her generation, but in the history of popular music.

In this collection, 28 crime writers pay tribute to Joni’s musical legacy with short stories inspired by her lyrics, representing each of her seventeen studio albums from 1968’s Song to a Seagull to 2007’s Shine.

Many of the classics are represented here, including “Both Sides, Now” (in the first literary collaboration between Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski, who have each won major awards for their fiction), “Big Yellow Taxi” (by Kathryn O’Sullivan, author of the Colleen McCabe series), and “River” (by Stacy Woodson, winner of the 2019 Readers Choice Award from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine), plus such equally fascinating titles as “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” (by Donna Andrews, author of the award-winning Meg Lanslow series), “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines” (by Amber Sparks), and “Ray’s Dad’s Cadillac” (by Michael Bracken). This anthology also includes contributions from Alison McMahan, Brendan DuBois, Edith Maxwell and many other talented writers.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

The Best American Mystery Stories 2018 (The Best American Series ®) Oct 2, 2018

by Louise Penny , Otto Penzler

( 114 )

$9.99

#1 New York Times best-selling author of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels, Louise Penny brings her “nerve and skill—as well as heart” (Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post) to selecting the best short mystery and crime fiction of the year.

Writing short stories takes “Skill. Discipline. Knowledge of the form while not being formulaic,” contends Louise Penny in her introduction. “In a short story there is nowhere to hide. Each must be original, fresh, inspired.” Originality is just what’s in store for readers of the twenty clever, creative selections in The Best American Mystery Stories 2018. There’s no hiding from a Nigerian confidence game, a drug made of dinosaur bones, a bombing at an oil company, a reluctant gunfighter in the Old West, and the many other scams, dangers, and thrills lurking in its suspenseful pages.

The Best American Mystery Stories 2018 includes T. C. Boyle, James Lee Burke, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Charlaine Harris, Andrew Klavan, Martin Limón, Joyce Carol Oates, and others.

Other Formats: Paperback

Seascape: The Best New England Crime Stories 2019 Nov 9, 2019

by Dames of Detection , Michael Bracken , Adam Meyer , Peter W. J. Hayes , Gabriel Valjan , William Ade , Christine Bagley , Janet Raye Stevens , Alan Orloff , Shawn Reilly Simmons

( 5 )

$5.99

SEASCAPE, the Seventeenth Best New England Crime Stories Anthology, once again brings together the best short crime fiction stories about New England. We feature stories from well-published writers to brand new voices in the genre, with stories as varied and unique as the region they represent. Included in this collection is the Al Blanchard Award Winning Story. Stories by: Michael Bracken, Tina deBellegarde, Marjorie Drake, Ang Pompano, Lynn Sheft, Vicki Weisfeld, Tiger Wiseman, Adele Gardner, Jim Wright, Christine Bagley, Rachel Brown, Cynthia Drew, Victoria Gosseling, Peter W. J. Hayes, Linda, Leszczuk, Adam Meyer, Rory O'Brien, Alan Orloff, Verena Rose, Janet Raye Stevens, Cynthia Sabelhaus, Gabriel Valjan, CJ Verberg, Harriette Sackler, William Ade, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Katie Tietjen, Woody Hanstein, Lorraine Sharma Nelson, Brenda Seabrooke, and Joseph Walker.

Other Formats: Paperback

Landfall: The Best New England Crime Stories 2018 Nov 13, 2018

by Dames of Detection , Michael Bracken , Alan Orloff , John Floyd , James R Benn , LynDee Walker , Shawn Reilly Simmons , Harriette Sackler , Verena Rose , Angel Trapp

( 6 )

$5.99

LANDFALL, the sixteenth Best New England Crime Stories anthology, continues the tradition of presenting the best mystery and crime fiction from both acclaimed seasoned authors and exciting new voices.

We've gathered thirty-one original tales by New England authors or with a New England setting, ranging from the historical to contemporary, to noir, and everything in between.

Other Formats: Paperback

Mickey Finn Vol. 1: 21st Century Noir Dec 14, 2020

by Michael Bracken

( 2 )

$3.99

Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir is a crime-fiction cocktail that will knock readers into a literary stupor.

Contributors push hard against the boundaries of crime fiction, driving their work into places short crime fiction doesn’t often go, into a world where the mean streets seem gentrified by comparison and happy endings are the exception rather than the rule. And they do all this in contemporary settings, bringing noir into the 21st century.

Like any good cocktail, Mickey Finn is a heady mix of ingredients that packs a punch, and when you’ve finished reading every story, you’ll know that you’ve been “slipped a Mickey.”

The twenty contributors, some of today’s most respected short-story writers and new writers making their mark on the genre, include J.L. Abramo, Ann Aptaker, Trey R. Barker, Michael Bracken, Barb Goffman, David Hagerty, James A. Hearn, David H. Hendrickson, Jarrett Kaufman, Mark R. Kehl, Hugh Lessig, Steve Liskow, Alan Orloff, Josh Pachter, Steve Rasnic Tem, Mikal Trimm, Bev Vincent, Joseph S. Walker, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, and Stacy Woodson.

Other Formats: Paperback

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #1 Sep 5, 2017

by Alan Orloff , Art Taylor , Barb Goffman , Michael Bracken , Kaye George , Josh Pachter , Dan Andriacco , John M. Floyd , Jack Halliday

( 16 )

$3.99

Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a new journal devoted to the best in mystery short fiction. Crime? Noir? Cozy? Private eye? You'll find all genres present and accounted for -- with new tales by the best writers of today! The first issue features contributions by Art Taylor, John Floyd, Alan Orloff, Kaye George, Josh Pachter, Barb Goffman, Meg Opperman, Michael Bracken, Dan Andriacco, and Jack Halliday. Plus 2 classic reprints by James Holding and Fletcher Flora!

Complete contents:

Getting Away, by Alan Orloff

Fairy Tales, by Art Taylor

Eb and Flo, by Josh Pachter

Crazy Cat Lady, by Barb Goffman

A Pie to Die For, by Meg Opperman

Murder at Madame Tussaud’s, by Dan Andriacco

Rooster Creek, by John M. Floyd

Don’t Bank on It, by Jack Halliday

Dixie Quickies, by Michael Bracken

Flight to the Flirty Flamingo, by Kaye George

The Italian Tile Mystery, by James Holding

Beside a Flowering Wall, by Fletcher Flora

The ABCs of Murder, by Josh Pachter

[This is version 1.3 of the file.]

Other Formats: Paperback

Snowbound: The Best New England Crime Stories 2017 Nov 20, 2017

by Dames of Detection , Shawn Reilly Simmons , Harriette Sackler , Verena Rose

( 6 )

$5.99

SNOWBOUND, the fifteen Best New England Crime Stories anthology, continues the tradition of presenting the best mystery and crime fiction from both acclaimed, seasoned authors and exciting new voices. We've gathered thirty-eight original tales ranging from historical, to contemporary, to noir, and everything in between including this year's winner of the Al Blanchard Short Crime Fiction Award, THE MURDEROUS TYPE by Andrew Welsh-Higgins. SNOWBOUND authors: Lucy Burdette - Chris Knopf - Christine Bagley - Bruce Robert Coffin - Charlene D'Avanzo - Judith Green - Janet Halpin - Rosemary Herbert - Travis Kennedy - Lorraine Sharma Nelson - David Rappoport - Verena Rose - Michael Bracken - Patricia Dusenbury - Maurissa Guibord - L.D. Masterson - Emilya Naymark - Alan Orloff - Trish Perrault - Keenan Powell - Suzanne Berube Rorhus - Steve Roy - Harriette Sackler - Lida Sideris - Shelagh M. Smith - Mary E Stibal - Robin Templeton - Gabriel Valjan - Bev Vincent - Sharon Daynard - Connie Hambley - Edith Maxwell - Peggy McFarland - Shawn Reilly Simmons - Andrew Welsh-Huggins - Maia Chance - Dayle A Dermatis - Charlotte Broadfoot

Other Formats: Paperback

Nancy Pickard Presents Malice Domestic 13: Mystery Most Geographical Apr 24, 2018

by Nancy Pickard , Verena Rose , Michael Bracken , Alan Orloff , Shawn Reilly Simmons , G. M. Malliet , William Burton McCormick , Michael Robertson , Barb Goffman , Rita Owen

( 6 )

$5.99

The Malice Domestic anthology series returns with a new take on mysteries in the Agatha Christie tradition -- 30 original tales set around the world! Included are:

The Barrister's Clerk, by Michael Robertson

The Belle Hope, by Peter DiChellis

Arroyo, by Michael Bracken

Muskeg Man, by Keenan Powell

The End of the World, by Susan Breen

To Protect the Guilty, by Kerry Hammond

Dying in Dokesville, by Alan Orloff

The House in Glamaig's Shadow, by William Burton McCormick

Summer Smugglers, by Triss Stein

The Jamaican Ice Mystery, by John Gregory Betancourt

Death at the Congressional Cemetery, by Verena Rose

Cabin in the Woods, by Sylvia Maultash Warsh

Mad About You, by G. M. Malliet

What Goes Around, by Kathryn Johnson

Summer Job, by Judith Green

Death in a Strange and Beautiful Place, by Leslie Wheeler

We Shall Fight Them, by Carla Coupe

Marigold in the Lake, by Susan Thibadeau

Murder on the Northern Lights Express, by Susan Daly

Czech Mate, by Kristin Kisska

Keep Calm and Love Moai, by Eleanor Cawood Jones

Isaac's Daughters, by Anita Page

A Divination of Death, by Edith Maxwell

Payback With Interest, by Cheryl Marceau

Island Time, by Laura Oles

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Murder, by Josh Pachter

The Breaker Boy, by Harriette Sackler

Death on the Beach, by Shawn Reilly Simmons

Ridgeline, by Peter W. J. Hayes

Ho'oponopono, by Robin Templeton

Also features a new Foreword, by Nancy Pickard

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

I Know Where You Sleep Feb 10, 2020

by Alan Orloff

( 14 )

$7.99

When Anderson West takes on the pro-bono case of Jessica Smith, a twenty-something restaurant hostess being stalked, the last thing he expects is for his investigation to spiral into breaking and entering, assault, and legal threats from the suspects and the victim.

But that’s what happens when you run a private investigation firm with your rule-breaking, loose-cannon sister at your side.

While Anderson spends his time deducing and interviewing possible suspects, Carrie handles interrogations in her own unique—and personal—fashion. And it seems like everyone is a suspect. There are Jessica’s ex-boyfriend and current boyfriend, her incredibly creepy boss and the suspicious reverend at her church who definitely seems to be hiding something.

Or someone.

The closer Anderson and Carrie get to an answer, the more danger Jessica finds herself in. Her stalker’s notes become increasingly more threatening, trading the scary phone calls and text messages for terrifying photographs and notes at her gym, work, and home. To make things even more complicated, Jessica’s backstory begins to unravel, and the secrets of her past could potentially solve everything…if only she’d let Anderson and Carrie in.

With time ticking down, will the brother-sister investigative team be able to solve Jessica’s case before she tries something foolhardy, like facing up to the tenacious bastard on her own, armed only with a handgun and a prayer?

Praise for I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP:

“Sleep is one thing that readers won’t get much of when they pick up this stellar novel! Gripping from first page to last, Orloff’s I Know Where You Sleep virtually defines the psychological thriller. And Anderson and Carrie are two of the most compelling—and appealing—heroes in crime fiction to come along in years. You’ll love them just as much as you’ll be swept up by Orloff’s brilliant plot.” —Jeffery Deaver, author of The Bone Collector and The Never Game

“With clock-ticking yet compassionate prose, Alan Orloff portrays one of the horrors of all our modern lives: the stalker. I Know Where You Sleep is a private eye novel for these all-too-real modern days. Orloff’s P.I. protagonist Anderson West is a man of modern personal complications and classic professional simplicity: he wants to stop evil and crime where he can—and takes readers along for the entertaining, revealing ride.” —James Grady, New York Times bestselling author of Six Days of the Condor

“A winner! A twisty page-turning cat and mouse pursuit with a surprise around every corner. If you’re looking for a truly good guy—Anderson West is the perfect choice. This charming protagonist—a PI with heart and determination and a pure sense of justice—will captivate you. The talented Alan Orloff has created a unique and memorable character, and a terrific book.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, bestselling and award-winning author of The Murder List

Other Formats: Paperback

Shotgun Honey Presents: Locked and Loaded Apr 27, 2015

by Owen Laukkanen , Keith Rawson , Jedidiah Ayres , Kent Gowran , Patricia Abbott , Ron Earl Phillips , Christopher Irvin , Jen Conley , Erik Arneson

( 4 )

$2.99

25 stories of crime fiction from authors from around the world, both new and established, conjuring up some of the darkest stories involving murder, corruption, and despair.

Featuring 25 stories of crime:

“A Boy Like Billy” by Patricia Abbott
“Border Crossing” by Michael McGlade
“Looking for the Death Trick” by Bracken MacLeod
“Maybelle’s Last Stand” by Travis Richardson
“Predators” by Marie S. Crosswell
“Twenty to Life” by Frank Byrns
“So Much Love” by Keith Rawson
“Running Late” by Tess Makovesky
“Last Supper” by Katanie Duarte
“Danny” by Michael Bracken
“The Plot” by Jedidiah Ayres
“What Alva Wants” by Timothy Friend
“Time Enough to Kill” by Kent Gowran
“Copas” by Hector Acosta
“Yellow Car Punch” by Nigel Bird
“Love at First Fight” by Angel Luis Colón
“Traps” by Owen Laukkanen
“Down the Rickety Stairs” by Alan Orloff
“Blackmailer’s Pep Talk” by Chris Rhatigan
“With a Little bit of Luck” by Bill Baber
“As Cute as a Speckled Pup Under a Red Wagon” by Tony Conaway
“Chipping off the Old Block” by Nick Kolakowski
“Young Turks and Old Wives” by Shane Simmons
“The Hangover Cure” by Seth Lynch
“Highway Six” by John L. Thompson

Other Formats: Paperback

50 Shades of Cabernet: A Mysterious Anthology Mar 15, 2017

by Various Authors

( 21 )

$3.99

In vino mysterium is the theme for this anthology of short stories, each blending a baffling mystery and a glass (or more) of cabernet. When eighteen mystery writers combine their talents, the result is the perfect “flight” of stories that range from light-bodied puzzles to sparkling cozies to darker, heavier tales of deceit and murder. While cabernet is the featured wine, this anthology will appeal to connoisseurs of all varietals—in both wine preference and mystery style.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

Chesapeake Crimes: Fur, Feathers, and Felonies Mar 26, 2018

by Donna Andrews , Shari Randall , KM Rockwood , Alan Orloff , Eleanor Cawood Jones , Robin Templeton , Marianne Wilski Strong , Barb Goffman , Marcia Talley , Chris Grabenstein

( 6 )

$4.99

13 writers spin tales crime around the theme of animals. A pet groomer. A pet crow. A dog named Rasputin. Exploding cattle. Even an octopus figures in a mystery. Contributors include: Chris Grabenstein (Introduction), Shari Randall, Carla Coupe, KM Rockwood, Alan Orloff, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Robin Templeton, Barb Goffman, Marianne Wilski Strong, Linda Lombardi, Josh Pachter, Joanna Campbell Slan, Cathy Wiley, and Karen Cantwell.

Other Formats: Paperback

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