Barbara Collins

Husband-and-wife mystery writing team Barbara and Max Allan Collins are showcased in this eclectic new collection of short stories, written individually and together.In tales spanning from noir to horror, and genres ranging from police procedural to private eye, the Collins duo finds suspense and dark humor in such unlikely places as the White House, a retirement home, and the San Diego comic con.Two of MWA Grand Master Max's most popular characters, Quarry (in two rare short story appearances) and Ms. Tree (in the Edgar-nominated "Louise"), appear in these pages. Honored short story writer Barbara explores topics from over-zealous feminists to hungry Venus fly traps in tales both comic and chilling. And Marilyn Monroe, a father-and-daughter detective team, and a small-town female cop are among the unlikely stars of his unusual, entertaining collection.

In an attempt to soothe growing Cold War tensions between America and Russia, Premier Nikita Khrushchev visits the US to see all that his "enemy" has to offer. Top of his to-do list? A trip to Disneyland and an introduction to sexual icon Marilyn Monroe. Thanks to the impossible security requirements, Disneyland is out of the question. Marilyn, on the other hand, jumps at the chance to put on a show for the Russian official. During her appearance, she overhears the details of an assassination plot designed to spark an atomic holocaust and devastate both superpowers. When the Secret Service refuses to believe her, Marilyn risks everything to whisk Khrushchev away to safety-in the happiest place on earth. With US agents and the KGB hot on their trail, Marilyn and Khrushchev enjoy the thrills of the amusement park while fighting to stay one step ahead of the assassins and prevent the horrors of an unprecedented war that would annihilate millions. "Historical fiction, thriller and comedy rolled into one book. It was a page turner - I couldn't put it down."

Joyce Lackey was a classic baby-boomer. She had it all: a high-paying position, a beautiful condo, a BMW. But there was one thing she didn't have any more - her youth, and that was what she needed most.Her boss fired her because he wanted someone with "young blood and young ideas." Joyce was forced to start all over again. But could she compete with all the beautiful young kids who were so hungry for what she had? The X-Gen Agency could give Joyce everything she wanted, everything she needed - a new job, a new body and a new identity. In short: a new life, but there was a price. It seemed reasonable enough when Joyce signed the contracts, and besides, she was desperate. By the time she realized what she had done, it was too late to turn back. This was one contract without an escape clause..."A clever, twisted generational thriller that fictionalizes the brewing Boomers vs. Gen X-ers conflict in the workplace and in society at large."

A collection of eleven of Barbara Collins's best cat-themed stories, edited by Max Allan Collins. In "A Proper Burial," a childless couple is driven to extremes to get back the remains of their beloved dead cat, held as evidence in a murder case. In a saloon brawl instigated by hatchet-wielding Carry Nation, the bartender kills "Carry's Cat," and Carry is later charged with the saloonkeeper's murder. When an actress leaves her fortune to her cat, a scheming daughter tries to rub out "The Ten Lives of Talbert."Can an elderly woman beat a murder rap by claiming that her cat is her reincarnated husband? Find out in "Aunt Emma's Defense." And in "Cat Got Your Tongue," co-written with mystery-writer husband Max Allan Collins, a conniving young couple attempts to steal the cat of a taxidermy-loving old vaudevillian."Intriguing . . . superb . . . the best the mystery genre has to offer." --Booklist