Genre: Crime
Release date: March 24, 2018
Compiled and edited by Georgette Gonzales & Yeyet Soriano
Cover design and interior layout Porcupine Strongwill
SYNOPSIS
Oh, we weave such a tangled dark web. Is it possible to disentangle oneself without inflicting damage, permanent damage, to one’s person?
When a person goes missing, how do you find her? Where do you find her? Does she even want to be found?
A vigilante targets neighborhood nuisances. But without any evidence, how will he be apprehended?
Don’t do unto others, lest they do to you what you did to them. In a manner more gruesome than you can ever imagine. Can you survive the retribution?
Dead bodies can’t go anywhere on their own, right? Or can they?
Web
“Security is an illusion.”
Excerpt:
A creaking sound pierced the silence of the night air as Robert planted his boot on the floorboards. The blood in his veins froze as he stood next to the stairs, not moving even a single inch of his being. He closed his eyes as he recalled the spots on the floor that did not groan. Eventually, he made it to the door at the end of the hallway and picked its lock. He opened it a few inches and peeked through the narrow slit.
An old couple slept on a queen-sized bed, surrounded by pillows and half-covered by a thick white sheet. The ceiling fan revolved furiously above them. A row of waist-high drawers stood on the left, next to an open square window.
Robert sighed. He already met the elderly pair months ago. They were very nice to him, offering him snacks and cold drinks while he repaired their floorboards. Now, his chest ached as he stood by the door, the other half of his body still in the hallway.
Business is business.
In this kind of business, being emotional is a no-no.
Liam began telling stories in fifth grade by drawing crude stick-figure comics on the back of his school notebooks. Now in his late twenties, he's still weaving characters and worlds together through writing. Some of his inspirations include Frank Herbert, Michael Crichton, James Rollins, and Steve Berry.
Contact Liam at https://www.facebook.com/lbluntwrites/
Where Is Sandra?
(A Prequel) Cozy Crime Mystery
One crime—or non-crime—could reveal another.
There is something strange going on in Sandra’s house (and maybe in all of Tagaytay City), Zanjo just knows it. There are arguments, missing items, and a bottle of some unidentifiable black powder. It’s a mystery in the making. One that intensifies when Sandra’s grandmother turns up dead—and Sandra goes missing.
Excerpt:
“I just wanted her to stop hurting you. I never expected her to fall off the roof.”
“Nobody wanted what happened to her.” Sandra glanced at him. “The same goes for me, Zanj".
Zanjo observed Sandra’s bedroom again that
night. From the lenses of his black binoculars, he saw that she had already
closed the curtains and turned off the lights. Sandra...Two years ago, she had
broken up with him. She was fourteen, he was sixteen. While all she wanted was
fun, he was serious and tried to nudge her to become better. Just like him. It
must have suffocated her, leading her to break up with him.
He had always been a good son, at least at home, and a straight-A student. In fact, he was so studious it weirded everyone out. Too clever, most people thought. Many of his acquaintances joked that if he were a criminal, he’d get away with the crime clean. It bugged his classmates, even his teachers, how he was able to solve the School Reading Mystery Game on one Foundation Day with just a few jumbled clues in just a few seconds.
Rumor had it that he tried to control Sandra, which was why she had wanted out of their relationship quick. Zanjo often engaged in fistfights in his temper bouts with the bullies at school too, so it didn’t surprise anyone that he’d become single again so soon.
Just before closing his eyes to sleep, he took one last look at Sandra’s window, hoping to catch even a glimpse of her shadow...
He had always been a good son, at least at home, and a straight-A student. In fact, he was so studious it weirded everyone out. Too clever, most people thought. Many of his acquaintances joked that if he were a criminal, he’d get away with the crime clean. It bugged his classmates, even his teachers, how he was able to solve the School Reading Mystery Game on one Foundation Day with just a few jumbled clues in just a few seconds.
Rumor had it that he tried to control Sandra, which was why she had wanted out of their relationship quick. Zanjo often engaged in fistfights in his temper bouts with the bullies at school too, so it didn’t surprise anyone that he’d become single again so soon.
Just before closing his eyes to sleep, he took one last look at Sandra’s window, hoping to catch even a glimpse of her shadow...
Amae
Dechavez
Amae Dechavez was born in
Quezon City, Philippines to a mother from Baguio and father from Quezon
Province. She works as a V.A. and social media marketing associate-slash-SEO
content writer by day, and currently resides with her dog within the suburbs of
Metro Manila.
Stay updated on the release
of the sequel to “All About Sandra” Cozy Crime Mysteries:
Who Can Find Sandra?
Follow
Facebook.com/amaeauthor
Twitter: @amaeauthor
Goodreads.com/amaeauthor
In 2002, a father and son terrorized the capital of the most powerful nation on Earth with random sniper attacks. What if it happened in the Philippines?
“Tuning [motorcycle mufflers] is not a crime.”
Nick began feeling dizzy again. The reality of what he just did hit him. It was both scary and liberating.
Relax, Nick told himself. It’s done.
His arms shook from hatred and excitement. Nick wiped the rifle to remove any fingerprints and left it in the kitchen. He would just need to come back for it sometime within the week or the next before Karla returned.
He walked out of Karla’s apartment and slowly went back home. He entered his room, changed back to his house clothes, and went to see his grandmother.
Lola Teresa removed the earplugs as soon as she saw him.
“I’m afraid this won’t do.” She handed them over, showing her appreciation with a smile. “But thank you.”
Nick smiled back. The loud motorcycle won’t be making loud noises anymore. Not tonight at least.
After bidding his grandmother good night, he went to his room and lay on his bed. He looked at his hands and realized they were still shaking. Ending the life of an arrogant useless son of a bitch felt liberating.
It was better than sex.
The whole world had just become his playground.
I.P. Lanz
Ivan is an avid reader and a daydreamer. Writing is his way of putting both to good use.
Contact Ivan at https://ivansnotebook.wordpress.com
Among Us
Athena Ramirez is
tasked to solve seemingly unrelated freak murder cases, until all clues and
evidences lead back to her. A past she thought she had buried so deep
into oblivion suddenly comes back to haunt her. She can’t hide anymore, can’t
run anywhere safe, and a gnawing fear is upon her. Will she solve the mystery
before her own murder?
“No one can get
away anywhere anymore. No one will be safe. You now know things the public
shouldn’t. You are now. . .among us”.
-Os Magnum
My headache has
grown worse. I take a pain reliever.
When I switch on
the television, every channel is devoted to the (Hercules Trail) crime
scene which just makes my head throb even more.
The dead talks and
we can only listen.
I put the TV on mute and let the images dance before my eyes. I take out my
notes and start writing on my small whiteboard in the living room. The smell of
the white board pen’s ink keeps me company.
Victim’s name...
Method of Death…
Suspect…
Missing on Crime
Scene…
Evidence Left…
Three cases of unconventional murders, each one happening one year after the
other, almost to the day.
Who are these
people? Why do they seem familiar?
My headache
returns in full force. Didn’t I just take a pain reliever?
I close my eyes, breathing
deeply. Am I getting sick again? What is wrong with me?
I open my eyes and
try to focus.
Why these
particular people? What is the common denominator?
What connects
them?
I study my notes.
They are all male. They are all of the same age range, mid to late
twenties.
Same as me.
They went to
the same high school.
I stare at the
school name.
Something is
tickling the base of my skull.
I’ve seen that
name before.
A wave of nausea
comes over me. With it, something clicks in my head. Suddenly, the pain is
gone.
What is their
common denominator?
Now, I remember.
Me.
Buñag Manlapaz
Buñag
Manlapaz spends most of his time trying to attain immortality. And through
writing, he found the key. AMONG US is the first of many crime fiction stories
he intends to release, where he weaves together the fabric of criminality
[villainy] and justice.
Contact
Buñag:
b.manlapaz3@gmail.com
Missing Bodies
Three dead bodies, stolen from the hospital morgue.
No one else but Inspector Eva Andrada and Senior Inspector Luke Torres could care less about the missing bodies of three drug addicts; everyone else in their squad felt that these were criminals who deserved whatever happened to them anyway. Truthfully, Eva would much rather not work with the grim and taciturn Torres, but for the sake of the victims' families, she has no other choice.
As they begin to dig deeper into the case, they unravel secrets hidden beneath it all; and Eva realizes that their case may be bigger, more sinister, than she had even imagined.
Excerpts:
“If there was anything that Inspector Eva
Andrada knew she was really good at, it was keeping surveillance on a target.
This time, her target was not a criminal, but a fellow police officer.”
The tension in the air was almost palpable,
weighing down on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe. It didn’t help
that Torres didn’t turn the radio on, and he didn’t say a single word either.
He was exactly what the others said he was: taciturn, standoffish, and it was
no wonder no one liked being his partner on cases.
But she didn’t really care how friendly he
was. What she only cared about was if he could be trusted to work with her on
this case.
“Okay.” She rifled through the folders he had
given her and began talking as the awkwardness of his silence began to get to
her. “Nicolas Santos, 43 year-old male, and Joel de Vera, 27 year-old male.
Found dead more than a week apart in June last year, one in an abandoned lot
and the other at a construction site near his home. Both known drug users, with
de Vera even arrested once for selling them, but was eventually released on
bail.” She scanned more papers. “There was something missing in their files and
that was how I made the connection between our cases. The autopsy reports were
missing.” She frowned. “Or rather, the autopsies were never performed in the
first place. The bodies disappeared before anyone could.”
Torres nodded, ever so slightly.
She brought out her own folder. “Henry Banal,
18 year-old male, resident of Poblacion. Is that the only connection between
our cases, Sir? Do you have any new leads? Says here you haven’t had any new leads
since July of last year.”
He glanced briefly at her. “Your case is my
new lead.”
Celestine Trinidad
a physician by profession,
particularly, a pathologist. In her spare time, she writes fiction of several
genres, including romance, speculative fiction, crime fiction, and children’s
stories. Her stories have been published in other print and online venues, such
as Philippines Free Press, Philippines Graphic, The Digest of Philippine Genre
Stories, Philippine Speculative Fiction, and Insignia.
Email: cmgtrinidad@gmail.com
Website:
celestinetrinidad.wordpress.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/luckychan
Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/luckychanmd/
The Children of Truth
Elmer is just a few years short of retirement age, but he gets thrust into an undercover operation to reveal the secrets of the cult called The Children of Truth. The more Elmer stays with the “family”, the deeper he falls into the operation, with the help of the charming and gentle leader, Arturo.
In the middle of unraveling secrets, political agenda, and an existential crisis, Elmer pursues the path he thinks he’s meant to take…resulting in a surprising and deadly twist for everyone involved. “The Children of Truth” paints a portrait of hypocrisy, corruption, and the persistence of human greed, which is the scariest thing of all.
J. Guibone
has an appetite for crime and horror
fiction even though she’s a real-life scaredy-cat. Anything mysterious and
creepy intrigues her, and she’ll gladly fork out a few bills for an almanac of
strange phenomena (but will forget to replace her ancient sneakers).
She juggles working as a freelance
writer, penning fiction, and entertaining her dogs. When not typing away at her
laptop, she can usually be found with her nose buried in a book—either reading
or sniffing it.
You can connect with J. Guibone through her blog at www.jguibonewrites.com
Tomorrow We’ll See
In the streets of Ermita, Manila, a lady makes her living attending to the secret desires of passersby. Unmindful of neither her circumstances nor her surroundings, she chooses to live night by night, desiring little and looking forward only to whatever the world throws her way.
When a murder case hits close to home, a tempting offer break away from her sleazy life appears to redirect her to a path of salvation. Will she accept the chance to change her ways and start over, or will she stand her ground and choose to leave her fate to the uncertainty of tomorrow?
Mark Manalang
Mark Manalang describes himself as an “armchair
journalist by day, novelist by night, foodie on call, writer by calling, author
by choice.”
He is doing his best to make time for his
manuscripts and poems while resuming his career in journalism. His next
project, aside from the “Sampaguita” series, supposedly involves romance (or
maybe not).
Throughout his exile (read: hiatus), he developed
an appetite for mapo tofu, and he now also craves the beef and beer chili bowl
at the Oarhouse Pub of Manila. He is also currently rewatching his old anime.
Follow Mark
on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MTJManalang
Twitter: @mtjmanalang
Instagram: @unlimitedgrubgrabs
Snatched
Motherhood is a gift. And sometimes it is given outside the realm
of birth. The love that holds a family together is strong and unyielding. But
what happens when the woman that gave birth to your daughter appears out of
nowhere? Will that love be strong enough to keep your child safe?
Irene Recio
Irene Recio is a ninja
masquerading as a stay-at-home mom with a double degree in BS Applied Economics
and Business Management. She found her happiness teaching pre-nursery
children and was taking her Masters in Education when she had to put her career
on pause to focus on her amazing daughter. Just recently, she received the
greatest (and cutest!) surprise of her life – a bouncing (literally) baby girl!
Her children are the heart and her husband is the soul of her happiness.
Together they inspire her to be better and to do better always.
She used to do
freelance writing for a parenting website and various magazines. She has always
been fascinated with mystery and crime fiction, and her love for the
genre started with Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.
When not writing crime, she is writing new adult
novellas and children’s books.
Find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/irene.nicolasrecio
and on Twitter and Instagram: @inrecio
Kate’s Retreat
Kate Borromeo from contemporary
romance novel Kate, Finally, was offered the chance to join the writers’
retreat in the psychological/crime/thriller The Retreat. Will she
give up her quiet life and potentially budding romance with Layne Sto. Domingo
in order to jump into the unknown? And will she be able to keep silent about
the offer and not tell her best friend Rob Salcedo everything about it?
More than just the two genres
colliding, this short piece succinctly highlights how one decision can change
the course of one’s life. This short story appeared first on the Inquirer
Super Fiction section in March 2017
Yeyet Soriano
Yeyet Soriano is a
multi-genre author who writes speculative fiction, crime fiction and
contemporary romance.Based in Manila, Philippines, her day job is that of an
Asia-Pacific regional senior IT manager for a multinational corporation. She is
married to a man who has never read of any of her works (he only reads to fall
asleep), and they have three wonderful kids—a teen-aged daughter who just
entered college and who is pursuing her passion for street dance, a sweet
daughter in fourth grade who is a budding poet and writer in her own right, and
a son in first grade who hasn’t taken up reading for fun yet, but is
unbelievably smart and charming.
Email:
yeyetms@gmail.com
Author Website and
Blog: www.yeyetsoriano.com
Blog: www.ysrealm.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ysrealm
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ysrealm/
WITH BONUS EXCERPTS BY
The Fall of the Filipino Romance
Scammer by Racquel Sarah A. Castro
The Catalys by Georgette S. Gonzales
The Flame Squad: Shadow Prince by
Jessica Larsen
Sampaguita: Stray Lamb by Mark Manalang
Sins of the Past by Arlene Manocot
A Higher Level by Chris Nava
The Sound of Silence by Irene Recio
Come With Me Vol. 2 by Michael Recto
The Crime Circle by Yeyet Soriano
#HEISTCLUB BOOK 2 NEW RELEASES
Sins of the Past by Arlene Manocot
She sheds tears for the loss of the man
she thought would never leave her hanging in the wilderness. Once he pulls the
trigger, he is banished in her life forever.
Book link: bit.ly/BooksbyArleneManocot
Sampaguita: Stray Lamb by Mark Manalang
Japanese tycoon Kenichi Daimon is now a
cold and bitter shadow of his former self. In between maintaining his public
image as the CEO of the Diamond Group of Companies, and privately mourning for
his murdered fiancée, he has become a seething predator, ever scouring Manila's
underworld for the man who took what was most precious for him.
A chance encounter with a petty thief
gives Kenichi a chance to make a difference in someone's life. But a beggar
syndicate is after the child, hoping to silence him. Can Kenichi make his first
step towards redemption, or will his rage lead him astray once more?
Amazon: https://goo.gl/XUt3S8
The Flame Squad: Shadow Prince by
Jessica Larsen
Efrain has one reason why he agrees to
be Blaze’s shadow, and that is to hunt down those responsible for ruining his
life. Falling in love is not a part of the plan, but the heart is the hardest
thing to fight.
Book links:
Amazon kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B5Z2SR5
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/798430
iBooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadow-prince-the-flame-squad-2/id1355217307?mt=11
Barnes&Noble:
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-prince-jessica-e-larsen/1128099246?ean=2940155158639
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39074839-shadow-prince
The Crime Circle by Yeyet Soriano
Four stories/arcs make up a circle, where the lines
are blurred between victim and perpetrator, between innocent bystander and
involved participant, and between right and wrong.
Print: bitly.com/TCC-print
