Eighteen original stories about the "lives" of the undeadFrom vampires to mummy con artists, this lively collection explores the many forms the undead can take in stories that range from the chilling to the hysterical. There are those who people the Afterlife, others who wander the lands of the living in ghostly form, and even those who walk about in the flesh.For anyone who's ever wondered if the grass is greener on the other side of this mortal coil, this collection will provide a wide range of intriguing answers from those who are undead...and loving it!

Insanity was just the beginning.His madness is legendary.His evil without limit. Scarred in both body and mind, The Joker is possibly the most insidious criminal the world has ever known, his dark genius festering beneath an eternal jester’s grin. Yet, for all the pain and suffering Batman’s nemesis has brought the world over the last five decades, virtually nothing has been learned about him. Until now. In The Further Adventures of The Joker you’re invited to accompany some of today’s most gifted writers on a descent into madness, a journey in search of The Joker’s greatest hopes, dreams . . . and fears. In these stories of crime, mayhem, horror, and twisted humor, you will discover tales you won’t soon forget, tales which will chill your soul and tickle your funny bone.

Sherlock Holmes makes his American debut in this extraordinary new collection of never-before-published crime stories by bestselling mystery writers. The world's greatest fictional detective and his famous sidekick Dr. Watson are on their first trip across the Atlantic as they solve crimes all over nineteenth-century America—from the bustling neighborhoods of New York, Boston, and D.C. to fog-shrouded San Francisco. The world's best-loved British sleuth faces some of the most cunning criminals America has to offer and meets some of America's most famous figures along the way.This exciting new anthology features over a dozen original short stories by award-winning and prominent writers, each in the extraordinary tradition of Conan Doyle, and each with a unique American twist. Featuring new stories by:Edgar Award-winner Daniel StashowerEdgar Award-winner Jon L. BreenShamus Award-winner Loren EstlemanDerringer Award-winner Steve HockensmithAnthony...

The sound of a crowded saloon...The cry of a train coming through the night...The pounding of horses ridden by friends or foe...From the searing sun to snow-steeped winters, towns called Sentinel, Iron Mountain, and St. Elmo stood strong and fierce - before they finally died. Now, these ghost towns return to life under the spell of such great Western tale-tellers as Louis L'Amour, Elmer Kelton, William W. Johnstone, Bill Brooks, Loren D. Estleman, Johnny D. Boggs, and "New York Times" bestseller Margaret Coel. From a soldier on the run from the fires of war...From a gambler who has long since played his last hand...To a solitary, singing rifle man protecting a besieged town...With dreamers and schemers, with men and women of courage, conscience, and faith, here is an unforgettable round-up of astounding adventures fuelled by a passion for the West the way it really was - and the way it lives on forever.About the AuthorIn 1995 Martin H. Greenberg was honored by the Mystery Writers of America with the Ellery Queen Award for lifetime achievement in mystery editing. He is also the recipient of two Anthony awards. Mystery Scene magazine called him "the best mystery anthologist since Ellery Queen." He has compiled more than 1,000 anthologies and is the president of TEKNO books. He lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

From a Western circus where monsters and heroes collide, to a Civil War robot that clanks into battle, to a mining family that encounters parallel universes, Westward Weird features thirteen original stories that open the Old West to new frontiers of science fiction and fantasy.

“Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot, so I must wear a disguise that will strike terror into their hearts! I must be a creature of the night, like a . . . a . . . a bat!”—Bruce Wayne It began with those words fifty years ago, a crusade that would grow into a legend. Orphaned as a child, his parents murdered before his eyes, millionaire Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to avenging their deaths, becoming in the dark of night the costume-garbed protector of Gotham City, BATMAN. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his creation, fifteen of today’s greatest writers of fantastic fiction have joined together to take you inside his world of shadows and fear in all-new tales of mystery, humor, horror, and the supernatural. These are your guides through The Further Adventures Of Batman.

ORDINARY PEOPLE.EXTRAORDINARY HEROES...This all-new fantasy anthology features thirteen original stories about ordinary or inexperienced people learning to become extraordinary heroes. From the shape shifter Esen-alit-Quar who is forced unexpectedly into her first solo mission to the young man sworn to defeat a pack of lycanthropes, these heroes in training are thrown into exciting adventures that demand nothing short of all that is in them.