A common theme runs though this otherwise very varied boquet of short stories: a sympathy for the underdog. Contemporary crime, science fiction, fantasy, historical adventure, all of them can be found here. A kaleidoscope of villains and heroes follow each other, waiting to entertain you.
1. Cruelty and Compassion
2.Game Planet
3. A Chinese Joke
4. Thank You, J. S. Bach
5. The full answer
6. My Amanda
7. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
8. Rotten Apple
9. The Bigger They Are...
10. Portrait of a Firebug
11. Takeover Bid
12. What's in a Name?
13. The Making of a Champion
14. Keeping an Open Mind
15. Guilty, Until Proven Innocent
16. The Scarlet Pimple Gives a Nudge
17. Soft Targets
18. Fishing Expedition
19. A Perfect Crime
20. Another Kind of Poetry
21. The Takamaka Freedom Fighters
22. First Day at School
23. Return from Death Murderous violence in the bank interrupts Rick's life as a secret Buddhist monk.
Why did Eve murder her husband of 20 years, and keep one-third of the insurance?
The perfect minister of religion's murderer says this in his defence in court.
The ruthless criminal helps Susie to find her life's vocation.
Return to the book Read the reviews Home to Bob's writing Bob's book reviews Book editing service LiFE Award: Literature For Environment
Total length: 81,200 words.
The blonde was so scornful about the cripple in the wheelchair, but he has his own resources for revenge.
This story won first prize in Donard Publishing's July 2003 contest.
Young Tigel's father buys him a magnificent 18th birthday present: an hour on Game Planet. He choses a young woman as his Pawn, but gets more than he'd expected...
Trevor has saved Charlie Chu from a gang bashing, then falls in love with Charlie's sister Yvonne. But can the Chu family overcome prejudice against a 'foreigner'?
The little housewife is helpless against the ravager. But is she as powerless as she seems?
Fleeing in panic, running to stay alive. Death chases a boy in a block of Housing Commission flats.
This is a story of love between a young Nepalese boy and the Australian nurse.
Tim O'Liam is the best tree faller in all of Queensland -- until, following orders, he tries to hustle an odd little protestor off the logging site.
A man awakens in the deadly darkness of a cave. He doesn't know how he got there, or why...
Sherry has been arrested for the brutal murder of her mother-in-law. Can her friend Cindy save her?
Why would anyone start a terrible bushfire?
The invader from outer space promises a lot of pleasure, but it makes the mistake of choosing Cynthia.
Detective Sergeant Ted Poynter has deduced how the man must have died. But, what to do about it?
It was lucky for the village that David happened to be passing through, for the slavers struck that night.
As a child, Tom Grant had learnt to deal with bullying. But the effects catch up with him thirty years later.
When Hilary Hart's boss Stan is murdered, everything points to her as the killer. No-one believes in her but Stan's charismatic son.
At 13 years of age, Lindy is aiming high. She wants to become a world-famous writer. When the school is hit by a nasty crime, she uses the skills she developed to set the Police right.
The local lowlife refers to the old people as 'soft targets'. But Maude has a few resources they hadn't anticipated.
The only difference between rape and seduction is salesmanship. And Will is an artist...
Jimmy is small for his age, and wears glasses. And yet, he swears to kill Susie's stepfather.
There is no point to a romance when one person is filled with poetry, while the other is a practical sort... is there?
Mr Billson knows he is doing the right thing, battery farming chickens, but that nasty Mrs Jones won't listen to reason.
She was a slave girl in a factory, and saw her best friend die.
Criminal Justice
Four new stories24. An Interstate Business Venture
25. Justifiable Homicide
26. The Spaghetti Warrior