New Releases by Joe R. Lansdale

"Joe Lansdale squares up to the Great Old Ones--and taps into rich veins of awe and wit, with always a backbeat thrum of cosmic terror." --Kim Newman, author of the Anno Dracula series Eleven-time Bram Stoker Award-winner Joe R. Lansdale (Bubba Ho-tep) returns with this wicked short story collection of his irreverent Lovecraftian tributes. Lansdale is terrifyingly down-home while merging his classic gonzo stylings with the eldritch horrors of H. P. Lovecraft. Knowingly skewering Lovecraft''s paranoid mythos, Lansdale embarks upon haunting yet sly explorations of the unknown, capturing the essence of cosmic dread. A sinister blues recording pressed on vinyl in blood conjures lethal shadows with its unearthly wails. In order to rescue Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn traverses the shifting horrors of the aptly named Dread Island. In the weird Wild West, Reverend Jebidiah Mercer rides into a possessed town to confront the unspeakable in the crawling sky. Legendary detective C. Auguste Dupin uncovers the gruesome secrets of both the blue lightning bug and the Necronomicon. Exploring the darkest corners of the human psyche, here is a lethally entertaining journey through Joe Lansdale''s twisted landscape, where ancient evils lurk and sanity hangs by a rapidly fraying thread. Table of Contents Introduction by Joe R. Lansdale "The Bleeding Shadow" Dread Island "The Gruesome Affair of the Electric Blue Lightning" "The Tall Grass" "The Case of the Stalking Shadows" "The Crawling Sky" "Starlight, Eyes Bright" In the Mad Mountains

In this holy mess of a case for the "perpetual bad boy" (New York Times) sleuths in the beloved Hap and Leonard series, PI Duo Hap and Leonard investigate the untimely death of a woman whose family stood much to gain from her passing. Minnie Polson is dead. Burned to a crisp in a fire so big and bad it had to be deliberate. The only thing worse is that Hap and Leonard could have prevented it. Maybe. Minnie had a feeling she was being targeted, shaken down by some shadowy force. However, when she’d solicited Hap & Leonard, all it took was one off color joke to turn her sour and she’d called them off the investigation. Wracked with a guilty conscience, the two PIs—along with Hap’s fleet-footed wife, Brett—tuck in to the case. As they look closer, they dredge up troublesome facts: for one, Minnie’s daughter, Alice, has recently vanished. She’d been hard up after her pet grooming business went under and was in line to collect a whopping insurance sum should anything happen to her mother. The same was due to Minnie’s estranged husband, Al, whose kryptonite (beautiful, money-grubbing women) had left him with only a run-down mobile home. But did Minnie’s foolish, cash-strapped family really have it in them to commit a crime this grisly? Or is there a larger, far more sinister scheme at work? Irreverent, wise-cracking, and full of atmosphere and bite, Sugar on the Bones is not to be missed.

Edgar Allan Poe''s great private investigator, Auguste Dupin, gets a make-over in this unusual adventure involving a bloody mystery dipped deep in the strange. A young woman comes to Dupin and his assistant for help concerning her increasingly obsessed brother; obsessed with the dark world that sets alongside our own, where strange creatures dwell and even stranger events occur. A world where our laws of physics are no longer applicable. A world with its own geometry of evil. It''s the place from which all our nightmares spring. And now that dimensional world, due to spells and sacrifices, is wide open into our own, releasing the deadliest denizen of the dark--The God of the Razor. It''s a case that will require all of Dupin''s knowledge and the highest courage from his faithful assistant, as they traverse the Parisian streets, as well as the famous Catacombs of skulls and bones, in search of answers. Full of twists and surprising revelations, steeped in cold blood and endless shadows, this one is an exciting mind-bender, as well as a magnificent adventure of action and deduction.

Michael McCarty interviews masters of the fantastic, including: Harlan Ellison, Whitley Strieber, Laurell K. Hamilton, Harry Turtledove, Boris Vallejo, Joe R. Lansdale, Max Collins, Charles Grant, The Amazing Kreskin, Richard Matheson, and many more

From Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale comes a laugh out loud road novel full of outrageous wit and the power of friendship, and driven by storytelling as only Lansdale can offer.

Collects Extreme Carnage Alpha (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage: Scream (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage: Phage (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage: Riot (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage: Lasher (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage: Agony (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage: Toxin (2021) #1, Extreme Carnage Omega (2021) #1. An event that truly lives up to its name! Spider-Man and friends were pushed to the limits in MAXIMUM CARNAGE. The Marvel Universe barely survived ABSOLUTE CARNAGE. Now we''re taking symbiote chaos to the Extreme! As the dust continues to settle after the symbiote-redefining KING IN BLACK saga, Eddie and Dylan Brock aren''t the only ones adjusting to a new normal. The Life Foundation symbiotes - Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher and Agony - are trying to reconcile the sometimes-noble intentions of their hosts with their own all-too-often bloodthirsty impulses! But another symbiote is facing a stunning reinvention as well - and that means Carnage! What will happen when the refreshed Carnage symbiote targets the rest one by one?

From an Edgar award-winning author comes the gripping and unexpected tale of a lost town and the dark secrets that lie beneath the glittering waters of an East Texas lake. Daniel Russell was only thirteen years old when his father tried to kill them both by driving their car into Moon Lake. Miraculously surviving the crash—and growing into adulthood—Daniel returns to the site of this traumatic incident in the hopes of recovering his father''s car and bones. As he attempts to finally put to rest the memories that have plagued him for years, he discovers something even more shocking among the wreckage that has ties to a twisted web of dark deeds, old grudges, and strange murders. As Daniel diligently follows where the mysterious trail of vengeance leads, he unveils the heroic revelation at its core.

From the Edgar Award-winning author of the Hap and Leonard series, a hard-boiled novel set in 1960s Texas in which a no-nonsense car salesman faces a tempting decision, a dangerous deal, and an alluring affair. Ed Edwards is in the used car business, a business built on adjusted odometers, extra-fine print, and the belief that "buyers better beware." Burdened by an aging, alcoholic mother constantly on his case to do something worthier of his lighter skin tone and dreaming of a brighter future for himself and his plucky little sister, Ed is ready to get out of the game. When Dave, his lazy, grease-stained boss at the eponymous dealership Smiling Dave''s sends him to repossess a Cadillac, Ed finally gets the chance to escape his miserable life. The Cadillac in question was purchased by Frank Craig and his beautiful wife Nancy, owners of a local drive-in and pet cemetery. Fed up with her deadbeat husband and with unfulfilled desires of her own, Nancy suggests to Ed -- in the throes of their salacious affair -- that they kill Frank and claim his insurance policy. It is a tantalizing offer: the girl, the car, and not one, but two businesses. Ed could finally say goodbye to Smiling Dave''s, and maybe even send his sister to college. But does he have what it takes to see the plan through? Told with Joe Lansdale''s trademark grit, wit, and dark humor, More Better Deals is a gripping tale of the strange characters and odd dealings that define 1960s East Texas.

The latest roaring, rollicking adventure from Edgar Award-winner Joe R. Lansdale, featuring odd-couple P.I.s Hap and Leonard. Hap and Leonard are an unlikely pair--Hap, a self-proclaimed white trash rebel, and Leonard--a tough-as-nails Black, gay, Vietnam vet and Republican--but they''re the closest friend either of them has in the world. After years of crime-solving companionship, something''s changed: Hap, recently married to their P.I. boss, Brett, is now a family man. Amidst the worst flood East Texas has seen in years, the two run across a woman who''s had her tongue nearly cut out, pursued by a heavily armed pair of goons. Turns out the girl survived a mob hit, and the boss has come to clean up the mess. On a chase that blows even the East Texas swampgrass back, Hap and Leonard must save the girl, and vanquish her foes, before the foes get them first. With a new case to solve, and a brand-new challenge to their relationship, will Hap and Leonard''s friendship survive? Will Hap and Leonard survive? The Elephant of Surprise is rich with Lansdale''s trademark humor, whip-smart dialogue, and plenty of ass-kicking adventures.

Return to the world of the cult-classic film with this prequel from the mind of its original creator! President Nixon has discovered an alien threat, and he knows there''s only one man he can reach out to for help: Elvis Presley. But will Elvis be enough to defeat a horde of Cosmic Blood-Suckers? This all-new story takes readers back to a world when Elvis truly was The King!

From the mind of creator Joe R. Lansdale comes a prequel to the cult-classic film! President Nixon has discovered an alien threat, and he knows there''s only one man he can reach out to for help: Elvis Presley. But will Elvis be enough to defeat a horde of Cosmic Blood-Suckers?

Edgar Award-winner and fan favorite Joe R. Lansdale is back with Hap and Leonard''s latest caper: investigating the disappearance of a revivalist cult leader''s daughter. Hap and Leonard are an unlikely pair-Hap, a self-proclaimed white trash rebel, and Leonard, a tough-as-nails black gay Vietnam vet and Republican-but they''re the closest friend either of them has in the world. Hap is celebrating his wedding to his longtime girlfriend, Brett (who is also Hap and Leonard''s boss), when their backyard barbecue is interrupted by a couple of Pentecostal white supremacists. They''re not too happy to see Leonard, and no one is happy to see them, but they have a problem and only Hap and Leonard will take the case. Judith Mulhaney''s daughter, Jackrabbit, has been missing for five years. Well, she''s been missing from them for five years, but she''s been missing from everybody, including the local no-goods who ran with her, for a few months. Despite their misgivings about Judith and her son, Hap and Leonard take the case. It isn''t long until they find themselves mixed up in a revivalist cult that believes Jesus will return flanked by an army of lizard-men -- solving a murder to boot. With Lansdale''s trademark humor, whip-smart dialogue, and plenty of ass-kicking adventures to be had, you won''t want to miss Hap and Leonard''s latest.

A long-lost bookmobile opens a wild new chapter in the lives of dysfunctional Texas detectives Hap and Leonard—stars of the hit Sundance TV series. Hap Collins is a straight, white, liberal, blue-collar tough guy. Leonard Pine is a gay, black, Republican combat veteran. Together, they’re the truest Lone Stars living in America’s most independently minded state. Best friends who’ve shared a succession of low-wage odd jobs that have gotten them into even odder situations dealing with lowlifes, now the duo delivers their own brand of ass-kicking justice as private investigators. In this brand-new story, a day’s fishing lands Hap and Leonard their biggest catch ever: the Rolling Literature bookmobile. A pillar of rural African American communities in East Texas, the renovated school bus vanished fifteen years ago—along with its driver, Harriet Hoodalay, aka Hoodoo Harry—reappearing just in time to crash Leonard’s pickup into a creek. Behind the wheel was a twelve-year-old boy who didn’t survive the accident. The kid was clearly running scared, but who was he running from and how did he end up in the driver’s seat of the missing bookmobile? The first solid lead in a case that started more than a decade earlier with Hoodoo Harry, this mystery of a small town’s dark and disturbing past will take all of Hap and Leonard’s wits—and fists—to solve. Known for his “zest for storytelling and a gimlet eye for detail,” multiple award–winning author Joe R. Lansdale brings his rapid-fire dialogue, no-holds-barred action, and gut-busting humor to this original Hap and Leonard novella (Entertainment Weekly). The Bibliomysteries are a series of short tales about deadly books, by top mystery authors.

The Rocketeer Adventures continued where Dave StevensÍ original masterpiece left off, creating for the first time new stories involving the ace stunt pilot Cliff Secord. This oversized deluxe edition collects all 24 stories by some of the most talented creators in comics.

Hap and Leonard are sent to pay a ransom in exchange for the corpse of a dachshund, but the assignment turns out to be less routine than indicated.

Companion volume to the second season of the Hap and Leonard television series.

Sixteen compelling tales of post-apocalyptic societies and dystopian worlds include stories by Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, W. E. B. Du Bois, Harlan Ellison, and others.

If the Western town of Falling Rock isn''t dangerous enough, it gets a real dose of ugly when a soulless, dynamite-loving bounty hunter named Smith rides into town to bring back a bounty. Smith sets off an explosive chain of events that send him straight to the waiting room in Hell where he is offered a one-time chance to absolve himself.

In a quiet little suburb, the sleeping dogs of war rear up to take a bite out of the American Dream...In a brutal Confederate P.O.W. camp, two Yankee soldiers plan an impossible escape_

"Lansdale is an immense talent."—Booklist. Small-town juvenile delinquents, Pentecostal snake-handlers, zombies, psychopaths, and assorted freaks populate these witty and gritty tales of horror by a master of the genre. The suspenseful, action-packed tales range from visions of a post-apocalyptic world ("Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man''s Back," "On the Far Side of the Cadillac Desert with Dead Folks") to alternative histories ("Trains Not Taken," "Letter from the South, Two Moons West of Nacogdoches"). A dozen other stories of gruesome violence and utter depravity include "The Pit," in which car trouble develops into a life-or-death struggle; "Night They Missed the Horror Show," involving an encounter with ornery rednecks; and "Hell Through a Windshield," in which a drive-in movie provides a one-way ticket to another dimension. By Bizarre Hands, Joe R. Lansdale''s debut collection of short stories, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction, and two of its tales have received Stoker awards. Lansdale''s novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted into a 2002 film, and his Hap and Leonard detective stories inspired the Sundance Channel television series. This edition features an Introduction by science-fiction novelist Lewis Shiner and an Afterword by horror fiction author Ramsey Campbell. Suggested for mature readers. www.doverpublications.com

On the great plains of the old American west, enormous steam-powered robots march across the countryside. Their mission: to defend the populace against invading Martians and armies of killer albino apes! The Steam Man, a giant metal man operated by a team of monster hunters, seems to have the defense of the West well in hand, until a crazed and powerful vampire comes to town with the intention of bringing forth the apocalypse!

Arguably (and who doesn’t like to argue?) the world’s bestselling cult author, Joe R. Lansdale is celebrated across several continents for his dark humor, his grimly gleeful horror, and his outlaw politics. Welcome to Texas. With hits like Bubba Ho-Tep and The Drive-In the Lansdale secret was always endangered, and the spectacular new Hap and Leonard Sundance TV series is busily blowing whatever cover Joe had left. Backwoods noir some call it; others call it redneck surrealism. Joe’s signature style is on display here in all its grit, grime, and glory, beginning with two (maybe three) previously unpublished Hap and Leonard tales revealing the roots of their unlikely partnership. Plus… A hatful and a half of Joe’s notorious Texas Observer pieces that helped catapult him from obscurity into controversy; and “Miracles Ain’t What They Used to Be,” Lansdale’s passionately personal take on the eternal tussles between God and Man, Texas and America, racism and reason—and religion and common sense. And Featuring: Our Outspoken Interview, in which piney woods dialect, Bible thumpery, martial arts, crime classics and Hollywood protocols are finally awarded the attention they deserve. Or don’t.

Writer Joe R. Lansdale carves a tale of sheer terror when hard-boiled private detective Chet Daly is drawn into a grisly case of homicide and supernatural horror. Investigating the strange behavior of his girlfriend''s brother, Daly follows a bloody trail of death to the God of the Razor, an inhuman, elemental force of mutilation and murder.

Chockfull of hubris and dark whimsy are three stories to remind you to keep your nose clean. Two mischievous, prank-playing boys stumble onto a discovery that''s a far cry from child''s play in "The Shaft.'' Then, a would-be mass-murderer hits a critical point in his development in "Dr. Bizarre." And, in the deep South, a cocky young jazz musician_-who happens to be a hare-makes a deal with the devil in "Bre''r Hoodoo."

Nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Anthology/Collection *** Proceeds from the sales of Unloaded will benefit the nonprofit States United To Prevent Gun Violence (CeaseFireUSA.org) *** For the first time, more than two dozen crime and mystery authors have joined together to use the strongest weapon at their disposal—words—in a call for reasonable gun control in the U.S.A. In this collection you get all the thrills and excitement you come to expect from a great crime story, but without any guns. From best sellers and writing legends to the brightest stars of the next generation of crime writers, the twenty-five authors here have taken pen in hand to say enough is enough. Gun violence has got to stop and this is our way of speaking out—by showing that gun violence can be removed from the narrative, and maybe from our lives. It''s not anti-gun, it''s pro-sanity. And above anything else, these are thrilling crime stories that will surprise and shock, thrill and chill—all without a gun in sight. The writers are from both sides of the political aisle and many of the authors are gun owners themselves. But everyone felt it was time to speak out. Featuring the talents of J.L. Abramo , Patricia Abbott, Trey R. Barker, Eric Beetner, Alec Cizak, Joe Clifford, Reed Farrel Coleman, Angel Luis Colón, Hilary Davidson, Paul J. Garth, Alison Gaylin, Kent Gowran, Rob Hart, Jeffery Hess, Grant Jerkins, Joe R. Lansdale, S.W. Lauden, Tim O’Mara, Joyce Carol Oates, Tom Pitts, Thomas Pluck, Keith Rawson, Kelli Stanley, Ryan Sayles, and Holly West. Praise for UNLOADED… “The 25 short stories in this thought-provoking theme anthology prove that clever crime writers can generate just as much mayhem, weirdness, and chills without the use of firearms.” —Publishers Weekly

Master horror storyteller Joe R. Lansdale throws his scathing wit and wild, otherworldly creations into the mix as he brings Robert E. Howard''s classic tale of dark revenge to the present . . . and into the unwilling lives of the Blassenville mansion heirs, twin sisters Claire and Janet. When Griswell fled the Blassenville estate those many years ago, he couldn''t have imagined the grotesque horrors that would eclipse the ones he saw then — but they''re here! With more than twenty books to his credit, Joe R. Lansdale is an acclaimed storyteller. He''s been called "an immense talent" by Booklist; "a born storyteller" by Robert Bloch; and The New York Times Book Review declares he has "a folklorist''s eye for telling detail and a front-porch raconteur''s sense of pace." He''s won a ton of awards, including five Bram Stoker horror awards, a British Fantasy Award, the American Mystery Award, the Horror Critics Award, the "Shot in the Dark" International Crime Writer''s award, the Booklist Editor''s Award, the Critic''s Choice Award, and a New York Times Notable Book award.

"The world is a stage, life is a play, and we are the puppets. It''s better not to ask who pulls the strings." How lucky do you feel? That question echoed through the world''s underground, scrawled on bathroom walls, spray-painted across subway tunnel exits, written on paper that fluttered through bleak side-streets in the winter wind, printed on cheap business cards tacked to corkboard displays in darkened hallways. But always beneath one name-Limbus. Matthew Sellers revealed the truth of Limbus, Inc. to the world, and in his tales of time travelers, intergalactic beings, and human sacrifice, he thought he had told it all. But the story of the shadowy employment agency that operates on the edge of the abyss, always finding the perfect person for the perfect job-no matter what the cost-had only begun. This shared-world anthology continues the story of Limbus, Inc., as told by five masters of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. But beware, for once you learn the truth of Limbus, Inc., your world will never be the same. So it''s time to ask yourself . . . How lucky do you feel?