Unloaded Volume 2

by Eric Beetner (Editior), Sara Paretsky, David James Keaton (Contributor)

The Anthony-nominated collection of crime stories without guns—the collection we didn't want to be necessary—is back for Volume 2.

Two dozen more crime writers have come together to raise their voices and take pen in hand to call for a sensible and reasoned debate about guns in America. As the mass shootings continue, the avoidable accidents, the suicides, the gun violence that consumes our country rolls on unabated and unaddressed by our leadership other than to say, “Now is not the time to discuss it,” these crime writers have chosen to start the dialogue.

In stories of crime, mystery and suspense these authors have left the guns out to show for a short while that we can do without them and the plot doesn’t fall apart. Maybe, in a small way, we can show that the American way of life doesn’t cease to be, either.

Not anti-gun, Unloaded Volume 2 is pro-reason. These authors comprise gun owners and non-owners, voters on both sides of the political aisle. The cause that unites us all is the desire to see the senseless killing stop and to be able to have the discussion without the divisive language, vitriol and name calling that too often accompanies this debate.

The top priority in these stories is to entertain with thrilling action and suspense that readers know and love about a crime story. To do so without guns leads to some creative leaps from writers who spin tales of simians on the loose, androids with buried secrets, punk rock shows and tattoo shops.

Bestselling authors like Chris Holm, Lori Rader-Day, Bill Crider, Laura McHugh, James Ziskin and John Rector along with many more join together to call for an end to the needless violence and a start to a reasoned debate. With a forward by legendary Sara Paretsky, Unloaded Volume 2 is a book we wish wasn’t needed. But staying silent is no longer an option.

Proceeds go to the non-profit States United To Prevent Gun Violence.

Edited by Eric Beetner. Introduction by Sara Paretsky.

E.A. Aymar, Kris Calvin, Andrew Case, Steve Cavanagh, Bill Crider, Chris Holm, Michael Kardos, David James Keaton, Dana King, Nick Kolakowski, Jon McGoran, Laura McHugh, Lori Rader-Day, John Rector, Scott Loring Sanders, Alex Segura, Terry Shames, Josh Stallings, Jay Stringer, James R. Tuck, Dave White, Lili Wright, and James W. Ziskin.

Praise for UNLOADED VOLUME 2:

“[A collection of] entertaining and often thought-provoking stories.” — Publishers Weekly

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2018

About the author

BIO:
Eric Beetner has been hailed as “the new maestro of noir,” by Ken Bruen and “The 21st Century’s answer to Jim Thompson” by LitReactor.
He has written more than 2 dozen novels and his short stories has been featured in over 30 anthologies and along the way he’s been nominated for an ITW award, a Shamus, Derringer and three Anthony awards. He’s won none of them.
Novels include There and Back, All The Way Down, Two In The Head, Rumrunners, The Devil Doesn't Want Me and many more.
For more visit ericbeetner.com

Reviews

[3 no 7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Unloaded 2” is the second volume of short stories, humorous, horrifying, and all entertaining. Eric Beetner has assembled this collection with all the crime and suspense mystery readers have come to expect, animals, invalids, neighbors, and magic, however, the tragedy, murder, and mayhem all happen without guns.

The tales are scary, thought provoking, questioning, and downright creepy. If you are not afraid of farmland, rivers, zoo animals, everything Vegas, your neighbors, your relatives, and Christmas, you will be by the time you are finished reading.

The advantage of an anthology such as “Unloaded 2” is that I can finish an entire story in one sitting, while waiting for an appointment, or when I just need a quick break from the stress of the day. Be advised however, just like “Unloaded Volume 1,” these are not cute little “feel-good” stories; they compelling and scary. Once you start one, you will not be able to stop until you are finished. It is a good thing they are short.

I received a copy of “Unloaded” (volume 2) from Down and Out Books, Eric Beetner, and NetGalley. I love these collections, and I hope there will be more.

[Kate Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eclectic collection of crime short stories without guns mentioned. Crime non the less. For me, a book to dip in and out of rather than read cover to cover. I would recommend it, if like me, you have a strong aversion to guns. Personally I prefer a single author with a single plot rather than a collection

[Scott Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

"With so many other distractions these days, while the number of gun deaths hasn't decreased in America, the reporting on it has. It's become so second nature, so common and expected, that it simply isn't news anymore.

That's chilling. We're normalizing the enormous scale of gun violence in our society."

Living in Scotland it is difficult for me to fully grasp the level of gun violence in the USA. Sara Paratesky provides some stark figures, which feel almost unbelievable, but are all too real. The above quote from the anthology's editor, Eric Beetner, encapsulates where the country is with gun violence. It is all too normal.

I can still remember as an 11 year old being told about the Dunblane tragedy and am thankful that law changes have prevented other such tragedies in my country, but in the States a 200 year old document possibly no longer fit for purpose guides the hand more than the countless loss of young lives. Beetner has expressed that he doesn't expect the two Unloaded volumes to bring about the change that is needed, but it holds a spotlight on an ever prevalent issue in the United States, while also raising money for charity.

There's lots of entertainment to be had with these stories and it's not a book that sets out to preach at all. The range of tales is immense and while there is plenty of good old fashioned spousal noir there is a lot of creativity on show too. Some of the tales easily substituted another weapon for what would've/could've been the gun in the story, but I think this was perhaps the point in some ways to show how replacable they can be within the confines of crime fiction.

"Pan Paniscus" by James Ziskin recounts the tale of an escaped chimp and what he gets up to during his sabbatical from zoo life. "You Kill Me" by Terry Shames is one of the aforementioned spousal noir tales, but it's one that will linger especially the title. "We Have to Talk" by Dave White is a true ace in the hole of a story that remains excellent even when you can see where it's going.

"Julie Heart Number Three" by James R. Tuck tickled that weird soft spot for stories based in tattoo shops even though I sport none myself. "Flight" by Kris Calvin takes a harrowing turn from gun crime/noir to shine a light on a different type of crime. "Barrio Math" by Josh Stallings is a great tale of a young L.A. punk coming of age.

I was excited for Michael Kardos' "A Vanishing Story", but the stylistic nature of it almost swallows it up. "Amanda: A Confession" by Nick Kolakowski is a wonderfully written revenge tale and "Magic 8 Ball" by Scott Loring Sanders is the cherry on top of the spousal noir tales.

The thing about anthologies is that they always make you add to that TBR list and as well as a few from above I have a few new series to track down thanks to the stories of Bill Crider and Jay Stringer. The late Bill Crider pens "Poo-Poo" in which his laid back PI Truman Smith is wrangled into tracking down a cat by his friend and gets more than he bargained for. The tone reminded me of Hap and Leonard with that sort of hapless and bumbling type of investigation on the go. Jay Stringer brings a tale from his character, Eoin Miller, in which the death of an old school friend sees him return to his hometown for the funeral. The tale brings with it a lot of richly written character history that makes it more than just your standard anthology entry and means I am sure to track down the series at some point.

A bullet broke through a day care's window, sailed over the heads of the children sleeping in the room, and smashed into the wall. My two year old son was at that day care.

True story.

"The Center" by E.A. Aymar is saved until last and this one is an essay as opposed to the fiction that has come before. The opening lines resonate deeply especially for someone who has young children myself. The other harrowing thing about the essay is that Aymar has more than one story of violence to recount including that of his father, who was working at the Pentagon on 9/11. While reading this it led to me looking around and trying to imagine if I lived in a country where my fellow bus passengers would/could be "packing heat". It seems so alien to me, but there are millions who live in a place where it is, somehow, normal.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A crime thriller anthology without guns? How Edgar Allan Poe-ish. Poe is considered to be the creator of detective fiction, and his iconic image is used by Mystery Writers of America, an organization to which many of the 24 authors featured in this anthology belong.

Moreover, Poe’s characters used creative means, not guns, to commit crimes. In “The Tell-Tale Heart”, the protagonist frightens to death the antagonist, dismembers the body and dissembles the parts beneath the floorboards.

That is the creative crime vein in which the lifeblood of both Unloaded anthologies flows.

Serial killer Miles has terminal cancer in “Endgame”: “He who lived to kill withheld death as a petty punishment.” He had collected a souvenir from each victim, and now visits each kill site, hoping to relive the thrill. Karma “kneed him in the groin.” Actually, Katie did, the sister of his first victim.

“The entire town was a neon fiction,” aka Las Vegas, where Eddie Flynn is confronted by a professional poker player at Caesar’s Palace. “You’re bluffing,” says his opponent, when $57k lay on the table. The tables turn like a tornado, but who ends up with the cash in “The Neon Punch”?

In “You Kill Me,” Leona mulls, “How could a mousy woman like me ever kill her own husband?” who is a pathetic replica of Stanley Kowalski, only more domineering.

“Character Is Everything” is a whimsical tale about Roscoe Boyer, who writes robot character profiles. But Roscoe’s boss was “closing down the character department, getting rid of the writers and handing it all over to the” robots Roscoe had created. Artificial intelligence. But Roscoe isn’t finished; he’s “delving deeper and deeper into the original PeopleBot character code. Then he started typing.” Moral of the story? Never tick off a writer.

In “We Have to Talk,” Anna Ackerman becomes an overachiever after her brother dies in youth. The tale unfolds, reminiscent of A SEPARATE PEACE.

These are only a few samples of the creative ways crime fiction writers can off antagonists, so much more imaginative than a gun on the mantle.

There have been mass shootings in San Bernardino, Las Vegas, Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub, the church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine, and the recent spate of killings by guns at schools. Mass shootings bring to mind the need to focus crime fiction creativity without the use of guns. In that, these authors succeed. Brilliantly!

The UNLOADED: VOLUME 2 dedication page specifies: “For the women, children and men who have been victims of gun violence. And to the families left behind.” Proceeds from the sales of both Unloaded volumes go to the nonprofit States United to Prevent Gun Violence.

Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy

[Gabriel Valjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a copy of this anthology from NetGalley.

Eric Beetner and Down & Out Books have returned with a second volume of short stories; their first outing was nominated for an Anthony at Bouchercon for Best Anthology/Collection in 2017. Beetner has corralled two dozen of today’s top and rising writers of crime fiction to donate a story to benefit States United To Prevent Gun Violence. The concept is a crime story in which no guns are used.

Anthologies are a tasting sampler – and almost all the writers in this volume have their work on Amazon. Each story can be read in one sitting, and you can appreciate sardonic humor, the stark landscapes, punk music in LA, and all kinds of creepy situations from the minds of these writers. Some highlights. There’s a schemer and a fugitive bonobo in James Ziskin’s Pan and Paniscus. A dim dad and bright son during the holiday season inhabit the pages of Chris Holm’s Con Season. A dying and nostalgic serial killer informs Laura McHugh’s Endgame. Bill Crider penned a postmodernist tale about a search for a missing cat. Two authors, Sanders and Shames, depict marriages gone sideways. In A Vanishing Story from Michael Kardos, there’s a brilliant mix of crime and horror. Nick Kolakowski’s story Amanda: A Confession is a real head-trip. Lori Rader-Day renders a tale with a white-trash vibe that includes a game of riddley-ree and a young girl who is smarter than her parents. There’s a little bit of darkness, in every conceivable possibility, for fans of crime fiction here, and for readers in search of new authors.

Closing notes: The story Poo-Poo (name of the cat) is especially poignant since Mr. Crider was fond of cats and he passed away in February 2018. The final piece from E.A. Aymar isn’t a short story, but an essay about a wayward bullet that struck his son’s daycare. Nobody was hurt, but the anxiety and fear is palpable, as it’s every parent’s nightmare and a stark reminder how the random and tragic can happen without warning.

[Kim (BritishLass929) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because of the idea behind it - proceeds go towards States United To Prevent Gun Violence. It is the second collection. The premise is that it is possible to tell a solid thriller without including a gun. 22 of the stories are fictional. The last one is true, and has an editor’s note explaining why. I have read more than my share of thrillers, and felt this was right in my wheelhouse.

Honestly, this collection scared the hell out of me. The last story in particular stayed with me for days. It is a very dark collection. The stories take place in a variety of settings. The common theme through most of them is that violence and murder can happen anywhere, at anytime. Sometimes it is planned. Others are crimes in the heat of the moment. Some are even accidental. But regardless, the ramifications of those acts are deeply felt by others.

The collection also comes at the idea of violence from different angles. In one story the victim is an abusive spouse. Another story doesn’t have a stated perpetrator or victim, but instead explores the idea of not reporting a crime. Some of the stories are very quick reads - dynamic dashes of words. I don’t want to use the word “enjoyed”, but I did think most were well-written. I also found a few authors whose back catalogue might be worth exploring.

But not right now. Right now I will just be thankful for all that I have. I do recommend the collection, but in small doses. It did take me longer than usual to finish, as I had to stop frequently. I am glad I am now aware of the charity, but this may not have been the best route for me to take. And as the editor states in the foreward, hopefully there will not be a need for a third installment. But unfortunately there is a large part of me that doubts that to be true.

[James Ziskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important collection of crime stories. Highly recommended.

[Lucy Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection. My favorite was Pan Paniscus. Who can resist an errant bonobo?

[Vinnie Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a strong collection of crime fiction. I'd buy the anthology for the first two stories alone, but it also contains authors like Terry Shames, James Ziskin, and Lori Rater-Day, whom I already know and read.

There's a lot of variety, and readers are bound to like some stories better than others. "A Vanishing Story" is very original with a trace of magic, while "Julie Heart Number Three" was predictable, but in a good way, where the sense of what's coming added to the tension. I loved the gritty world of its tattoo parlor setting.

Even in the few stories I didn't like as well, I admired something about the craft or originality.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.