"Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, the 19 stories in this new best-of annual anthology feature episodes of graphic gore and violence—including torture, dismemberment, self-mutilation, and home abortion—that are designed to push buttons as well as boundaries...strictly for hardcore horror fans."—Publishers Weekly Excerpt from the Introduction: Editors Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax put the call out to horror writers and editors of extreme stories, the hardcore stuff that breaks boundaries and trashes taboos, the transgressive tales you can't "unread" (as Chuck Palahniuk says). We staked out our territory and nailed this to the wall to guide us: YEAR'S BEST HARDEST HORROR Not your mama's best-of horror annual. This stuff comes from the edge of the abyss, stories you read at your own risk because you feel the abyss looking right back into you through the tainted lens of each twisted tale. Some of the stories you'll find here are loaded with very graphic descriptions of violence, sex and depravities, while others may contain only one shocking moment of brutality. In others, the hardcore aspect may be less graphic and subtler than you might expect. Some of these quieter tales offer the reader some time to recover from the more disturbing ones preceding. Most of the stories collected here are from small and specialty press anthologies, with a few from periodicals, like the prestigious Splatterpunk Zine in the UK and Thuglit here in the US. Bizarro is also represented with a couple of tales from the unlikely anthology Blood For You: A Literary Tribute To GG Allin from Weirdpunk Books. (If you're not familiar with the late GG Allin, you can find snippets from some of his outrageous and obscene punk shows online, which will increase your appreciation of those two tales.) So for now, forget about that neighbor you suspect is a serial killer, don't worry about the drunk driver that could take you out on your next trip to the store, push those troubling news stories to the back of your mind and immerse yourself in the imaginary horrors at hand. But don't be surprised if you sense something dark staring back at you from between the lines. That is to be expected when you enter these forbidding realms. With any luck, you may find something useful to help you survive the approaching Apocalypse. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: The Year That Was "Worth the Having" by Michael Paul Gonzalez "Awakening" by Jeff Strand "Readings Off The Charts" by Adam Cesare "Reborn" by The Behrg "What's Worst" by David James Keaton "Dead End" by Kristopher Triana "What You Wish For" by Lilith Morgan "King Shits" by Charles Austin Muir "Cleanup On Aisle 3" by Adam Howe "Bath Salt Fetus" by Jorge Palacios "Bored With Brutality" by MP Johnson "Exposed" by Monica J. O'Rourke "Eleanor" by Jason Parent "The Scavengers" by Tony Knighton "The Most Important Miracle" by Scott Emerson "Hungry For Control" by Clare de Lune "Clarissa" by Robert Essig & Jack Bantry "Where The Sun Don't Shine" by Pete Kahle "Blackbird Lullaby" by George Cotronis

The end of everything is here. But which apocalypse will be the worst? Find out in Equilibrium Overturned from Bram Stoker Award-nominated editors of acclaimed indie horror anthologies Peel Back the Skin and Dark Visions, Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson. From alien civilizations bent on human destruction, to demonic incursions from beyond the event horizon, to the dangerous malevolence that lives within us all, Equilibrium Overturned drags you into the heart of darkness to explore brutal personal and worldwide apocalypses and the lives wavering on the brink. Survive destroyed worlds and brutal dystopian societies. Experience a prison of the future and the whitewashing of a horrifying past that threatens our very existence. From preventable transgressions, unavoidable doomsdays and personal calamities both near and far, Equilibrium Overturned offers a glimpse into what life may be like at the end of all things. Featuring: "The Final Testimony of Molly Ryder" by Jeff Hemenway - In the future prisoners serve sentences in drug-induced comas. An investigator journeys into the mind of a killer to reveal terrifying repercussions for humanity. "Amnion" by John Everson - A scientist developing a fountain of youth stops at nothing to test his theories with dire consequences for his life and those around him. "Martial Law" by JG Faherty - The United States is in chaos as mysterious invaders turning the streets in a small town into rivers of blood. "Through the Ghostlands" by Rose Blackthorn - Survivors of a global calamity scavange a dead world while pursued by a menacing force that threatens their survival. "The Collected Sylvia, Volume 1 to 1388" by Geoffrey W. Cole - A routine scouting mission to an alien world maroons a couple unwilling to give up hope against terrifying odds. "Perfect Soldiers" by S.G. Larner - An evil that feeds on the hatred and fear of humankind has the armies of Earth resorting to unspeakable measures to fight the planet's last war. "Wombie" by Martin Slag - A small-town veterinarian caring for a sick animal inadvertently uncovers an unimaginable worldwide conspiracy. "No-Man's Land" by Roger Jackson - A regiment of English soldiers battling the Nazi war machine are exposed to an iunimaginable horror. "The Alamo Incident" by Sean Eads - A man investigating the murders of soldiers stationed at the legendary outpost shines a new light into the darkness of Manifest Destiny. "The Butcher of Gad Street" by Stephen T. Vessels - A man with a mysterious purpose sparks a citywide cataclysm, revealing the horrifying nature of mankind. "Queen of Thermodynamic Equilibrium" by Josh Vogt - A revolutionary believing Death is a cleansing force takes her quest to the wreckage of a derelict intergalactic battleship where she aims to breathe new life into old death. "Compartmental" by Jay Caselberg - Human memories bleed unleashes one man's personal apocalypse. "This is Not a Horror Story" by Tim Waggoner - In a surveillance state run amok, a young woman is horrified to learn how much her government knows about her. "Sunrise" by Tony Knighton - Battling oppression, a healthcare nightmare, black market criminals and environmental collapse, a father faces insurmountable odds to save his dying son as the world collapses. Grey Matter Press, the multiple Bram Stoker Award-nominated independent publisher, is proud to present the third installment in one of the best supernatural thriller series ever imagined. Grey Matter Press: Where Dark Thoughts Thrive

A young grifter steals an overcoat. As he discovers forty-thousand dollars in its inside pocket, the coat's owners come after him. The action never stops as his pursuers seem to be both ahead and behind him at all times, killing and destroying everything in their wake to catch up with their money and the young thief. Happy Hour is as breathless as writing can be. Knighton's debut novella is accompanied by a selection of short stories that can run with the best of American Noir literature. It's cold out there, folks.

When a Philadelphia state senator is arrested for racketeering and held without bail, his ex-girlfriend reveals to a shady, retired cop that there's half-a-million dollars just sitting in his bedroom safe. The cop brings in a professional thief, who rips the safe from the wall and drops it out the window. It's a sweet score - but they're hijacked before they open it. The thief survives and tears through the city, going up against warring gangsters, bent cops, and a cold-blooded assassin to take back what's his - even if it means dying for it. "A gripping and fast-paced thriller." Philadelphia Inquirer "A knife sharp piece of Philadelphian noir. Recommended for all fans of fast paced, hard hitting crime fiction." Andrew Nette, Pulp Curry Blog "A wonderful thriller. It oozes grit and swagger and leaves blood all over your hands." Ginger Nuts of Horror Blog "There is a touch of Hemingway and Chandler in the writing. Hard-boiled noir thrillers don't come any better than this." The Toorak Times

From the usual band of miscreants, reprobates and gadabouts comes CRIME FACTORY ISSUE 19. Here to slake all your fictional needs is team of international heavy hitters: Kathryn Hore; J.J. Sinisi; Robb White; Adam Matson; James Breeden; Rob Pierce; Tony Knighton; Tom Leins and Mike Penn. And if that's not enough for you, 'Bullseye' Benjamin Welton has got two hits of true crime reportage for you. So go on, head on in. If anyone asks, tell them the devil sent you.

"Action-packed and breath-takingly fast from start to finish. Elmore Leonard and Donald E. Westlake would have loved it!" Keith Bruton, Ned Kelly Award Winning author of The Lemon Man A professional thief takes his girlfriend on a trip to the shore-but only to check out an easy heist he can't resist. She's had enough of his criminal life and intends to leave him. The 'easy' job goes bad fast, trapping him on an island in the midst of a deadly storm....pursued by the law and ruthless killers. He has to escape or he's going to lose the woman he loves... if he doesn't lose his life first. "Knighton's pulse-pounding third Nameless Thief thriller (after A Few Days Away) follows the series' unnamed narrator as he attempts to survive a job gone wrong. Knighton's gifts for pacing and atmosphere make his antihero's perils leap off the page. Contemporary noir fans will devour this." Publishers Weekly Praise for Tony Knighton "Hard-edged contemporary noir novel with a relentless anti-hero - a thief with no name. It's a taut, pacy tale referencing Richard Stark's Parker novels, but with even more icy cynicism. Knighton's thief and his unswerving, self-declared righteousness will delight pulp fans." The Crime Fiction Lover "Taut writing, crisp dialogue, non-stop action. What more could you want?" Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author "Hard-edged and suspenseful, with action that feels real and an anti-hero who can keep all the moving parts in his mind at once." Thomas Perry, New York Times bestselling author

After a heist goes fatally wrong, a professional thief returns to a corrupt town to settle the score.

On Valentine’s Day, a professional thief and his partner robbed a bank in a Central Pennsylvania town. It all went well until they tried to get away. His partner was killed, the money was lost, and the injured thief barely escaped with his life. Now, four months later, he’s going back for his money. But he’s not the only one after it. Corrupt cops, warring street gangs, white nationalists and crooked politicians all agree on one thing – they want him gone. Permanently.

There are uncountable evils lying in wait, ready to consume the souls of mankind. From alien civilizations bent on human destruction, to demonic incursions from beyond the event horizon, to the horrifying malevolence that lives within us all, Equilibrium Overturned grabs you by the throat and drags you screaming into the heart of darkness. Exploring terrifying dystopian societies, post-apocalyptic survival, the white-washing of our own terrifying past, and supernatural worlds both near and far, Equilibrium Overturned offers sixteen shocking revelations into the true origins of evil. Come with us on a journey into malignant terror that will drive a nail through all that remains of your own humanity. Equilibrium Overturned contains sixteen devastating glimpses into the heart of darkness from a group of accomplished horror, science fiction, dark fantasy and speculative fiction authors. The volume is edited by Bram Stoker Award-nominated editors Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson.