First published 2003
A professional assassin working for the mob discovers his carefully executed kills won't remain dead. In Prague's ancient graveyards, a thief plans the heist of his career among the crowded tombstones. Young gang members struggle to survive as their familiar streets transform into something unrecognizable and deadly. A passenger finds himself locked in a taxi's back seat while an unhinged driver takes control of the wheel through New York's maze of traffic. These desperate characters inhabit Quick City, where the living and dead collide in unexpected ways. Kaufmann presents eleven stories that explore what happens when ordinary criminals and survivors encounter forces beyond their understanding. Two tales appear in print for the first time, joining nine previously published works that examine fear through the lens of urban decay and supernatural intrusion. Each story strips away the comfort of predictable violence to reveal something more disturbing underneath.
Genres: mystery, crime, horror, supernatural, thriller, dark-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, supernatural-elements
Setting: New York, Prague
Period: 21st-century
260 pages · Paperback · Prime Books
Content warnings: graphic-violence, violence