Short stories and a novella from one of crime fiction's most revered writers. Whether they're cops or conmen, savage killers or creative types, gangsters or God-fearing citizens, George Pelecanos' characters are always engaged in a fight for their lives. They fight to advance or simply to survive; they fight against odds, against enemies, even against themselves. In this, his first collection of stories, the acclaimed novelist introduces readers to a vivid and eclectic cast of combatants. A seasoned claims investigator tracks a supposedly dead man from Miami to Brazil, only to be thrown off his game by a kid from the local slum. An aging loser takes a last stab at respectability by becoming a police informant. A Greek-American couple adopts an interracial trio of sons and then struggles to keep their family together, giving us a stirring bit of background on one of Pelecanos' most beloved protagonists, Spero Lucas. In the title novella - which takes its name from Hollywood slang for the last shot of the day, the one that comes before the liquor shots begin - we go behind the scenes of a television cop show, where a writer gets caught up in a drama more real than anything he could have conjured for a script. By turns heartbreaking and humane, brutal and funny, these finely constructed tales expose the violence and striving beneath the surface of any city and within any human heart. Tough, sexy, fast-paced, and crackling with energy, The Martini Shot is Pelecanos at his very best.

A hilarious and compelling send-up of a Hollywood celebrity and his family, written by the son of one of Hollywood's biggest families. "The martini shot" is film slang for the wrap shot in a movie, the signal to strike the set and celebrate with a stiff drink. But aging action film star Charlie West doesn't need an occasion -- the empty booze bottles in Charlie's closet risk crowding out the skeletons. Little does Charlie know that salvation is on the way in the unlikeliest of forms. Matt Ravendahl, Charlie's illegitimate teenage son and an unforgettable character, is on his way to L.A. in search of acceptance from the father he never knew. When Matt reaches L.A. he must first overcome the doubts of his half sister, Ava, and soon the two form a memorable bond and a commitment to help Charlie confront his demons. With great elan, novelist Peter Craig shows how a family on the brink of dissolution reaches out and pulls together at the last possible moment. The novel's rollicking conclusion, a road trip that is part Beat generation, part National Enquirer, will leave readers cheering for more. "The martini shot" is film slang for the wrap shot in a movie, the signal to strike the set and celebrate with a stiff drink. But aging action film star Charlie West doesn't need an occasion -- the empty booze bottles in Charlie's closet risk crowding out the skeletons. Little does Charlie know that salvation is on the way in the unlikeliest of forms. Matt Ravendahl, Charlie's illegitimate teenage son and an unforgettable character, is on his way to L.A. in search of acceptance from the father he never knew. When Matt reaches L.A. he must first overcome the doubts of his half sister, Ava, and soon the two form a memorable bond and a commitment to help Charlie confront his demons. With great elan, novelist Peter Craig shows how a family on the brink of dissolution reaches out and pulls together at the last possible moment. The novel's rollicking conclusion, a road trip that is part Beat generation, part National Enquirer, will leave readers cheering for more. "The martini shot" is film slang for the wrap shot in a movie, the signal to strike the set and celebrate with a stiff drink. But aging action film star Charlie West doesn't need an occasion -- the empty booze bottles in Charlie's closet risk crowding out the skeletons. Little does Charlie know that salvation is on the way in the unlikeliest of forms. Matt Ravendahl, Charlie's illegitimate teenage son and an unforgettable character, is on his way to L.A. in search of acceptance from the father he never knew. When Matt reaches L.A. he must first overcome the doubts of his half sister, Ava, and soon the two form a memorable bond and a commitment to help Charlie confront his demons. With great elan, novelist Peter Craig shows how a family on the brink of dissolution reaches out and pulls together at the last possible moment. The novel's rollicking conclusion, a road trip that is part Beat generation, part National Enquirer, will leave readers cheering for more.

A Private Investigator + A Beautiful Woman + A Movie Producer + The Russian Mob = The Martini Shot.It's not math; it's LA.The Martini Shot is a story of greed, love and violence set in the world of Southern California.

The first book in decades to celebrate and explore the history of the most iconic of classic cocktails, the martini, with 50 recipes. JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST • WINNER OF THE TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARD® • IACP AWARD FINALIST • “Simonson’s a fleet-footed writer, and his thumbnail history is easily satisfying without getting into the weeds. . . . This is a no-brainer for martini enthusiasts.”—Publishers Weekly A classic martini includes gin, vermouth, sometimes bitters, a lemon twist or olive, and lots of opinions—it’s these opinions that New York Times cocktail writer Robert Simonson uncovers in his exploration of the long and tangled history of the classic martini and its subtle variations. The book features examples of age-old recipes, such as the first martini recipe published in 1888, modern versions created by some of the world’s best bartenders, and martinis sought out by enthusiasts around the world, from Dukes Bar at the Dukes Hotel London to Musso and Frank Grill in Los Angeles. In The Martini Cocktail, you’ll discover everything you need to know about what components make a great martini, as well as a collection of 50 recipes to create your own drinks (and form your own opinions) at home.

Atlanta detective Brian "Buddy" Cole goes public again with his second monster case, The Martini Shot.After finding the corpse of a man on the side of the road – a son and protege of two Hollywood film execs – Buddy Cole encounters the filthy rich Hilton Rutledge Crain III.In a fast and furious hubbub Cole's partner Jill Chen and him do their thing.

The latest "entertaining," "tangy," and "hilarious" Jack Daniels mystery from Anthony, Macavity, and Gumshoe Award finalist J.A. Konrath In Whiskey Sour, Chicago police Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels hunted down a killer dubbed "The Gingerbread Man." In Bloody Mary, she busted a psychopath with a penchant for dismemberment. In Rusty Nail, it was a serial killer with a doozy of a family tree. And now, in Dirty Martini, Jack faces her toughest adversary yet: a sicko who's poisoning the city's food supply. Can she catch him -- and decide whether to accept boyfriend Latham's surprise proposal -- without destroying both her reputation and her sanity

The breech-loading, single-shot .458in Martini-Henry rifle has become a symbol of both the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the numerous battles in Egypt and the Sudan in 1884–85, but continued to be used by both British and colonial troops well into the 20th century. Its invention and introduction into British service were in direct response to the success of the Prussian Dreyse needle gun, which demonstrated that the breech-loading rifle offered faster loading, improved accuracy and superior range; significantly, the weapon could be loaded and fired from a prone position, thus offering the rifleman greater security on the battlefield. Due to the longevity of service, many Martini-Henry rifles survive today, both in museums and in private collections, and the weapon is highly prized by shooting enthusiasts. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and an array of arresting first-hand accounts and written by an authority on warfare in the Victorian era, this engaging study tells the story of the powerful Martini-Henry and its impact on the battlefield, from the Anglo-Zulu War to the opening months of World War I.

Several million bucks, stolen from the mob, all caught on video, with no chance of redemption. Now one man must face the entire Chicago Outfit, a group of hardened Mafia enforcers, a psychotic bookie, the most dangerous hitman on earth, and Detective Jacqueline Daniels. His name is Tequila. And he likes those odds.

From the bestselling and Emmy-nominated writer behind HBO's We Own This City: a "gripping, surprisingly soulful" mystery about an ex-offender who must choose between the man who got him out and the woman who showed him another path (Entertainment Weekly). Michael Hudson spends the long days in prison devouring books given to him by the prison's librarian, a young woman named Anna who develops a soft spot for her best student. Anna keeps passing Michael books until one day he disappears, suddenly released after a private detective manipulated a witness in Michael's trial. Outside, Michael encounters a Washington, D.C. that has changed a lot during his time locked up. Once shady storefronts are now trendy beer gardens and flower shops. But what hasn't changed is the hard choice between the temptation of crime and doing what's right. Trying to balance his new job, his love of reading, and the debt he owes to the man who got him released, Michael struggles to figure out his place in this new world before he loses control. Smart and fast-paced, The Man Who Came Uptown brings Washington, D.C. to life in a high-stakes story of tough choices.

Here's a hip, authoritative guide to shots, shooters, and slammers, destined to become the twenty-something barfly's bible. Totally indulgent, unabashedly devoted to silly, free-spirited fun, it's packaged in a chunky format. And it's sure to eliminate the competition because of the astonishing volume and variety of recipes: more than 1,400 recipes include such college standards as the Body Shot, Jello Shot, Tequila Slammer, and Lemon Drop, plus hundreds of wild and crazy variations. Recipes are accompanied by photographs of highly collectible shot glasses, emblazoned with all manner of images and mottoes.