Brandon Barrows - Author - News

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New Sam Harrigan Story in Guilty!

4/30/2025

Guilty Crime Story Magazine's detective annual is out and includes my newest Sam Harrigan story, "Seen This Girl?" plus a You-Solve-It-Mystery I wrote and four brand-new tales of detectives!

Guilty is a magazine of crime stories, of criminals, their motivations and their beginnings and ends.

In issue fourteen, the detective annual:

"Seen This Girl?" A Sam Harrigan Story by Brandon Barrows - Judith Lawrence wanted "experiences," now Sam Harrigan needs to know where she got them and from whom.

"Disciplinary Actions" by Jesse Bethea - November Knox was there when the judge died. She didn't do it, but she needs an explanation the cops will accept.

"The One Percent Solution" by Michael Zimecki - Henry Havelock Holmes knows who killed Troy Washington, but how to prove it when the rich play by a different set of rules?

"A Troll Up North" by Mike McHone - Not a soul in town liked Joe Hadley, but did anyone dislike him enough to kill?

"Paper, Scissors, Rock" by Robb T. White - Thomas Haftmann brought Alicia back from the edge and now she's dead. He wants to know why.

"Yowl" A You-Solve-It Mystery by Brandon Barrows

Six brand-new stories featuring detectives, investigators, and problem-solvers!

Get yours in ebook or paperback!

New Short Fiction! Weird Fiction Quarterly: Ghosts

4/23/2025

The new issue of Weird Fiction Quarterly is out and includes my story "Jikoshi (An Accidental Death)"!

Contained within are over 50 stories, or traps, for as many different ghosts. Most of them are not very friendly.

A distinct possibility exists that one or more of these traps could fail, granted the reader (redacted).

Weird Fiction Quarterly is not responsible if any number of these spirits happen to break out of the page and follow the reader home.

LONG BEFORE THEY DIE is out NOW!

4/17/2025

LONG BEFORE THEY DIE is here at last!

For the tenth anniversary of its original publication, multiple award-nominated mystery author Brandon Barrows has specially revised his first novel, This Rough Old World trimming the excess and giving us a tighter, cleaner narrative that warrants a new title and cover!

Music, madness, and murder in the psychedelic sixties!

Los Angeles, 1968, a time of radical change for everyone but part-time private-eye Tom Ahearn, who's stuck in a rut of routine and self-pity. When Charlie, a hippy of the lowest order, offers a quick buck for what seems like an easy job, Tom dives head-first into a world of casual sex, drugs, music and the occult. He'll find himself rubbing shoulders with hippies, young Republicans itching for war, and slumming socialites bent on nothing less than completely reshaping the cosmos--all while unknowingly witnessing the nascence of one of the twentieth century's most notorious evils.

Here's what some folks think of it!

"Hard-edged and pulsing with life... pulls you in and nails you. An excellent read." - Rusty Barnes, author of RIDGERUNNER & KNUCKLEDRAGGER

"Cosmic horror meets California noir in the Age of Aquarius. Good, dark fun with a shocking, revelatory climax." - Matthew M. Bartlett, author CREEPING WAVES

"Both a rich noir and Lovecraftian period piece and both aspects are equally compelling." - Jonathan Raab, author of THE HILLBILLY MOONSHINE MASSACRE

"Barrows holds nothing back in this gritty noir fable with a dash of Lovecraftian weirdness thrown in. Recommended of fans of Ross MacDonald and anyone who likes their fiction WEIRD!" - Tom Breen, author of THE ORFORD PARISH HOUSE MURDERS

So what are you waiting for?

Get yours right here!

It's Almost Here!

4/9/2025

Five more days until LONG BEFORE THEY DIE is unleashed on the world!

Music, madness, and murder in the psychedelic sixties!

Los Angeles, 1968, a time of radical change for everyone but part-time private-eye Tom Ahearn, who's stuck in a rut of routine and self-pity. When Charlie, a hippy of the lowest order, offers a quick buck for what seems like an easy job, Tom dives head-first into a world of casual sex, drugs, music and the occult. He'll find himself rubbing shoulders with hippies, young Republicans itching for war, and slumming socialites bent on nothing less than completely reshaping the cosmos--all while unknowingly witnessing the nascence of one of the twentieth century's most notorious evils.

Available for pre-order on Kindle now and paperback will be available same day! I'm really excited, so I hope you'll give it a chance! This book meant so much to the me of 2014 and getting a chance to give it new life means a lot as well.

Pre-order yours now!

New Fiction! "Hold Me" at Fiction On the Web!

3/19/2025

Check out a new, totally free to read story from yours truly!

"Hold Me" is at Fiction On the Web and it's an unusual crime story compared to my usual stuff!

Anthony Nominations 2025!

3/5/2025

Hey, if you're headed to Bouchercon this year and you're planning on nominating work for the Anthony Award, please consider my eligible short stories from 2024!

“Interview,” “Personal Business," (a Sam Harrigan story) and “Take the Shot," all published in Guilty Crime Story Magazine

“Push Back” and “Anything For You,” both published in JOURN-E

"Linger" published in Shotgun Honey

If you're nominating BOOKS for the Anthony Awards...

Pplease consider my mystery novel AND OF COURSE, THERE WAS THE GIRL!

Gabriella's name meant love and lies...

Guilty Crime Story Magazine #13

2/25/2025

Guilty Crime Story Magazine issue 13 is out and includes a reprint of one of my rarest crime stories, "A Coup de Theatre," plus five more stories!

In issue thirteen:

"Red On White" by Luke Foster - All Emmy wants is to get someplace warm, it shouldn't be this hard...

"Strangers" by William Jensen - They were a family once, before the strangers came...

"The Ability To Swing" by M.E. Proctor - Naturally gifted, Nick had the ability, but did he have the morality?

"A Coup de Theatre" by Brandon Barrows - On the boards as in life, events can turn in an instant...

"The Goblin Of Thumb Butte Trail" by Robb T. White - Maybe Elizabeth was wrong when thought she loved all animals...

"Your Money Or..." by Mike McHone - Paul is about to learn that turnabout is fair play.

Six bleak stories for bleak winter days and dark winter nights!

Get it in print or ebook!

Proof is in hand!

2/12/2025

Hey, don't forget: for the tenth birthday of my first novel, a new, heavily revised edition (with new title and cover!) is coming.

It's California noir meets cosmic horror in the psychedelic sixties!

Up for pre-order! books2read.com/u/3yNd8p

Everything Old Is New Again - New Book for Up For Pre-Order!

2/5/2025

In 2014, I took what was my longest story at the time (about 24k words) and attempted to expand it into a novel. It took most of a year before I had something I was satisfied with and it was published by small-press publisher Electric Pentacle Press and later, when EPP folded, by another press.

Well, there is a much deeper story there and it's an unpleasant one, but let's not air any dirty laundry.

Instead, let's celebrate!

Yes! For the tenth anniversary of its original publication, I have heavily revised This Rough Old World, making it leaner, faster, tougher and about 20k words shorter!

It still isn't the same as my current writing style, but I can objectively say I think it's a big improvement and the changes are big enough that a new title and cover was warranted, so may I present to you Long Before They Die!

Music, madness, and murder in the psychedelic sixties!
Los Angeles, 1968, a time of radical change for everyone but part-time private-eye Tom Ahearn, who's stuck in a rut of routine and self-pity. When Charlie, a hippy of the lowest order, offers a quick buck for what seems like an easy job, Tom dives head-first into a world of casual sex, drugs, music and the occult. He'll find himself rubbing shoulders with hippies, young Republicans itching for war, and slumming socialites bent on nothing less than completely reshaping the cosmos--all while unknowingly witnessing the nascence of one of the twentieth century's most notorious evils.

Available for pre-order on Kindle now and paperback will be available same day! I'm really excited, so I hope you'll give it a chance! This book meant so much to the me of 2014 and getting a chance to give it new life means a lot as well.

Pre-order yours now!

First Publication of 2025 - "The Liberator"

1/29/2025

My first publication of the year is out! "The Liberator" is over at Tough!

It's a sort of coming of age crime story about some teens deciding who and what they'll be for the summer...

Please give it a read!