Private Dicks: Packing Heat by Samantha M. Derr (editor)

A Bar Called Once by Daniela Jeffries - Five years after Lana, the love of her life, left her for a man she hardly knew, Ryssa threw herself into her work as a private detective. But when she realizes women are being abducted from the bar where she and Lana met, her investigation leads her to Lana's husband as the prime suspect.

Black Suede, Red Velvet by Freddie Milano - Black Suede is one of the most exclusive clubs in town, and one with a lot of secrets. The owner, Fujimoto, is suspected of drug trafficking, and James Tachibana goes undercover to get enough evidence to bring in the kingpin—and starts to get too close to Kana, Fujimoto's favorite escort.

Cold, Bitter, Dark by Douglas P. Wojtowicz – Several years ago Deacon met Mishelle, a trans woman working as a prostitute. Much has changed since, but the two remain friends, and while Deacon wishes they could be friends and lovers, he's in no hurry to risk what they've got. Then Mishelle comes to him for help with a kidnapped girl, and Deacon learns too late he may never get a chance to say everything he wished he had.

Mr. X And The Blackmailed Female by Edale Lane – Mr. X is a celebrated and highly successful private detective in 1890s, and somewhat notorious for the mysterious way no one ever sees him, but must instead go through his assistant, Miss Stetson Goody—who is really Mr. X. It's a scheme, and a life, that's always worked perfectly for Stetson—until Lady Ashton shows up with a blackmail problem.

Orpheus Rising by Andrea Speed - Manu Collins is a private detective investigating a murder, who stumbles into the fact that Ralph Rundle, the richest man in the city, is involved in human trafficking. He frees some of the victims, but finds himself at a very dangerous crossroads: does he go after the man himself? And if he does, what does this mean for both his life, and his relationship with his boyfriend, Eric?


Sweetbrier by Helena Maeve – As the Battle of Britain rages, a small town on the Welsh coast grapples with strife of its own—a guesthouse hosting cowardly Londoners and rich men too cynical to join the war has just become the scene of a suspicious death. Veteran-turned-detective Rahul Khan has no desire to get involved, but his curiosity is piqued when police hasten to dismiss the case—and snared further by Mark, one of the misfit residents of Sweetbrier House.
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My Review:     (Thanks to NetGalley) 

I normally loved anthologies edited by Samantha M. Derr but this one was a real let down. None of the stories were anything past sub par and some were just bad. I found Sweetbrier to be pointless and confusing, though the confusion could be due to the fact that I was just skimming rather than reading. Orpheus Rising and Black Suede, Red Velvet were probably the best, but even they need some expansion and some soul.