Culprits - by Gary Phillips & Richard Brewer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Some stories are all about the crime. These stories are about the maelstrom of what happens after...

A hard-bitten crew of professional thieves pull off the score of their lives, coming away with seven million in cash. Like any heist there are some unforeseen complications, and unfortunately they don't get away without a few bodies dropping. But despite this, they get away with the swag. Seven million. Enough to change their lives, make new identities, start fresh. But that's when the real trouble begins... In this unique, riveting, linked anthology, we follow each member of the crew of culprits as they go their separate ways after the heist, and watch as this perfect score ends up a perfect nightmare. Featuring stories penned by acclaimed writers Brett Battles, Gar Anthony Haywood, Zoë Sharp, Manuel Ramos, Jessica Kaye, Joe Clifford and David Corbett, CULPRITS examines what happens next to these criminals once they take their cut and go their separate ways, only to find that the end of the heist was the beginning of their troubles.

Review Quotes

"Culprits lights off where other heist books end, neck deep in the bloody aftermath. Brewer and Phillips do their gritty best in this linked anthology that ties together the work of some of the hottest writers out there. Rife with lust, betrayal, and bullets, this one flies."
- Gregg Hurwitz, NYT Bestselling author of the Orphan X series

"Move over Heat, Inside Man, and The Bank Job. Make room for Culprits, a unique spin on the big heist."
- Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times Bestselling author of Blind to Midnight

"Culprits slams the bull's eye for first-rate entertainment. From the heart-stopping robbery that opens the book to each of the linked short stories that follow, you'll find the nine murderously good noir authors of this smart collection deliver a plate brimming with suspense, thrills, and violence. Sit down and savor. What a ride."
-- Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author of The Assassins

"The questions behind Culprits are so good I wish I'd thought of them myself: What happens after a successful heist? Do we really expect a gang of now-rich criminals to just live happily ever after? And when you put the fate of each gang member into the hands of a different top-notch crime writer, what do you get? You get this book. Culprits is tour-de-force of imagination and style, taking off from where a heist story usually ends. Each individual story is terrific; their combined effect is simply a knockout. Read it; you'll feel like you've gotten away with something."
- SJ Rozan, best-selling author of The Mayors of New York

"Culprits has a consistently strong lineup of writers and a great hook! Brewer and Phillips have done a fantastic job putting together this multi-layered story and I couldn't read it fast enough!"
-- Steve Hamilton, Edgar Award-Winning Author of Exit Strategy

"A well executed heist, like fine wine, pleasures the palate and can age well. In Culprits, liken the aftermath of the criminals from a heist to craft beer and a bumpy ride. Prepare to stay up all night!"
-- Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author of the Aimée Leduc series

"Culprits is quite a lot of fun...If you are looking for a smart, entertaining book then this is it."
- Unlawful Acts

About the Author

Gary Phillips edited the Anthony-winning anthology, The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir, and written comics such as The Return of Xal- Kor, the Human Cat -- a fandom favorite of the 1970s. The Washington Post named his novel One-Shot Harry one of the best mysteries of 2022. He was a staff writer and co-producer on FX's Snowfall about crack and the CIA in 1980s South Central.

Richard J. Brewer has worked as a bookseller, a writer, an actor and a narrator/director of audiobooks. He is the co-editor of the critically acclaimed anthologies, Meeting Across the River (Bloomsbury USA), Occupied Earth (Polis Books) and Culprits (Polis Books). Culprits is now an eight-part limited television series for Disney+UK and Hulu in the U.S. His short story Last to Die appeared in the Bruce Springsteen inspired anthology Trouble in the Heartland (Gutter Books).