All Due Respect Vol. 1

All Due Respect is an online crime fiction magazine publishing some of the most interesting writers today.  After a brief hiatus, editor Chris Rhatigan has opted to relaunch the quarterly publication offering a strong line-up out of the gate.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

• A Dying Art  (Chris F. Holm) – “A Dying Art” opens the issue on a high note.  Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel would be proud given Holm’s choice to turn up the intensity to eleven.  Never has the prospect of a straight shave been so terrifying.
• Good Dogs (Todd Robinson) – Todd Robinson’s short story about a lovable loser hung around longer than Holm’s opener.  Protagonist Albert struggles through life, hoping to finally do something good and meaningful for someone.  As Albert’s not the kind of guy that life looks favorably upon, it creates someone for the reader to cheer on, even if he is a little hopeless.
• Amanda Will Be Fine (Renee Asher Pickup) – A solid story about the horrors of child abuse and the lasting effect on its victims.  Next to Holm’s entry, it’s my favorite of the bunch.
• The Bucket List (Paul D. Brazill) – A gangster on a tight schedule is out for revenge.  Armed with a serious sense of self righteousness and his loyal daughter, Quigley is on a mission to take down a major player in the drug trade.
• Private Practice (Travis Richardson) – A unique story with an almost American Psycho feel.  The high stress inner monologue mixed with the relaxed nature of Yoga creates an interesting combination.
• The Church of the Sad Sisters (Mike Miner) – An unsettling story about a young woman held captive in a strict church.  Farmed out for wayward men, she keeps watch over her son.  Seems out of place in the collection. Not a bad story per se, just odd.
• Chicken: A Wellesport Story (Walter Conley) – Two gangsters deliver a mysterious briefcase to a lumberyard.  Unaware of it’s contents and reason for delivery, the pair struggle over what to do.  A great revenge tale and a solid way to close out the fiction section.

Coupled with the short stories, we get a lengthy interview with Chris F. Holm, reviews of his Collector series as well as a look at Steve Weddle’s new novel and thoughts on a few Hardcase Crime releases.

This is a publication I’ll be checking out in the future.