Exciting Short Stories

Carl Stephenson is the author behind Prentice Hall Literature -- Platinum. He's a familiar name in educational literature, bringing his expertise to students.

Born Gunard Hjerstedt in Chicago in 1903, Keene became an actor in repertory theater in the early 1920s. When his actor friends decided to try film, he instead turned to writing, and during the 1930s was a principal writer for the “Little Orphan Annie” radio show, as well as contributing to the pulps. After he moved to the west coast of Florida, he began writing paperback originals in the late 1940s, mostly fast-paced crime stories. An editor suggested that he change his name to something mor...

Greta A. Clark is the author of the collection Exciting Short Stories. She writes fast-paced fiction that spans several different genres. Her work is a great choice for readers who want direct and energetic storytelling.

James M. Cain, author of the classic A Subtreasury of American Humor, brings his sharp eye for storytelling to this collection. He's known for his hard-boiled crime fiction and his ability to capture the gritty realities of American life.

John D. MacDonald was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania. He attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania but dropped out to move to New York City, where he took menial to support himself. While attending the School of Management at Syracuse University, he met Dorothy Prentiss, and they married in 1937. He graduated from Syracuse the following year, and in 1939 he received an MBA from Harvard University. During World War II he served in the Office of Strategic Services in the Far...

Michael Francis Gilbert, CBE, TD, was an English solicitor and author of crime fiction, detective and mystery stories, thrillers, history and historical fiction, spy fiction, and paranormal fiction.

Richard Connell is the author behind Prentice Hall Literature -- Gold. He's known for his work in educational literature, making complex texts accessible for students.

William Wymark Jacobs Born in Wapping, Middlesex, England, UK