Paranormal Payback - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593816080 ISBN 13: 9780593816080

Publisher: Ace, 2026

Synopsis

A superstar lineup is included in this urban fantasy collection featuring short stories from New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Holly Black, Kim Harrison, Faith Hunter, and more …

In this short story collection, our heroes get what’s due to them—with a supernatural flair.

But the injustices that have been holding them back might cost them more than they realized. . . . 

In “Mister Petty,” a brand-new Dresden Files story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher, a woman hires Goodman Grey to get back at her cheating husband. She’s about to find out that Grey isn’t your ordinary detective—he’s a professional monster. And he’s going to balance the scales.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, “Dying Isn’t Just for the Young” follows an elderly widow reckoning with family scheming to take away her independence in a world infected by a disease of vampirism.

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter’s “Razors and Revenge” finds the vampire bounty hunter Shiloh awaiting her judgement at the hands of the Dark Queen, fresh off a brutal werewolf attack and the loss of a dear friend. But Shiloh’s not just a vampire anymore—and the wolfish instincts growing inside her are howling for blood.

And Kim Harrison takes us to the #1 New York Times bestselling series of the Hollows in her story “Dog-eared.” The demon Algaliarept makes a bargain with the dangerously insane Newt, the last female demon, to punish an arrogant wizard for abusing his precious magical texts—but how ruthless is Al willing to be to get his petty vengeance?

ALSO INCLUDES STORIES BY Jennifer Blackstream * Maurice Broaddus * Delilah S. Dawson * Kevin Hearne * Tanya Huff * Kerrie L. Hughes * R. L. King * R.R. Virdi

About this title

About the Author

Jim Butcher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files, turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane.

Kerrie L. Hughes is a paranormal girl in a way-too-normal world. She’s known primarily as an anthologist and short story writer but recently ventured into novels. Cauldron: A Great Lakes Grimoire is her first series, featuring witches, wizards, shifters, dragons, ghosts, and the Fae.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Mister Petty

Jim Butcher

Monster LLC gets by on an extremely low overhead. My office isn't in the pricey part of Chicago, and I sleep there. I don't spend money on advertising. My receptionist works for nothing for reasons that aren't any of your business.

It isn't that I don't have money. You've been alive since most business was done in coins, you have money. It's the principle of the thing. If you're running a business, you should be writing numbers in black ink-which is why not every job I do costs one dollar. I mean, sure, paying The Rent is important to me, but I gotta make enough to use the black pen too, and when you're running a low-end private investigation business, that means doing a lot of divorce and adultery cases, finding small-time embezzlers, that kind of thing.

And sometimes, someone's heard about my real skill set.

My name is Goodman Grey, and I am a professional monster.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ace
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593816080
• ISBN 13: 9780593816080
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352
• Editor: Butcher Jim, Hughes Kerrie L.