Room 308

By Annie Reed

Magic comes with a price. Misuse it at your peril.

Claire’s been an entertainer all her life, and everywhere she’s traveled, a battered black suitcase went with her. When she performed as a stage magician/comedian, the suitcase held her props, each one infused with enough magic to make her slight of hand spectacular.

These days the suitcase contains something far more deadly.

Something dying to get out.

Twenty-five years ago, Claire made a promise in room 308. This Christmas Eve, she’ll return to room 308, unlatch the suitcase, and keep her promise. Because what happens at the Crossroads Hotel doesn’t always stay at the Crossroads Hotel. When it does, it stays forever.

“One of the best writers I’ve come across in years.” -Kristine Kathryn Rusch

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thunder Valley Press
• Release date: Nov 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463894743

Annie Reed

Award-winning author and editor Kristine Kathryn Rusch calls Annie Reed “one of the best writers I’ve come across in years.”Annie’s won recognition for her stellar writing across multiple genres. Her story “The Color of Guilt” originally published in Fiction River: Hidden in Crime, was selected as one of The Best Crime and Mystery Stories 2016. Her story “One Sun, No Waiting” was one of the first science fiction stories honored with a literary fellowship award by the Nevada Arts Foundation, and her novel PRETTY LITTLE HORSES was among the finalists in the Best First Private Eye Novel sponsored by St. Martin’s Press and the Private Eye Writers of America.A frequent contributor to the Fiction River anthologies and Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Annie’s recent work includes the superhero origin novel FASTER, the near-future science fiction short novel IN DREAMS, and UNBROKEN FAMILIAR, a gritty urban fantasy mystery short novel. Annie’s also one of the founding members of the innovative Uncollected Anthology, a quarterly series of themed urban fantasy stories written by some of the best writers working today.Annie’s mystery novels include the Abby Maxon private investigator novels PRETTY LITTLE HORSES and PAPER BULLETS, the Jill Jordan mystery A DEATH IN CUMBERLAND, and the suspense novel SHADOW LIFE, written under the name Kris Sparks, as well as numerous other projects she can’t wait to get to. For more information about Annie, including news about upcoming bundles and publications, go to www.annie-reed.com.

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Copyright Information

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Room 308

Copyright © 2019 by Annie Reed

Published by Thunder Valley Press

Cover and Layout copyright © 2019 Thunder Valley Press

Cover design by Allyson Longueira

Uncollected Anthology logo art © Tanya Borozenets/Dreamstime.com

Uncollected Anthology logo design © Stephanie Writt

Prologue copyright © 2019 by Deanna Knippling

Cover art copyright © [e-mail]

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

Magic comes with a price. Misuse it at your peril.

Claire’s been an entertainer all her life, and everywhere she’s traveled, a battered black suitcase went with her. When she performed as a stage magician/comedian, the suitcase held her props, each one infused with enough magic to make her slight of hand spectacular.

These days the suitcase contains something far more deadly.

Something dying to get out.

Twenty-five years ago, Claire made a promise in room 308. This Christmas Eve, she’ll return to room 308, unlatch the suitcase, and keep her promise.

Because what happens at the Crossroads Hotel doesn’t always stay at the Crossroads Hotel. When it does, it stays forever.

One of the best writers I’ve come across in years.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch

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Room 308

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Consider the hotel: a place often found