REVIEWS
_______________________________________________________________________
"If John Floyd were dead he would be known as one of the preeminent short story writers of the 21st century. Fortunately for us, he's alive and his mind is still full of stories. The man can write."
--Nevada Barr, NYT bestselling author of the Anna Pigeon mysteries
"John Floyd is one of the top voices not just in Mississippi mystery fiction, but in American mystery fiction. A terrific voice I can't recommend highly enough."
--Tom Franklin, Edgar Award-winning author of Poachers and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
"Floyd can do more to keep one on the edge of the chair in several pages than most writers can do with an entire suspense novel."
--David Beckwith, www.keysnews.com
"John Floyd is without question one of the finest storytellers of his time."
--Doug Allyn, Edgar Award winning author of The Jukebox Kings
"I . . . suggest that would-be crime fiction writers read John M. Floyd's short stories. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better, more consistent contemporary writer of high-quality crime fiction."
--Michael Bracken, award-winning author and editor
"Saying John Floyd writes entertaining mysteries is like saying Tiger Woods plays a good game of golf. Somehow, the words just don’t do their talents justice."
--Ben Douglas, The Northside Sun
"John Floyd is a star! [The Barrens'] mesmerizing tales . . . are exactly why we love short stories. Yes, each one is completely entertaining. Yes, each one is a polished gem. And yes, Floyd is the king of dialogue. With elegance and wisdom and a twist around every corner, Floyd creates unforgettable characters in this treasure of a collection. Not to be missed!"
--Hank Phillippi Ryan, national bestselling author of Trust Me
"John Floyd is the master of the finely-crafted short story, illustrated again in his new collection, The Barrens."
--O'Neil De Noux, winner of the Shamus and Derringer Awards.
"'Biloxi Bound' by John Floyd really, really blindsided me with a twist that I never saw coming."
--Amazon reviews, The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021
"I loved the characters in 'Biloxi Bound' who run a small diner and the plot kept me guessing to the end."
--Amazon reviews, The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021
"With a setting in my home state of Wyoming, [John Floyd's 'Rhonda and Clyde'] is a mini-symphony of misdirection."
--C. J. Box, in his introduction to The Best American Mystery Stories 2020
"It's hard to pick a favorite, but . . . 'Gun Work' is an old-fashioned tale set in the West [and is] entirely satisfying."
--Amazon reviews, The Best American Mystery Stories 2018
". . . 'Molly’s Plan,' by John M. Floyd, details the formation and execution of a bank heist so real and intense that I find it impossible to believe the tale took up only a few pages . . . An imaginative twist at the end of the story makes it a truly satisfying read."
--James Patterson, in his introduction to The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"In 'Molly's Plan,' John M. Floyd maps out a nearly impossible bank robbery with a twist ending that's so ingenious it's tempting to root for the bad guys."
--Kirkus Reviews, The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"A never-robbed bank practically invites criminals in John M. Floyd's amusing heist yarn, 'Molly's Plan.'"
--Publishers Weekly, The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"John M. Floyd's story, 'Molly's Plan," is a total gas. What a fast-paced, well told tale of a bank robbery. I loved it! Note that it is one of the stories singled out by James Patterson, in his introduction."
--Goodreads (Jean Yates), The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"With Dreamland, you're in for another helping of thrills and fun with unexpected twists and turns . . ."
--J.C. Patterson, The Clarion Ledger
"John's fiction is by turns clever, nail biting, funny and jaw dropping. If you enjoy stories that fling you through their pages like a stone from a slingshot, John M. Floyd is a writer you want to be acquainted with."
--Pete Mesling, Fearfodder
"I'd read anything John Floyd writes . . . He creates these great little puzzles that make you stop and go, 'I should have known.'"
--Barb Goffman, A Short Story a Day Review
"This anthology is the first publication by the SMFS, and there are some fine yarns inside, [including] John M. Floyd's 'Rosie's Choice.'"
--Bill Crider, Mystery Scene (about the anthology Flash and Bang)
". . . Sheer genius on the part of the author. I loved this little tale ['Rosie's Choice'], so much so that I had to read it several times!"
--Diana Hockley, Kings River Life
"These little crime nuggets are all unique, funny, and clever . . . Fifty Mysteries is a fun read that can be plucked, a story at a time, like bon-bons or consumed in one big gulp."
--J.C. Patterson, The Clarion Ledger
"[Fifty Mysteries] is kind of like Mayberry, if Aunt Bea were always telling Sheriff Taylor how to do his job."
--Chuck Bailey, The Rankin County News
"The stories in Fifty Mysteries . . . slip down as easily as a creme brulee: smooth as silk, but it's got plenty of flavor and punch, and it leaves you wanting more . . . May [John Floyd] never run out of puzzles--and I bet he won't--and may Ms. Angela Potts live forever--and I bet she will!
--Elizabeth Zelvin, author of Voyage of Strangers
"The only mystery here is why anyone wouldn't want to read this book [Fifty Mysteries] and take on . . . Floyd's clever whodunits."
--Jim Fraiser, The Northside Sun
"There are still a few writers around who specialize in short stories, and one of them is John M. Floyd, who's written hundreds, many of them mysteries. His latest collection, Deception, contains thirty fine examples."
--Bill Crider, Mystery Scene
"In Deception, John Floyd gives us finely crafted and entertaining stories, with plenty of twists and turns along the way."
--Jan Burke, author of the Irene Kelly mysteries
"I call them crime candy. Floyd's capers are concise, snappy, and full of surprises. And just like good candy and chips, you can't just eat, er, read just one."
--J.C. Patterson, The Clarion Ledger
"An author who can be relied on to write great, exciting short stories is a challenge to find. So when we read John Floyd's first three collections of short stories (Rainbow's End, Midnight, Clockwork), we compared him to two great short story authors, J.D. Salinger and Edgar Allan Poe. With his latest page-turner, Deception, he still stands with that elite."
--David Beckwith, Keys News
"[Deception] . . . another collection of short stories showcasing the author's wit, imagination, and often darker side."
--Susan O'Bryan, The Clarion Ledger
"[In Clockwork] John Floyd has assembled a clever, entertaining, and sure-handed collection of short stories."
--Bill Fitzhugh, author of Pest Control and The Organ Grinders
"His style and talent is envied by writers and welcomed by readers. He always leaves me wanting more."
--Deborah Elliott-Upton, www.criminalbrief.com
"Whether making you laugh or making you catch your breath, John Floyd is clearly the man in charge, and Clockwork is terrific."
--Marcus Sakey, author of The Blade Itself and The Amateurs
"You've just entered the John M. Floyd wing of the Crime Fiction Museum....Here, you'll marvel at 40 intriguing stories, restored to their original level of suspense, with a sprinkling of chillbumps and chuckles added for texture."
--J.C. Patterson, Madison Herald
"[Clockwork] reminds me of the Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen short story magazines that I discovered as an adolescent--and that hooked me as a lifetime member of the mystery/intrigue/suspense fan club."
--Susan O'Bryan, www.msdigitaldaily.com
"Midnight is a haunting collection of stories, each one with a surprise trick of light, a glittering twist at the end. Floyd is a master of the art of the short story. I highly recommend this collection."
--Douglas Preston, author of The Monster of Florence and Blasphemy
"Midnight offers up thirty more reasons why John Floyd is the master of short suspense. Quick, fun and tipped with venom, Floyd's potent parables would give Mr. Hitchcock a reason to chuckle."
-- JC Patterson, The Clarion-Ledger
"John Floyd has collected together so many different types of stories here -- from mysteries to heartpounding thrillers, to my own favorite, a coming-of-age story that has more pure heart in it than most novels. The one thing they all have in common is a perfect storyteller's touch. You read each one and you want to keep going!"
--Steve Hamilton, author of the Alex McKnight mysteries
"[Midnight's] thirty tales, most very short, from various print and online publications reveal a consummate pro at work. Nearly all crime stories, they overlap the science fiction, fantasy, Western, and romance genres, with a specialty in surprise twists. My favorites were eight fair-play detections from Woman's World about retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and small town sheriff Chunky Jones."
--Jon L. Breen, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
“O. Henry, James Thurber, and Vladimir Nabokov are among the few storytellers whose short works make me sigh and think, ‘Now, that’s what short stories are all about.’ The same is true of John Floyd."
--Nancy Horner, Bookfoolery & Babble
"John has mastered the challenge of keeping an entire story absorbing . . ."
--Elaine August, SouthernScribe.com
"John Floyd has all the right moves in [Rainbow's End]. In the tradition of O. Henry, he takes the reader down the twisty path of crime . . . to where the reward is far better than a pot of gold."
--Carolyn Haines, author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries
"Rainbow’s End is the perfect one-a-day pick-me-up for mystery enthusiasts or folks who enjoy their reading short, clever, and very satisfying."
--JC Patterson, The Clarion-Ledger
"[In Rainbow's End], Mr. Floyd has created a unique collection of short mysteries."
--Cerri Ellis, Futures Mysterious Mystery Magazine
"Novelists, playwrights and authors don't write short stories because they can't introduce believable characters, spin a complete and satisfying yarn, and thrill the reader in the brief space of five to thirty pages. John Floyd can, and does with almost unerring style, in Rainbow's End."
--Jim Fraiser, author of Vanished: Mississippi Gulf Coast
"Your fiction by John M. Floyd, 'The Outside World' (March/April), was so beautifully written I almost forgot I was reading fiction. I really hope we can look forward to more stories by him."
--Jackie M. Brooks, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, May/June 2013 issue
"'The First of October' by John M. Floyd (Nov/Dec) was the best short story I have read in a long time. I hope you will publish more by this writer in future issues."
--Olga Kertesz, Burlingame, California, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, Jan/Feb 2014 issue
"When I was a young man I remember eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Post, which always had a great story or two. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Margaret's Hero' by John M. Floyd (May/June), which is humorous and contains food for thought for those who believe in character traits such as courage and loyalty. Kudos to John M. Floyd!"
--Harry O'Haver, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, July/Aug 2014 issue.
"There was not anything in this lovely story ['The A Team'] that I could not picture happening . . . Thanks, Mr. Floyd, for a sweet, fun, and delightful read."
--Janne Swearengen, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, Sep/Oct 2019 issue.
--Nevada Barr, NYT bestselling author of the Anna Pigeon mysteries
"John Floyd is one of the top voices not just in Mississippi mystery fiction, but in American mystery fiction. A terrific voice I can't recommend highly enough."
--Tom Franklin, Edgar Award-winning author of Poachers and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
"Floyd can do more to keep one on the edge of the chair in several pages than most writers can do with an entire suspense novel."
--David Beckwith, www.keysnews.com
"John Floyd is without question one of the finest storytellers of his time."
--Doug Allyn, Edgar Award winning author of The Jukebox Kings
"I . . . suggest that would-be crime fiction writers read John M. Floyd's short stories. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better, more consistent contemporary writer of high-quality crime fiction."
--Michael Bracken, award-winning author and editor
"Saying John Floyd writes entertaining mysteries is like saying Tiger Woods plays a good game of golf. Somehow, the words just don’t do their talents justice."
--Ben Douglas, The Northside Sun
"John Floyd is a star! [The Barrens'] mesmerizing tales . . . are exactly why we love short stories. Yes, each one is completely entertaining. Yes, each one is a polished gem. And yes, Floyd is the king of dialogue. With elegance and wisdom and a twist around every corner, Floyd creates unforgettable characters in this treasure of a collection. Not to be missed!"
--Hank Phillippi Ryan, national bestselling author of Trust Me
"John Floyd is the master of the finely-crafted short story, illustrated again in his new collection, The Barrens."
--O'Neil De Noux, winner of the Shamus and Derringer Awards.
"'Biloxi Bound' by John Floyd really, really blindsided me with a twist that I never saw coming."
--Amazon reviews, The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021
"I loved the characters in 'Biloxi Bound' who run a small diner and the plot kept me guessing to the end."
--Amazon reviews, The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021
"With a setting in my home state of Wyoming, [John Floyd's 'Rhonda and Clyde'] is a mini-symphony of misdirection."
--C. J. Box, in his introduction to The Best American Mystery Stories 2020
"It's hard to pick a favorite, but . . . 'Gun Work' is an old-fashioned tale set in the West [and is] entirely satisfying."
--Amazon reviews, The Best American Mystery Stories 2018
". . . 'Molly’s Plan,' by John M. Floyd, details the formation and execution of a bank heist so real and intense that I find it impossible to believe the tale took up only a few pages . . . An imaginative twist at the end of the story makes it a truly satisfying read."
--James Patterson, in his introduction to The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"In 'Molly's Plan,' John M. Floyd maps out a nearly impossible bank robbery with a twist ending that's so ingenious it's tempting to root for the bad guys."
--Kirkus Reviews, The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"A never-robbed bank practically invites criminals in John M. Floyd's amusing heist yarn, 'Molly's Plan.'"
--Publishers Weekly, The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"John M. Floyd's story, 'Molly's Plan," is a total gas. What a fast-paced, well told tale of a bank robbery. I loved it! Note that it is one of the stories singled out by James Patterson, in his introduction."
--Goodreads (Jean Yates), The Best American Mystery Stories 2015
"With Dreamland, you're in for another helping of thrills and fun with unexpected twists and turns . . ."
--J.C. Patterson, The Clarion Ledger
"John's fiction is by turns clever, nail biting, funny and jaw dropping. If you enjoy stories that fling you through their pages like a stone from a slingshot, John M. Floyd is a writer you want to be acquainted with."
--Pete Mesling, Fearfodder
"I'd read anything John Floyd writes . . . He creates these great little puzzles that make you stop and go, 'I should have known.'"
--Barb Goffman, A Short Story a Day Review
"This anthology is the first publication by the SMFS, and there are some fine yarns inside, [including] John M. Floyd's 'Rosie's Choice.'"
--Bill Crider, Mystery Scene (about the anthology Flash and Bang)
". . . Sheer genius on the part of the author. I loved this little tale ['Rosie's Choice'], so much so that I had to read it several times!"
--Diana Hockley, Kings River Life
"These little crime nuggets are all unique, funny, and clever . . . Fifty Mysteries is a fun read that can be plucked, a story at a time, like bon-bons or consumed in one big gulp."
--J.C. Patterson, The Clarion Ledger
"[Fifty Mysteries] is kind of like Mayberry, if Aunt Bea were always telling Sheriff Taylor how to do his job."
--Chuck Bailey, The Rankin County News
"The stories in Fifty Mysteries . . . slip down as easily as a creme brulee: smooth as silk, but it's got plenty of flavor and punch, and it leaves you wanting more . . . May [John Floyd] never run out of puzzles--and I bet he won't--and may Ms. Angela Potts live forever--and I bet she will!
--Elizabeth Zelvin, author of Voyage of Strangers
"The only mystery here is why anyone wouldn't want to read this book [Fifty Mysteries] and take on . . . Floyd's clever whodunits."
--Jim Fraiser, The Northside Sun
"There are still a few writers around who specialize in short stories, and one of them is John M. Floyd, who's written hundreds, many of them mysteries. His latest collection, Deception, contains thirty fine examples."
--Bill Crider, Mystery Scene
"In Deception, John Floyd gives us finely crafted and entertaining stories, with plenty of twists and turns along the way."
--Jan Burke, author of the Irene Kelly mysteries
"I call them crime candy. Floyd's capers are concise, snappy, and full of surprises. And just like good candy and chips, you can't just eat, er, read just one."
--J.C. Patterson, The Clarion Ledger
"An author who can be relied on to write great, exciting short stories is a challenge to find. So when we read John Floyd's first three collections of short stories (Rainbow's End, Midnight, Clockwork), we compared him to two great short story authors, J.D. Salinger and Edgar Allan Poe. With his latest page-turner, Deception, he still stands with that elite."
--David Beckwith, Keys News
"[Deception] . . . another collection of short stories showcasing the author's wit, imagination, and often darker side."
--Susan O'Bryan, The Clarion Ledger
"[In Clockwork] John Floyd has assembled a clever, entertaining, and sure-handed collection of short stories."
--Bill Fitzhugh, author of Pest Control and The Organ Grinders
"His style and talent is envied by writers and welcomed by readers. He always leaves me wanting more."
--Deborah Elliott-Upton, www.criminalbrief.com
"Whether making you laugh or making you catch your breath, John Floyd is clearly the man in charge, and Clockwork is terrific."
--Marcus Sakey, author of The Blade Itself and The Amateurs
"You've just entered the John M. Floyd wing of the Crime Fiction Museum....Here, you'll marvel at 40 intriguing stories, restored to their original level of suspense, with a sprinkling of chillbumps and chuckles added for texture."
--J.C. Patterson, Madison Herald
"[Clockwork] reminds me of the Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen short story magazines that I discovered as an adolescent--and that hooked me as a lifetime member of the mystery/intrigue/suspense fan club."
--Susan O'Bryan, www.msdigitaldaily.com
"Midnight is a haunting collection of stories, each one with a surprise trick of light, a glittering twist at the end. Floyd is a master of the art of the short story. I highly recommend this collection."
--Douglas Preston, author of The Monster of Florence and Blasphemy
"Midnight offers up thirty more reasons why John Floyd is the master of short suspense. Quick, fun and tipped with venom, Floyd's potent parables would give Mr. Hitchcock a reason to chuckle."
-- JC Patterson, The Clarion-Ledger
"John Floyd has collected together so many different types of stories here -- from mysteries to heartpounding thrillers, to my own favorite, a coming-of-age story that has more pure heart in it than most novels. The one thing they all have in common is a perfect storyteller's touch. You read each one and you want to keep going!"
--Steve Hamilton, author of the Alex McKnight mysteries
"[Midnight's] thirty tales, most very short, from various print and online publications reveal a consummate pro at work. Nearly all crime stories, they overlap the science fiction, fantasy, Western, and romance genres, with a specialty in surprise twists. My favorites were eight fair-play detections from Woman's World about retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and small town sheriff Chunky Jones."
--Jon L. Breen, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
“O. Henry, James Thurber, and Vladimir Nabokov are among the few storytellers whose short works make me sigh and think, ‘Now, that’s what short stories are all about.’ The same is true of John Floyd."
--Nancy Horner, Bookfoolery & Babble
"John has mastered the challenge of keeping an entire story absorbing . . ."
--Elaine August, SouthernScribe.com
"John Floyd has all the right moves in [Rainbow's End]. In the tradition of O. Henry, he takes the reader down the twisty path of crime . . . to where the reward is far better than a pot of gold."
--Carolyn Haines, author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries
"Rainbow’s End is the perfect one-a-day pick-me-up for mystery enthusiasts or folks who enjoy their reading short, clever, and very satisfying."
--JC Patterson, The Clarion-Ledger
"[In Rainbow's End], Mr. Floyd has created a unique collection of short mysteries."
--Cerri Ellis, Futures Mysterious Mystery Magazine
"Novelists, playwrights and authors don't write short stories because they can't introduce believable characters, spin a complete and satisfying yarn, and thrill the reader in the brief space of five to thirty pages. John Floyd can, and does with almost unerring style, in Rainbow's End."
--Jim Fraiser, author of Vanished: Mississippi Gulf Coast
"Your fiction by John M. Floyd, 'The Outside World' (March/April), was so beautifully written I almost forgot I was reading fiction. I really hope we can look forward to more stories by him."
--Jackie M. Brooks, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, May/June 2013 issue
"'The First of October' by John M. Floyd (Nov/Dec) was the best short story I have read in a long time. I hope you will publish more by this writer in future issues."
--Olga Kertesz, Burlingame, California, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, Jan/Feb 2014 issue
"When I was a young man I remember eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Post, which always had a great story or two. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Margaret's Hero' by John M. Floyd (May/June), which is humorous and contains food for thought for those who believe in character traits such as courage and loyalty. Kudos to John M. Floyd!"
--Harry O'Haver, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, July/Aug 2014 issue.
"There was not anything in this lovely story ['The A Team'] that I could not picture happening . . . Thanks, Mr. Floyd, for a sweet, fun, and delightful read."
--Janne Swearengen, LETTERS section of The Saturday Evening Post, Sep/Oct 2019 issue.