Barb Goffman Books In Order

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Barb Goffman
The American author of mystery novels Barb Goffman is a world renowned writer, thanks in large part to her inventive and intriguing stories. Writing long and short fiction, she’s an adept author who’s gifted with the art of suspense, expertly building the tension throughout her books. This has seen her attract a large audience worldwide, gaining her a following and making her a household name for many. Often working alongside fellow authors in the field as well, she’s fast become a permanent fixture in the mystery crime thriller writing scene. This has translated into writing a number of short-stories, as she’s highly adept at writing engaging stories in a succinct format.

Working freelance as an editor of crime fiction, Goffman has a strong background in the genre, as she’s gone on to develop her own voice. This has allowed her to become more versatile as an author too, not just finding a unique style, but her audience as well. Getting to the heart of her subject matter too, she really knows how to say exactly what it is that she wants to say through her work. Creating both short and long fiction, she really knows how to make the most of the form, both in terms of story and character. Largely though it’s shorter stories, which, coupled with her editing, has led to a very specific writing style over time.

Her characters come to life off of the page, speaking to the reader in a direct and to the point manner that truly resonates. Staying with the reader, it’s their lasting impact that’s made them so appealing to a worldwide audience, and Goffman a bestselling brand. The people she crafts really are fully three-dimensional, feeling properly fleshed out as the audience gets to know them. Knowing the reader and what they want, she writes with a good degree of humour too, making her stories both funny and entertaining. This is something that will definitely carry on for a long time yet, with a lot more that’s set to come in the near future from her.

Early and Personal Life:
Growing up with a strong passion for the the written word, Barb Goffman was always heavily invested in literature and what it had to offer. Focusing on short-stories for a long period, she would soon begin to discover her own approach to both the thriller genre and its form. Concentrating on crime fiction shorts for some time, she’d immerse herself in the thriller writing scene for quite some time too. This would begin to attract the attention of the critics too, winning a large quantity of various different awards and plaudits.

For some time she’s also worked editing the work of others in the field of crime fiction too, developing both her profile and her voice. This would also be coupled with awards for her own work in time as well, as she’d go on to establish a career and voice of her own. Gaining a reputation for telling her crime-fiction stories succinctly in short-story format, she’s produced a lot of work throughout her career. Maintaining a strong presence both offline and on, she has a lot more to say for herself too, with plenty of books to come still.

Writing Career:
Starting out as a contributor to various other different publications and compendiums, the first collection Goffman would contribute to was ‘The Gift of Murder’ in 2009. One of the first collections of her own she’d create was the 2013 published title ‘Don’t Get Mad, Get Even’. This would lead to a largely collaborative career, built on working with others within her field, as well as creating a stronger profile for herself. As a finalist over thirty times for numerous crime-fiction awards as well, she hasn’t gone without critical recognition either.

Much of her work would also go to magazines over the years as well, allowing her to create a strong name for herself here too. This would include the ‘Black Cat Mystery Magazine’, which she would provide original work for, along with various other authors. Her style was to be heavily invested in the mystery genre, and she’s really created a name for herself within the field. With more discovering her work every day, her following of fans continues to grow, along with her many awards too.

Don’t Get Mad, Get Even
Initially brought out through the ‘Wildside Press’ publishing label, this would first come out in 2013 on the 17th of April. Released with the subtitle ’15 Tales of Revenge and More’, it’s thematically linked through the concept of justice for different individuals. Collated by Goffman herself, this would be her first collection on her own, and would showcase a lot of what she had to offer as an author of crime-fiction.

Setting herself a clear niche in the crime-fiction literary genre here, Goffman really works to establish her own presence here. Creating a clear voice for herself, it really does work, with every story operating on its own merits, whilst working alongside the rest of the collection too. It’s evident why this was lauded by so many, as the book feels like an essential read for followers of the author, but for fans of the genre as well.

There’s a colorful cast of characters here, including a sheriff, Job from the bible, an elf from Christmas Town, and a young bullied girl. Looking for justice, each in their own individual way, they seek revenge and retribution, as they hope to get what’s owed to them. With stories involving adultery, corruption and theft, there’s plenty here to keep the reader guessing every step of the way. Each story offers something different, providing a twist at the end that constantly surprises the reader with its shocking conclusion.

Collaborative Collections
A lot of the books that Barb Goffman writes for are collections and anthologies, often editing many of them herself. With collections such as the ‘Chesapeake Crimes’ and ‘Flash and Bang’ anthologies, she’s produced a large quantity of work over the course of her career. Continually publishing in new editions and periodicals, she’s a regular fixture on the scene, whether it’s writing herself, or helping hone and platform the voices of others, as an important and influential figure throughout the community.