Bob Strother
Character-driven crime fiction rooted in 1980s and 1990s Detroit. Historical fiction drawn through early- and mid-twentieth-century Tennessee. Short stories with grit, wit, darkness, and heart.
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Recognition
Award-winning fiction
Bob Strother’s work has been published internationally, adapted for film, and recognized by the Emrys Foundation, Southern Writers Magazine, the South Carolina Writers Association, and other literary organizations. He is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee.
Latest release
Bad Time To Be In Love
A Shug’s Place novella. In late-1990s Detroit, Shug Barnes takes on the brutal unsolved murder of an Air National Guard sergeant—while his P.I. partner deals with a dangerous specter from the past.
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The Burning Time Trilogy
Louise Schmidt will sacrifice almost anything to protect her family. Across three novels, her story moves through violence, ambition, the Depression, war, and the fragile work of survival.
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Burning Time
In early-1900s Chattanooga, Louise is forced into adulthood too soon as her family struggles against violence, loss, and an accusation of murder.
A Fire to Be Kindled
Freedom and stability are tested by the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, clandestine love, unwanted pregnancy, and hidden forces.
Embers on the Wind
World War II and tragedy test Louise, her family, and the friends who must help her find her way back to hope.
Detroit noir
The Shug’s Place Series
Working class noir in a setting rich with Detroit’s storied, often infamous, history and unforgettable characters drawn from both sides of the law.
Explore the complete Shug’s Place series →
Shug’s Place
A working-class Detroit bar, an unforgettable clientele, and two dangerous women—one Shug would kill for, one who might get him killed.
Stories Not to Tell
When an Army buddy’s twelve-year-old daughter disappears, Shug assembles allies from both sides of the law to bring her home.
Bad Time To Be In Love
Now working with a private detective agency, Shug takes on the brutal unsolved murder of an Air National Guard sergeant.
Collections & selected reads
Short Stories
Crime, memory, ghosts, love, humor, loss—and stories that resist easy categories. Choose a story below to read it free.
Blind Billy’s BayouAn aging bluesman wants only to get back home—before or after death.Read the full story →
Madison 2-ForeverWhen a telephone becomes a time machine, is it magic—or dementia?Read the full story →
The Peanut ManA bittersweet love story that transcends time and life’s inherent difficulties.Read the full story →
Light CapturedThe bond between two brothers proves stronger than fear and self-interest.Read the full story →
Praise for the work
What readers and writers say
“One part Southern Gothic, one part crime novel, one part coming-of-age story, Burning Time is a compelling read I couldn’t put down.”
Susan M. Boyer, USA TODAY bestselling author
“Shug’s Place is rich with detail, humor and grit: writing peopled with characters I’ll miss as soon as they’re gone.”
Gary V. Powell, author
“This is a smart collection… Strother effectively surprises and unnerves. A clever and engaging read.”
Carla Damron, author of Death in Zooville
About Bob
Stories built around people under pressure.
Bob Strother writes across crime, historical fiction, and short forms, with a recurring interest in complicated loyalties, difficult choices, and people forced to reveal who they are when life closes in.
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