EASTHAMPTON — A story written by Easthampton resident J.D. O’Brien will appear in an anthology of the best mystery and suspense short fiction in America.
O’Brien’s selected story, “Outlaw Country,” follows a struggling Nashville country singer who decides the best way to get famous is to commit a high-profile crime.
“I liked the idea of this delusional character who sees himself as a modern-day version of a classic outlaw country jailbird singer like Merle Haggard or David Allan Coe, but instead of putting in the work to become a great songwriter, decides to make his name by committing a high-profile crime,” O’Brien said of his book in an email to The Republican. “On the other end is a cop who has similar delusions, except he sees himself as an old-school lawman. So they come head-to-head during what ends up being a wild crime spree in Nashville.”
“The Best American Mystery and Suspense” is an anthology of the best North American mystery and thriller stories published in the previous year. Stories this year were selected by New York Times bestselling author Don Winslow and series editor Steph Cha. The collection has been published annually since 1997.
“The ‘Best American’ anthology is such a long-running institution and to be in the company of so many great writers — and having my story selected by Don Winslow and Steph Cha — turns the imposter syndrome anxiety up high,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien’s debut novel, “Zig Zag,” was released in 2023 and follows a botched marijuana dispensary heist that sends Capri Dall and her boyfriend on the run in a stolen car. It was described as “a cosmic American crime odyssey” by crime fiction author William Boyle.
After living in New York City, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon, O’Brien now lives in Easthampton with his dog, Lefty, where he is working on “Roll Another Number,” a sequel to “Zig Zag.” For more information, visit O’Brien’s author page on Amazon.
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