Rob Hart is the associate publisher at MysteriousPress.com and the class director at LitReactor.
Previously, he has been a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York.
Rob is the author of The Last Safe Place: A Zombie Novella. His short stories have appeared in Shotgun Honey, Crime Factory, All Due Respect, Thuglit, Needle, Kwik Krimes, Helix Literary Magazine, and Joyland. Hes received both a Derringer Award nomination and honorable mention in The Best American Mystery Stories 2015.
Non-fiction articles have been featured at LitReactor, Salon, The Daily Beast, Mulholland Books, Criminal Element, the Powells bookstore blog, and Nailed.
His debut novel, New Yorked, is now available from Polis Books. The sequel, City of Rose, will follow in early 2016.
He lives in New York City, and is represented by Bree Ogden of Red Sofa Literary.
Escape Velocity (2024) Victor Manibo "Searing social commentary, expert worldbuilding, and unforgettable characters . . . Victor Manibo remains one of the most exciting new voices working in fiction today."
Big Time (2024) Ben H Winters "Big Time is a propulsive mix of big ideas, expert plotting, and deep character work - intertwined in the kind of way that only Ben Winters can do. This is a 'clear your calendar first' kind of book."
Baby X (2024) Kira Peikoff "What makes Baby X so gripping and scary is how plausible the whole thing feels. Peikoff has crafted a thoughtful, realistic future that explores bodily autonomy and the pitfalls of scientific advancement, nestled within a ripping thriller with breakneck twists, and carried by an incredible cast of characters."
Almost Surely Dead (2024) Amina Akhtar "lmost Surely Dead is such a masterful slow burn of a mystery it'll singe your fingertips. Amina Akhtar creeps you out, keeps you guessing, and forces you to the edge of your seat, constructing a story that, in the end, is as surprising as it is deeply human."
Fadeaway Joe (2023) Hugh Lessig "Fadeaway Joe is the kind of noir I love: smart, tight, and just the right amount of gritty before giving way to the depths of human connection. The way Hugh builds the relationship between Joe and Paula is excellent, and by the end you'll be hoping this isn't the last we see of them together."
Mother Howl (2023) Craig Clevenger "I am utterly f***ing infuriated with how good it was. Just... don't make the mistake of sleeping on this."
The Truth Against the World (2023) David Corbett "David Corbett weaves together myth and prophecy in a way that makes The Truth Against the World feel both timeless and frighteningly relevant. And it carries his hallmark of elegant writing and deeply considered, compelling character work. A fantastic read you'll struggle to put down."
Something Bad Wrong (2023) (Jess Keeler, book 1) Eryk Pruitt "Something Bad Wrong hits on every cylinder - expertly plotted, deliberately paced, deeply human, incredibly relevant, and just utterly absorbing. This is a golden example of the genre."
Flux (2023) Jinwoo Chong "Flux is the book of my dreams--expertly mashing genres and deftly playing with both time and perspective to tell a deeply human, personal story. It's almost hard to believe this is a debut, and it instantly elevates Jinwoo Chong to must-read status."
Bit Flip (2022) Mike Trigg "In Bit Flip, Trigg aims some wickedly smart satire at the dark beating heart of Silicon Valley, and exposes a lot of moral gray areas along the way. This is the kind of book that'll make you very afraid - and very angry - about the win-at-all-costs ethos at the core of our self-righteous tech culture."
They Drown Our Daughters (2022) Katrina Monroe "They Drown Our Daughters is a stunner. Beautifully written, deeply creepy, and carefully plotted--but above all, a fantastic meditation on what it means to be a parent."
The Violence (2022) Delilah S Dawson "The Violence isn't just a timely, ripping thriller--it's an intimate, thoughtful, heart-wrenching portrait of abuse and power, and how those things ripple through generations."
The Body Scout (2021) Lincoln Michel "The Body Scout is the best kind of cautionary tale, with urgent things to say about evolution, health care, and human nature. This is a story populated by fantastic characters and worldbuilding, but most importantly: it's a hell of a lot of fun to read."
The World Gives Way (2021) Marissa Levien "The World Gives Way features some of the most ingenious world-building I've seen in ages, from class systems to grains of sand in the desert—but that's not what makes it special. The beating heart of this book is what Marissa Levien reveals about love, humanity, and our place in the universe."
Rabbits (2021) (Rabbits, book 1) Terry Miles "Rabbits is an addictive puzzle box of a book that’ll have you obsessing over every little detail. Do not start this if you have plans that day—you’ll just end up canceling them."
Version Zero (2021) David Yoon "Version Zero is fast and fun, but more importantly, it’s an incisive, thoughtful takedown of Big Tech, our own social media consumption, and ultimately, may just serve as a call to arms."
The Future Is Yours (2021) Dan Frey "The Future Is Yours is an addictive puzzle box and a deeply human story about friendship and ambition. Do yourself a favor before you start this book: Get comfortable, turn off your phone, and clear your schedule. You won’t want to get up until it’s done."
Little Threats (2020) Emily Schultz "Little Threats hooked me from the first line. A gripping, haunting story about family, memory, and most of all, grief--this book is difficult to put down, and more difficult to stop thinking about."
The Nightworkers (2020) Brian Selfon "The Nightworkers grabbed me from page one, and led me breathlessly through what I think might be one of the best Brooklyn-set novels I've ever read?because it understands how the people and the place are inextricably linked. An absolutely stunning debut."
The Unstable One (2020) (Markus Murphy, book 1) Mike McCrary "It's almost inhuman how frequently and effectively this book ups the ante on the reader."
And Now She's Gone (2020) Rachel Howzell Hall "A deeply human protagonist, an intricate and twisty plot, and sentences that make me swoon with jealousy...Rachel Howzell Hall will flip every expectation you have - this is a magic trick of a book."
The Space Between Worlds (2020) Micaiah Johnson "The Space Between Worlds lands squarely in my sweet spot: gorgeous writing, mind-bending world-building, razor-sharp social commentary, and a main character that demands your attention—and your allegiance."
Blacktop Wasteland (2020) S A Cosby "It’s fitting Blacktop Wasteland opens with a drag race. This is the literary equivalent of a muscle car?sleek, a little dangerous, and when it kicks into gear, you hold on for dear life. Lucky for you, Cosby is an expert wheelman."
Stealing Thunder (2020) (Stealing Thunder, book 1) Alina Boyden "STEALING THUNDER draws you in with its richly-detailed worldbuilding and hooks you with gripping action and suspense, but the biggest appeal is the book's themes of politics, family, and identity. This is the kind of book you'll want to share with people, so buy multiple copies."
Stop at Nothing (2020) (Michael Gannon, book 1) Michael Ledwidge "I'm not sure how he did it - it seems to defy science - but Michael Ledwidge figured out a way to write a book using pure, distilled adrenaline. Michael Gannon is a fantastic protagonist, destined for the pantheon of characters we love to follow through countless adventures. Here's hoping for many more."
Sixteenth Watch (2020) Myke Cole "I loved Sixteenth Watch by Myke Cole. Besides being a ripping good read, Cole writes from a place of authority and experience about military, politics, and service."
Line of Sight (2020) (Line of Sight, book 1) James Queally "James Queally draws on current events, and his own experience as a crime reporter, to write LINE OF SIGHT?and the result is a thoughtful, timely page-turner that explores the twisted corridors of authority from a street-level view, while never losing sight of the larger issues of truth and justice."
Unspeakable Things (2020) Jess Lourey "Jess Lourey does a masterful job building tension and dread, but her greatest asset in Unspeakable Things is Cassie—an arresting narrator you identify with, root for, and desperately want to protect. This is a book that will stick with you long after you’ve torn through it."
Qualityland (2020) Marc-Uwe Kling "QUALITYLAND is the best kind of satire, offering up a funhouse mirror version of our world that is so smart and so cutting, you have to laugh to keep from crying."
Three-Fifths (2019) John Vercher "In THREE-FIFTHS, John Vercher uses an explosive act of violence to tell a very harrowing, very relevant story about race, but also family and friendship and masculinity—and all the dangers that come with those things. Keep your eye on Vercher—any writer who comes out of the gate this strong is bound for great things."
Deception Cove (2019) (Winslow and Burke, book 1) Owen Laukkanen "In Deception Cove, Owen Laukkanen gives you everything you could want in a thriller -- rich setting, breakneck pacing, thrilling action, a ton of heart, and a great dog. This is a cancel-your-plans-so-you-can-stay-in-to-read book."
Freight (2018) Ed Kurtz "Ed Kurtz has this amazing ability to present the darkest corners of society, and then reveal the goof and decent human heart that beats underneath."
The Last Place You Look (2017) (Roxane Weary, book 1) Kristen Lepionka "Just when you think the PI novel is dead, Kristen Lepionka brings it roaring back to life. Roxie Weary is a richly-drawn protagonist who proves that 'hardboiled' and 'feminine' aren't mutually exclusive. This book is so good it makes me jealous."
American Static (2017) Tom Pitts "American Static grabs you by the collar and drags you through a dirty, dangerous tour of San Francisco. Tom Pitts serves up noir just the way you want it - dark, relentless, and inevitable."
Fantasticland (2016) Mike Bockoven "Utterly horrifying and impossible to put down - for a dozen reasons, but most of all, for how plausible the whole thing feels. Do not read this book after eating."
White Knight (2014) Bracken MacLeod "White Knight is a harrowing portrait of a man drowning in the riptide created by an imperfect legal system and his own best intentions. Bracken MacLeod packs a lot of story into this thoughtful, propulsive read."
More recommendations
Books containing stories by Rob Hart
Obsolesence (2023) A Dark Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Anthology edited by Kristina Horner and Alan Lastufka
Don't Touch That! (2022) A Sci-Fi and Fantasy Parenting Anthology edited by Jaymee Goh
