Book excerpt: From Hawaii at the turn of the twentieth century to the post-Civil War frontier, from smoggy Los Angeles to the woods of Idaho, these gripping stories trace the perils and occasional triumphs of lawmen and -women who put themselves in harm's way to face down the bad guys. Some of them even walk the edge of becoming bad guys themselves. In T. Jefferson Parker's “Skinhead Central”, an ex-cop and his wife find unexpected menace in the idyllic setting they have chosen for their retirement. In Alafair Burke's “Winning”, a female officer who is attacked in the line of duty must protect her own husband from his worst impulses. Other authors in the collection include the acclaimed Laurie R. King; Edgar winners Edward D. Hoch and Jon L. Breen; Dagger winner and bestseller John Harvey, as well as the bestselling Peter Robinson. Most important, there's Michael Connelly himself as editor. His own contribution, an original Harry Bosch story, crowns this outstanding collection.