Our 17^th issue, guest-edited by Elsabeth Hermens, focuses on Oakland. Na’amen Gobert Tilahun gets kohl and glitter all over the issue (and some poison, too) with “Retirement Plans at Shining Girls,” featuring one of our most powerful and unforgettable protagonists yet. Rob Pierce’s “The Real Thing” is a slice of… something, maybe real, maybe not. And our very own Nick Mamatas delivers some investigative drama with “Bad Day at Black Bloc.” Ever roll your eyes at those Anonymous masks? You’ll like this story. We also have a personal essay on crime in Oakland by Lori Selke and, of course, capsule reviews of the latest, hottest crime fiction.

You can always enjoy The Big Click for free online, or you can buy it—a year’s subscription will run you $17.94 at Weightless Books (now with files for your Kindle!), or you can pick it up as an ebook for the reasonable price of $2.99. Supporting our magazine means we can keep publishing quality crime fiction, so if you like what you’re reading… well, you know.