"Last Shot" -- Sandra Ruttan

So you think there's not a new wrinkle in the "hit man decides to retire" story? You're probably wrong, and I'd advise you to read "Last Shot" to see what I mean. The narrator's just killed his boss's wife, on orders, and something about her eyes as she died got to him. He's starting to think about finding someone to settle down with, and he runs into a beautiful woman at a bar. They hit it off, and then he gets suspicious. What happens next is for you to find out when you read the story. Check it out.

"Punishment" -- J. A. Konrath

"Punishment" might be the most brutal story in Out of the Gutter's first issue, though that's certainly arguable. What's not arguable is that there are parts of this story that might make you want to avert your eyes from the tortures being described. But you'll keep reading because you'll want to know what happens to Dominick Pataglia when it's his turn to enter the Punishment Room. There's a snapper of an ending, too. Check it out.

"Final Tally" -- Victor Gischler

"Final Tally" is the first story in the first issue of Out of the Gutter. It's a great way to start because it's one of those stories that shouldn't be funny at all, but it is.

The narrator is a guy named Shelby, and something snaps in his head. As a result, he knows when people need to be killed for their rudeness or whatever else bothers him. Killing people turns out to be easier than you'd think, and he runs up an impressive total. Then his girlfriend has a problem that Shelby, of course, knows how to solve. What happens after that is even better than what goes before. Check it out.