All of Them to Burn

All of Them to Burn by Beau Johnson is a gritty collection of 39 short stories and flash fiction pieces that blend the boundaries of crime, horror, and noir. The primary narrative thread follows Bishop Rider, a maimed ex-Army medic who operates as a vigilante after his family is taken from him. Operating outside a broken legal system, Rider stalks human traffickers and other violent predators, delivering "Old Testament-style" justice to those he deems deserving of his brutal retribution.The collection serves as a "meditation on evil," exploring both the visceral act of vengeance and the psychological toll it takes on those who wield it. While 19 of the stories center on Rider's dark journey, they are interspersed with standalone "entremets" that range from a photographer uncovering hidden evil to meta-conversations between the author and his characters. Described as "vignettes of vengeance," these tales emphasize atmosphere and raw, unflinching violence, leading to a definitive moment in Rider's story that sets the stage for future installments in the series.