Twenty-one short stories written by Gary Phillips are included in TREACHEROUS: GRIFTERS, RUFFIANS AND KILLERS. Alan Cranis on bookgasm.com said, "Phillips obviously loves his anti-heroes, as the stories' major characters are all, as the subtitle promises, grifters, ruffians and killers. You may not be on their side, but you can't help but be fascinated by their escapades...Phillips unfaltering ear for contemporary urban dialogue and patois, relentless pacing that grabs you from the opening sentence-oh, and plenty of sex and violence, too." Publishers Weekly said of the trade paperback, "Most of the 20 highly entertaining selections in this new collection also spotlight the hip urban scene Phillips has made his own."