Speak of the Devil

Joe Gores collects here fourteen stories spanning the five decades of his varied writing career. In the title story, two bright young scientists set out to prove there is no good-dispensing God by demonstrating that there is no evil-dispensing Satan - with unforeseen results.

Sneaking onto an anti-terrorism course for law enforcement officers produced ''Watch For It'', featuring an urban terrorist who is clever, manipulative and without pity. A childhood spent around the Mississippi marshes informs ''Quit Screaming'', putting a Miami mobster into a midnight swamp where he buried a man he murdered.

''Sleep the Big Sleep'' sees a nerdy dreamer finally get his chance, inspired by a photo taken of the author for the cover of a crime magazine. And ''Goodbye, Pops'', which won an Edgar Award, is based on a story written by the author while at college, on the death of his beloved grandfather.