Confession #1 – I love mysteries.
Confession #2 – I love mystery short stories. Think about it, some of the best mysteries, Sherlock Holmes for example, are short stories.
A short story is more like a heady fling— intense, adventurous, emotionally charged, and, when I was young, embarrassingly quick. Okay, forget that last one. The best short stories, like those high-octane lovers, never fully leave you. They burn, linger, haunt. Some sneak up on you in a subtle way. Others are like a punch in the gut–sudden, spontaneous. They knock the wind out of you. (Harlan Coben in the Introduction)
Obviously, picking up The Best American Mystery Stories 2011 was a no-brainer for me. In a short story every word counts and the writers represented in this collection, from Joe R. Lansdale to Lawrence Block to Charles McCarry, are master story-tellers. The pages in this anthology are filled with heroes, villains, every sort of setting, every sort of crime, solutions, surprises, and great writing.
I will say that, with only a few exceptions like Rozan’s story, the selections are mostly on the darker side of mysteries. Cozy mystery fans will not find much here. And a lot I don’t actually consider mysteries, more crime stories, so don’t expect a batch of entirely traditional mysteries. That being said, I enjoyed the variety and have found several new to me authors I want to read more from.
I’ve written separate reviews for a few of the stories in the collection.
- “Ride-Along” by Brendan DuBois
- “Clean Slate” by Lawrence Block
- “Last Cottage” by Christopher Merkner
- “Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case” by S. J. Rozan
Here is a list of the other stories.
- “Audacious” by Brock Adams
- “Something Pretty, Something Beautiful” by Eric Barnes
- “Who Stole My Monkey?” by David Corbett and Luis Alberto Urrea
- “Sometimes a Hyena” by Loren D. Estleman
- “What His Hands Had Been Waiting For” by Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin
- “A Crime of Opportunity” by Ernest J. Finney
- “Flying Solo” by Ed Gorman
- “Destiny City” by James Grady
- “The Hitter” by Chris F. Holm
- “West of Nowhere” by Harry Hunsicker
- “Baby Killer” by Richard Lange
- “The Stars Are Falling” by Joe R. Lansdale
- “The End of the String” by Charles McCarry
- “Diamond Alley” by Dennis McFadden
- “Heart Like a Balloon” by Andrew Riconda
- “A Long Time Dead” by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins
Overall it’s a great collection to dip in and out of when you’re looking for a good, but still short, read.
You can purchase The Best American Mystery Stories 2011 from Amazon or an Indie bookstore.
4 out of 5 stars
Category: Mystery & Detective – Short Stories
Published October 4, 2011 by Mariner Books
432 pages
Book source: For review
Looks like a fun collection!
I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews for this book. I’ve been waiting for it to come out in audio but so far it’s not available. Looks like I’m going to have to actually read this one.
I prefer grittier mysteries, so this book really appeals to me.
Ok…now that sounds really good…and, Carol, the slow cooker cake was indeed amazing…really moist and gooey…
Hmm. I may have to try it sometime.
Sounds interesting, but I prefer longer books. Still, it sounds good.
I love Coben’s description of short stories; he made them sound really…sexy!
I hardly know any of those, yes that is me, and I really should learn since I am “interning” at the library and know nothing about these kind of books
I don’t read many mysteries, but this entire series of “Great American …” is always a winner (I’ve read other titles in the series).
I don’t read many short stories, but this would be one that I think I’d like on ocassion.