Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 336 pages
- Published by: Carroll & Graf December 18, 2005
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0786716436
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0786716432
-
Book Dimensions:
8 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches
- Weighs: 1.2 pounds
From Publishers Weekly
The editors of
The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories annual have changed the series' name, but continue to gather superior stories augmented by various "state of the mystery" reports. Jon L. Breen provides an overview of 2004's trends and awards. Edward D. Hoch looks at the year's short story collections and anthologies as well as nonfiction works in the field. Sarah Weinman, who surveys the development of mystery blogs, also selected the three entries that were published online. One of them, the chilling "Just Pretend" by Martyn Waites, is the gem of the anthology, which includes such name authors as Robert Barnard, Laura Lippman and Jeffery Deaver. The overall quality isn't as strong as some of its five predecessors, but the volume still offers its share of standouts, among them Val McDermid's wryly humorous "The Consolation Blonde" and Joyce Carol Oates's "The Banshee," which leaves readers hanging till the very end and beyond.
(Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Description
From traditional mystery stories with devious doings and a plot full of clues to terse thrillers with edge-of-the-seat climaxes to the nail-biting tale of psychological suspense, no field of popular fiction can match contemporary crime writing in diversity, excitement, cunning, or satisfaction. In this stunning collection of the year's best offerings in the genre, armchair detectives, suspense addicts, and crime solvers alike can thrill to new stories by Edward D. Hoch, Carolyn Wheat, Jeffrey Deaver, Stuart Kaminsky, Val McDermid, Laura Lippman, Joyce Carol Oates, and Max Allen Collins, in the unique way only mystery fiction can provide.
Reader ReviewsA great book to take along on vacation. Enjoy interesting well written mysteries by true masters of the genre. Compilations often come off as pretentious and try to reach above what they really are, pure entertainment. The editor selected great examples, not a dud in the bunch, and 25 stories gives you more than twice the content of most collections and that alone is worth the investment. Buy! Read! Enjoy!
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