The Best American Mystery Stories

Brief Description: A collection of the best mystery writing published in 2009 culled from a variety of sources. Review Quotes: The excellent 15th edition of this "best of" series, edited by myster maven Otto Penzler, contains 20 winning short stories, many by relative unknowns. Among the standouts are Brendan DuBois's "Ride-Along," in which a veteran cop and a freelance reporter get involved in a robbery, and Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin's "What His Hands Had Been Waiting For," in which the struggle for survival in the Mississippi Delta during the terrible 1927 flood takes a strange turn. In Ed Gorman's memorable "Flying Solo," two old men dying of cancer make the most of their last days. As in previous volumes, it's hard to find lighter fare, but S. J. Rozan's clever "Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case" is a beautifully crafted and satisfying tale of amateur detection. Other contributors include such pros as Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, and Mickey Spillane and Max Collins. --STARRED Publishers Weekly "Ranging from homespun to lush and tropical, this year's crop of 20 stories offers a variety of tastes and textures. But exotic doesn't always mean compelling. Charles McCarry's "The End of the String," set in Africa, lumbers like an elephant toward a conclusion as momentous as a mouse. "Diamond Alley," Dennis McFadden's quiet tale of small-town teens confronting the murder of a popular classmate, packs a far greater punch. Family stories are equally powerful. In Christopher Merkner's chilling "Last Cottage," a young couple tries to outlast a neighbor determined to oust them from their waterfront home. Across cultures, mothers protect. In Richard Lange's "Baby Killer," Blanca struggles with an acting-out granddaughter. And although embarrassed by her profession, a Chinese mother helps her detective daughter in S. J. Rozan's "Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case." An absentee father's return challenges a wife who's moved on in Joe R. Lansdale's "The Stars Are Falling." But Chris F. Holm shows in "The Hitter" that sometimes the greatest threat is to the dads themselves. Families don't always grow througJacket Description/Back: The Best American Series(R) First, Best, and Best-Selling The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of magazines, journals, and websites. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected--and most popular--of its kind."The Best American Mystery Stories 2011" includes Lawrence Block, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin, Ed Gorman, Richard Lange, S. J. Rozan, Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, and othersHarlan Coben, editor, is the "New York Times" best-selling author of twenty novels, including "Live Wire," "Caught," "Long Lost," "Hold Tight," and "Tell No One," as well as the popular Myron Bolitar series. The winner of Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony awards, Coben lives in New Jersey. Look for the other best-selling titles in the Best American series: THE BEST AMERICAN COMICSTHE BEST AMERICAN ESSAYSTHE BEST AMERICAN NOREQUIRED READINGTHE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE AND NATURE WRITINGTHE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIESTHE BEST AMERICAN SPORTS WRITINGTHE BEST AMERICAN TRAVEL WRITING Publisher Marketing: The Best American Series(R) First, Best, and Best-Selling The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of magazines, journals, and websites. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected--and most popular--of its kind."The Best American Mystery Stories 2011" includes Lawrence Block, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin, Ed Gorman, Richard Lange, S. J. Rozan, Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, and others Review Citations:

Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2011 (EAN 9780547553962, Paperback)

Library Journal 11/01/2011 pg. 62 (EAN 9780547553962, Paperback) - *Starred Review

Publishers Weekly 08/29/2011 (EAN 9780547553962, Paperback) - *Starred Review

Contributor Bio:  Coben, Harlan Harlan Coben is the internationally bestselling author of more than twenty previous novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Missing You, Six Years, Stay Close, Live Wire, Caught, Long Lost, and Hold Tight as well as the Myron Bolitar series and, more recently, a series aimed at young adults, featuring Myron's nephew, Mickey Bolitar. The winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, he lives in New Jersey. Contributor Bio:  Penzler, Otto Otto Penzler is the proprietor of the Mysterious Bookshop, the founder of the Mysterious Press, the creator of Otto Penzler Books, and the editor of many books and anthologies.