Featuring twenty of the year's standout crime short stories handpicked by one of the world's best thriller writers, Best American Mystery Stories 2011 showcases not only the very best of the crime genre, but the best of American writing full stop. Within its pages, literary legends rub shoulders with the hottest new talent. Contributors in the past have included Lee Child, James Lee Burke, Jeffery Deaver, Michael Connelly, Alice Munro and Joyce Carol Oates.

About the Author

Harlan Coben is now a global bestseller, with his recent novel, Hold Tight, reaching the bestseller lists of both the Sunday Times and the New York Times. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and four children. Otto Penzler, the series editor, is the proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City.

Reviews

The excellent 15th edition of this "best of" series, edited by mystery 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. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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

Expertly edited by thriller master Coben and featuring an insightful introduction by series editor Otto Penzler, this superb anthology presents 20 high-caliber short stories, all first published in 2010 and culled from assorted journals, anthologies, submissions, and magazines. Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin's "What His Hands Had Been Waiting For" is a mesmerizing 1927-set country noir story that begs to become a novel. Or meet the crafty old dame in Ernest J. Finney's "A Crime of Opportunity." As a bonus, author bios and comments are included, along with a lineup of other recommended short story reads. VERDICT Some of the contributor names are huge-S.J. Rozan and Lawrence Block-but this collection offers a powerful array of familiar and new voices, leaning toward crime fiction's noir side. This is the perfect way for mystery fans to try newer voices in the field or to stretch their comfort level for subgenre reading. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.