The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023

by Amor Towles (Editor)

Amor Towles selects the best mystery short stories of the year, including tales by Andrew Child, Jeffery Deaver, and T.C. Boyle.


In his introduction to this volume, guest editor Amor Towles pays tribute to the forgotten person of the mystery story—the cadaver. “Male or female, old or young, rich or poor,” he writes, “for over a hundred years the cadaver has been accommodating, gracious, and generally on time. There is no other figure in crime who has proven to be more reliable.”



Like the cadaver, this anthology series, now in its third year of publication, is also proving reliable, bringing to readers the finest mystery/crime/suspense stories of the year from a variety of sources including mystery and general interest magazines, anthologies, online publications, and literary periodicals.



Among the treasures collected herein are Jeffery Deaver’s “Dodge,” in which a chess match between a volatile woman and a U.S. marshal takes a surprise twist; “The Landscaper’s Wife,” a suspense-filled tale by Brendan DuBois that explodes all expectation; and Kerry Hammond’s “Strangers at a Table,” which offers a darkly witty homage to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple.



The collection contains well-known authors such as T.C. Boyle and up-and-comers such as Jessi Lewis; it features tales with famous crime-fighters (Jack Reacher and Sherlock Holmes) and a bonus story from the annals of mystery history by Edith Wharton. In short, these pages promise something for every reader of crime fiction, no matter the particularities of his or her taste.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

544 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 19, 2023

About the author

Born and raised in the Boston area, Amor Towles graduated from Yale College and received an MA in English from Stanford University. Having worked as an investment professional in Manhattan for over twenty years, he now devotes himself fulltime to writing. His first novel, Rules of Civility, published in 2011, was a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback and was ranked by the Wall Street Journal as one of the best books of 2011. The book was optioned by Lionsgate to be made into a feature film and its French translation received the 2012 Prix Fitzgerald. His second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, published in 2016, was also a New York Times bestseller and was ranked as one of the best books of 2016 by the Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the St. Louis Dispatch, and NPR. Both novels have been translated into over fifteen languages.

Mr. Towles, who lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children, is an ardent fan of early 20th century painting, 1950’s jazz, 1970’s cop shows, rock & roll on vinyl, obsolete accessories, manifestoes, breakfast pastries, pasta, liquor, snow-days, Tuscany, Provence, Disneyland, Hollywood, the cast of Casablanca, 007, Captain Kirk, Bob Dylan (early, mid, and late phases), the wee hours, card games, cafés, and the cookies made by both of his grandmothers.

Reviews

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

As is the case with most anthologies, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 was also a mixed bag. The anthology features twenty-one short mysteries written by contemporary authors and a bonus story by Edith Wharton. I liked that each of the stories began with a brief introduction about the author and enjoyed getting to sample the work of so many authors, many of whom I had never read in the past. Some of the stories also end with a note by the author about the inspiration behind the story. I must mention that the Introduction by Amor Towles, in which he discusses how the “Mystery” genre has evolved, was a fascinating read.

My ratings for the stories are as follows:
The first story, “Blind Baseball” by Doug Allyn (3.5/5), revolves around a tontine insurance scheme. This was a gripping read but ended abruptly. “The Adventure of the Misquoted Macbeth” by Derrick Belanger (4/5) is a mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and is one of the stories that I thoroughly enjoyed. The circumstances surrounding a mysterious break-in are explored in “Princess” by T.C. Boyle (3.5/5) In “Cold Hands, Warm Heart” by Joslyn Chase (3.5/5), a cold case is reopened after the discovery of a body. In “New Kid in Town”(2.5/5) by Andrew Child, Jack Reacher helps in investigating the disappearance of a young girl.

A resident of a hotel housing near the border sheltering undocumented immigrants takes justice into her own hands in “Death at the Sundial Motel” by Aaron Philip Clark (4/5). A young deputy gets more than he bargained for when he is tasked with assisting a Marshal for the Witness Protection Program in “Dodge” by Jeffery Deaver (4/5). In “The Landscaper’s Wife” by Brendan DuBois (3.5/5), our protagonist finds himself tangled in a complex web of manipulation, blackmail and murder. Co-passengers in a train decide to pass the time guessing solutions to real-life situations they share in the group in “Strangers at a Table” by Kerry Hammond (4/5). “Miller and Bell”(2/5) by Victor Kreuiter follows the story of a career criminal who resorts to his old ways of switching identities to evade those who have an axe to grind with him.

In “Two Sharks Walk into a Bar” by David Krugler (3/5), a hustle results in dire consequences for a pair of pool sharks. In “Pobre Maria: A Capitán Guillén Mystery Of Ecuador”(3/5) by Tom Larsen, a seasoned law enforcement official investigates the suspicious death of the daughter of an influential man. “Playing God” by Avram Lavinsky (3.5/5) takes us through the mysterious circumstances revolving around a man’s suicide. “Ears” by Jessi Lewis(3.5/5) is a heart-wrenching story about a young girl’s bond with her dog. Though there wasn’t much ”mystery “ in the plot, it was a good read. “The Smoking Gunners”(2.5/5) by Ashley Lister follows a murderer apprehended at the scene of the crime as she attempts to justify her actions.

A small-town reporter investigates a murder that was caught on camera by a peeping tom cat, whose owner had a camera fixed on his collar in “What the Cat Dragged In” by Michael Mallory(4/5). In “Sundown” by Lou Manfredo (3/5) we follow the lead detective as he investigates the death of a young woman, often consulting with his grandfather, a retired law enforcement officer, to gain perspective. There’s much more to the kidnapping of the daughter of an affluent man than meets the eye in “Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday” by Sean McCluskey(2.5). A detective is haunted by a promise he made to a murdered young girl’s father in “The Promise” by Annie Reed (3/5). A man tries to help his neighbor after a murder in their apartment building in “Glass” by Anna Round (3/5). A hitman’s latest assignment has him curious about the motive in “Crime Scene” by Joseph S. Walker (3.5).

The final story, “A Bottle of Perrier” by Edith Wharton (3/5) follows a young archaeology scholar on his visit to an archaeologist’s home in the middle of a desert in a foreign country where he finds his friend’s domestic staff’s answers to the owner’s whereabouts vague and misleading.

Overall, I found most of the stories rather predictable and only a handful stood out.

I received a digital review copy from the publisher via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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[John (LHBC) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology's mix of renowned and hidden-gem authors is the perfect recipe for mystery enthusiasts.

Book Information

‘The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023’, edited by Amor Towles is a 544-page mystery short story anthology published on September 19, 2023. The audio version, released on December 12th, is narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright; Christina Delaine; and Terrence Kidd, and spans 21 hours and 30 minutes. Thank you to RB Media for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book for review.

Summary

This annual anthology is a collection of 21 recently published short stories and includes a bonus story from 1926.

My Thoughts

The short story anthology, 'The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023,' edited by Amor Towles, offers a diverse and compelling collection that caters to a wide range of readers.

Despite not being a regular reader of anthologies, I found this one particularly enjoyable. The anthology covers a broad spectrum of topics, authors, themes, tones, and plot lines, making it accessible and engaging for readers with varied preferences.

One notable aspect is the mix of both well-known and lesser-known authors, providing a blend of established voices and emerging talent. Among the standout stories, Jeffery Deaver's "Dodge" is particularly good, depicting a riveting showdown between a US Marshal and a formidable female criminal. Brendan DuBois's "The Landscaper’s Wife" is a traditional story but very well delivered, while Derrick Belanger's unique take on a Sherlock Holmes story and Andrew Child's latest Jack Reacher tale add further depth to the anthology.

One minor criticism I have is a few of the stories in the anthology stories seem unfinished or lack a clear conclusion. While this might be inherent to the nature of short stories, some readers, like myself, prefer narratives that tie up loose ends.

The audio version, narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright, Christina Delaine, and Terrence Kidd, is very well done. Clocking in at 21 hours, the use of different narrators not only captures the distinct tones of individual stories but also provides a welcome change in voice, effectively breaking up the extended duration of the audiobook. The narrators' excellent performances contribute to the overall success of the anthology, making it a compelling choice for mystery enthusiasts seeking a rich and varied collection.

Recommendation

'The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023' stands out as a captivating anthology with a diverse array of stories that cater to a broad audience. Despite a minor issue with a few entries lacking closure, the compelling narratives, varied authorship, and excellent narration in the audio version earn it a solid four-star rating. Recommended for mystery aficionados.

Rating

4 Corpse Laden Stars

[Steven Levine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2023 edition in the anthology series The Mysterious Bookshop Presents The Best Mystery Stories of the Year. This is the third volume in the series. The overall editor of the series is Otto Penzler. Each volume has a "guest editor," a person renowned in the field of mystery fiction. Michele Slung is a first reader who works with Penzler. She reads through the many stories that might be eligible for inclusion and passes what she considers to be the best mystery tales on to Penzler. He narrows the selection down further, and then in turn passes these on to the guest editor, who chooses the ones to be included in this volume. Another ten stories considered to be "distinguished" are listed in the back of the book.

The stories chosen for this particular anthology include two from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, two from Mystery, Crime and Mayhem: Cold Cases, two from Mystery Magazine, and one from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. The other stories first appeared in various anthologies, collections, or periodicals. There have been twenty such stories in each of the previous two volumes; there are twenty-one in this book.

A twenty-second story is also included, "a bonus story from the past." Information about the authors precedes each story and notes by the authors immediately follow the story to which they refer. The authors' notes are frequently fascinating.

Penzler states that he considers mystery stories to be "any work of fiction in which a crime, or the threat of a crime, is central to the theme or the plot." He states that this "is a collection of stories nearly all of which are about Death and Sin, with plenty of dead bodies and an abundance of wicked people."

The guest editor for this volume is Amor Towles, whose novels Penzler writes "have collectively sold more than six million copies and been translated into more than thirty languages." Towles' "Introduction" does not discuss the contents of the anthology at all: it is, rather, a lengthy rumination on cadavers in mystery fiction. I did not find it of great interest to me.

I will begin with the "Bonus Story," which this year is "A Bottle of Perrier" by Edith Wharton. It first appeared (under the title "A Bottle of Evian"; I assume that someone later decided that Perrier was better known than Evian Water) in 1926. A young archeologist visits the home of an older colleague, who lives in a desert land populated by Arabs. Although the visit was planned, the young man is told that his host has gone away but should be back soon. But as days go by, the host does not return, and the young man's principal contact remains the absent host's British servant, who states that he hasn't had a day off in nearly twelve years. That servant's behavior is odd, and so is the smell of the water in the well that serves the house. A rather predictable ending, but a nice enough tale on the whole.

I have almost never enjoyed a Sherlock Holmes pastiche and "The Adventure of the Misquoted Macbeth" by Derrick Belanger is no exception. A family problem of Dr. Watson's is solved along with the not very interesting case which Holmes is investigating.

Another famous investigator (of sorts) is featured in "New Kid in Town" by Andrew Child; that character is Jack Reacher, who usually appears in stories by Andrew Child's brother, Lee Child. Reacher agrees to help a man locate his daughter, whom he has not seen in fifteen years. A lot of violence ensues.

A man puts a camera on his cat that will take pictures automatically at specified intervals. The pictures show signs of a woman's murder - but where were they taken? That is the situation in "What the Cat Dragged In" by Michael Mallory. Unfortunately, it is also the situation in an award-winning story, "The Secret Life of Cats" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, published in the July, 2008 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. In my review of that issue, I wrote:

This posits what is, as far as I know, a unique situation in mystery fiction. A man living alone wonders what his cats do when they leave his house. He puts "catcams" on them, set to take pictures every ninety seconds. One of them returns with pictures of a dead woman lying in a swamp. The man and the police must figure out where the body is.

The stories are otherwise not at all alike. Mallory's story is largely comic; Rusch's is much more somber. In Mallory's note after the story, he tells how he got the idea for this and it does not, of course, mention Rusch's earlier work, of which Mallory might truly be unaware. But Rusch's story did win a prestigious award and it is hard to believe that none of the four editors who accepted Mallory's tale were familiar with Rusch's story. I think that including one sentence in the introduction to the story acknowledging that there had been an earlier story with a similar theme would have helped. (By the way, Rusch's story is much the better of the two.)

Mystery tales often have surprising twists, frequently at the ending. The trick is to try to make sure that the reader does not anticipate the surprise. I was totally flummoxed by Kerry Hammond's brief story, "Strangers at a Table." A group of strangers meeting on a train begin telling stories of some mysterious event of which they have personal knowledge. The reader learns of two of these. I did not solve the first one, although it was the more obvious of the two; I also didn't have any idea on the very clever, definitely fairly-clued second one.

There is a fine twist in "Two Sharks Walk into a Bar" by David Krugler. The "sharks" are pool sharks, a couple who play against two guys in a bar. The male half of the couple agrees to an appalling bet. (A piece of trivia: "Sharks" in this usage - pool sharks, card sharks, and the like - obviously derive their designation from the fish, vicious predators with awesome powers, right? Nope. The vicious fish is named after the humans. From Wikipedia:

etymology states that the original sense of the word was that of "predator, one who preys on others" from the Dutch schurk, meaning 'villain, scoundrel' …)

Brendan DuBois and Jeffery Deaver are mystery fiction sharks - authors whose stories frequently sneak up and bite their readers. DuBois' story "The Landscaper's Wife" has a first-person narrator. He is a man with a hidden past, trying to live a quiet life in a rural area. But things come up. His landscaper, convinced that the narrator is rich and has things in his past that he wants to keep hidden, begins blackmailing him. That landscaper's wife, whom the husband beats, has become the narrator's lover. Things continue to develop. A fine story, right up until the last sentence, which makes no sense to me at all.

Jeffery Deaver's story "Dodge" has one major twist and some subsequent ones as well. A sheriff's deputy has agreed to help another man hunt down a psychotic murderer, a woman who is said to delight in causing pain. Anything that I add would probably need a "spoiler" designation. I guessed one of the twists and was fooled by the others. I should note that both this and the DuBois story are not just collections of puzzles, they are real stories as well. I think that "Dodge" is one of the best stories in this anthology. (The joke in the story that one person tells another was told to me around forty-five years ago. [Hi, Shirley! I doubt that you will ever see this, but you might. Sorry we didn't stay in touch. I've read two books that you wrote since then.] I thought it was very funny then and I still do.)

And sometimes the surprises fail to astonish. In Joseph S. Walker's story "Crime Scene," a professional assassin is hired to kill the world's foremost expert on the assassination of President John Kennedy. The challenge is in the conditions; the potential victim must be killed in the place in Dallas in which Kennedy was shot and the killing must occur on the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. I rarely figure out the endings of mystery stories in advance; this time I did.

Other stories in this anthology feature surprises as well, but they do not rely on them as heavily as those I have already mentioned. (I must repeat that Deaver's story would still be fine without some of the surprises.)

In "Playing God" by Avram Lavinsky, a Jewish police chaplain in New York has been exposed to more suffering than he can deal with. Eight years earlier he had to comfort the family of a couple with an extreme and terrible loss. Shortly after, he was confronted with an unsolvable moral dilemma. He has made choices which continue to affect his life and the lives of others. This is one of the sad, dark tales that make up a large part of Penzler's "best of the year" anthologies.

Another such dark tale is "The Promise" by Annie Reed. Here too a police officer's past continues to haunt him. The officer had once promised a man whose daughter had been murdered that he would catch the killer. "It was the first and last time he made a promise like that." But time goes by, there are other crimes to solve, and one can not always keep promises.

Police officers face another moral decision in "Sundown" by Lou Manfredo, one of a series of stories featuring members of the Oliver family, Joe, a police detective who narrates the story, and his grandfather Gus, a retired law officer. A young woman has been murdered. Gus makes suggestions that help solve the murder, but Joe and his partner must decide what to do with the information.

Police officers in Ecuador are faced with a murder in "Pobre Maria" by Tom Larsen. Another young woman, daughter of "a very influential man," has been killed. Her father seeks vengeance.

Another dead girl is at the center of Joslyn Chase's "Cold Hands, Warm Heart." A high school girl went missing seventeen years earlier. Now her body has been found, with both of her hands having been severed. (The "cold hands" of the title is a rather tasteless joke.) This is more of a police procedural tale, in which the police must follow up very old clues.

A male youth is killed by a man driving by in Aaron Philip Clark's story "Death at the Sundial Motel." The twenty year old boy and his mother came from Haiti and have been living in the United States in an old motel near the border with Mexico. The death appears to be accidental, but the mother thinks that the police should investigate further. She is an undocumented immigrant, though, and fears what might happen to her. But fear does not deter her:

Before leaving, Ernesto [a neighborhood boy] asked, "Who are you, Miss Alma?" Alma knew what the boy meant, but it was complicated. "I'm a mother."

"That makes you brave?"

"Maybe," she said.

The mother comes across another terrible crime. She can not help her son, but she can help others.

"Glass" by Anna Round also has a major character who is an undocumented female immigrant. She and the man who is the other important character in the story live in the same building and have become friends. Another man in the building is murdered and the woman has reason to believe that the police might think that she was involved.

The quietest, and perhaps the saddest, story in the collection is "Ears" by Jessi Lewis. This too involves a child. An eight year old girl lives with her mother and her much-loved dog. More than one bad thing occurs in this somber tale.

Some of the remaining stories are not only dark but very concerned with violence as well. "Miller and Bell" by Victor Kreuiter is about some professional criminals who seem to be out to prove that there truly is no honor among thieves. If the other guy - or other woman - has something you want, you do whatever is necessary to get it. "For Deena, good-and-dead beat dead any day."

Sean McCluskey's complex and tricky tale "Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday" makes good use of the scrambled chronology implied by the title. A very rich man is informed that his daughter has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. He is told not to contact the police and he obeys; that doesn't stop him from hiring "an excellent investigator who's extremely discreet." That investigator is smart and funny - and not overly concerned with legality.

Doug Allyn can write convincingly about violence and the workings of the military and of law enforcement. There is a long passage about attempting to defuse an explosive device in Allyn's story "Blind Baseball." I know nothing about the subject, but it seemed quite believable to me. Allyn takes one of the silliest tropes in mystery fiction, a tontine, an agreement in which the last person who is still living from a group gets to keep all the funds involved, and makes this too seem plausible. The veteran who had a hand blown off by that explosive device joins others to grant the wishes of those who died. Allyn has become one of my favorite current authors of short mystery fiction and "Blind Baseball" is a fine example of why I feel that way.

"The Smoking Gunners" is the title of a story by Ashley Lister - a title both funny and apt. A man is killed in his hotel room. The lovely female slayer tells the sole police officer immediately on hand, "But I promise you now: as bad as this looks, worse things have happened." That police officer has a very good reason to help the murderer - but how?

What may well be the strangest story in the book is also one of my favorites. In T. C. Boyle's tale "Princess," a young woman, very much under the influence of drugs and alcohol, wanders into the house of a family whom she does not know. She is arrested and subsequently released. She then makes a terrible discovery. Later some things follow a peculiar pattern. The reader learns something about the wandering girl, a lot about the family whose home she visited, and, oddly, almost nothing about that horrible discovery. The title of the story appears only once in the story itself, and that once somewhat obliquely. I definitely remain puzzled by some of this. I believe that I usually would have found this kind of obscurity annoying; here it seems strange and intriguing.


As with most "best of the year" anthologies most of the stories are at least competent. I was hoping for "excellent." The stories that I particularly liked were "Princess" by T. C. Boyle and "Dodge" by Jeffrey Deaver. I would certainly include Brendan DuBois' "The Landscaper's Wife" if it weren't for the puzzling (to me) final sentence.

One additional note, not about the contents of the book, but about the book itself: my brand new copy of the paperback edition published in 2023 by the Mysterious Press literally began to fall apart the first time that I read the book. This used to happen occasionally with paperback books back in the 1960s, when most of them cost thirty-five cents. This book was $17.95. I have no idea if this has been a common problem with other copies of this book; if so, it should not be.

[Marci Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely amazing collection of stories!!!!!! This book is full of wonderful thriller/mysteries that will entertain all readers. I enjoyed to many of the stories it’s hard to pick a favorite!! You will not be disappointed!!!

[Peter Sidell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Penzler collection

I’ve been reading Penzler’s collection of mysteries for decades now and always find them fun. They have definitely evolved over time just as our literary culture has evolved. I enjoy his opening remarks and find the author info gives leads about more good mystery stories to investigate.

[Holly Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always difficult to give a rating for a book of short stories, but this had several that I really enjoyed so I’m giving it four stars. The one that will probably stick with me the longest was called “The Landscaper’s Wife” by Brendan DuBois. Most of the stories were written by authors I hadn’t read before, and now I want to go look at the rest of their books. I also want to listen to the previous year’s editions of this series of short stories.

Special thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for the advance audiobook version of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

[Peter Sidell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading Penzler’s collection of mysteries for decades now and always find them fun. They have definitely evolved over time just as our literary culture has evolved. I enjoy his opening remarks and find the author info gives leads about more good mystery stories to investigate.

[Jack Swanzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good anthology

One good story after another in this series. I am not knowledgeable about this genre so a lot of the writers are new to me but every entry made me want to read more by the author.

[dottore · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is unmitigated garbage. I’m surprised Towles would affix his name to such an abominable collection of non-stories. I forced myself to press on in hope of finding even one worth the read but failed three quarters of the way through.

[Tracie Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mysterious Bookshop's The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 by Otto Penzel (Series Editor) and Amor Towles (Editor)

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS
PRINT: © 9/19/2023; 978-1613164488; Mysterious Press; 500 pages; unabridged. (Hardcover info from Amazon.com)
DIGITAL: © 9/19/2023; Mysterious Press; 1613164491; unabridged. (Kindle info from Amazon.com)
*AUDIO: © 12/11/2023; HighBridge; Duration: 22 hours (approx.); unabridged. (Audio info from Libby app, LAPL version.)

FILM: No

SERIES: Mysterious Bookshop Mystery Stories.

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
It’s been a few months now since I listened to this, so my memory is a little faded.
SELECTED: Through the Newsletter of Amor Towles, I learned of this forthcoming book and placed a hold, as I trust his books to be good and we enjoy mysteries.
ABOUT: There are 23 short mystery stories:

--"Blind Baseball" by Doug Allyn: Begins with Sergeant Duroy, in a platoon north of Bagdad, finding himself disarming a bomb with a sense of De ja Vu, recognizing traps he’d encountered once before, and realizing that the bomber intended to trick him with additional deceptions. [I liked the story and the writing]
AUTHOR Doug Allyn (From Stark House Press)
"The author of eleven novels and more than a hundred short stories, Doug Allyn has been published internationally in five languages and more than a dozen of his works have been optioned for development as feature films and television. Mr. Allyn studied creative writing and criminal psychology at the University of Michigan while moonlighting as a guitarist in the rock group Devil's Triangle and reviewing books for the Flint Journal. His background includes Chinese language studies and extended duty in USAF Intelligence in southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Career highlights include collaborating with James Patterson, sipping champagne with Mickey Spillane and waltzing with Mary Higgins Clark."

--"The Adventure of the Misquoted McBeth" by Derrick Belanger: This is written in the fashion of a Sherlock Holmes story, from Watson’s perspective. [I might not have followed this well, so I could be wrong, but I thought there was a hole in the story -- Holmes and Watson encounter a case that involves the possibility of a note being miss-delivered. It seems to ignore what would have resulted had it been correctly delivered. Overall, though, I liked it.]
--"Princess" by T. C. Boyle: This story, about a young somewhat disoriented woman, Tanya, who, after leaving a party, deliriously explores a strange home, feeling like Goldilocks. When she is caught trespassing by the homeowners, though, she claims she’s in her own home, and is arrested. [This story felt like two parts that were disconnected.]
--"Cold Hands Warm Heart" by Josyln Chase: Along with some evidence, hands are discovered that are found to match a previously unidentified body, re-opening a 17 year-old cold case. [I felt this one made sense and was well written].
--"New Kid" in Town by Andrew Child: The story opens with a character named Reacher who interrupts what appears to be a father-on-daughter abusive situation. The story develops from there. [My husband and I liked this one enough to look into whether the tv Reacher series was about the same character. Yes. Good series.]
--"Death at the Sundial Hotel" by Aaron Philip Clark: This is kind of a crusader story that delves into the complexities and daily obstacles of living in America, without citizenship. [It flowed well, but I didn't feel invested in the characters.]
--"Dodge" by Jeffery Deaver: A rookie, Deputy Anthony Lombardi joins forces with Marshal Green to capture a criminal from out of town-but is she really a criminal? [This one kept my interest and was well written]
--"The Landscapers Wife" by Brendan Dubois: Maura and Hiram are neighbors of our protagonist. Hiram is his landscaper and Maura, his housekeeper, but there’s much more to the story. [This one is the most memorable of the set, and my favorite.]
--"Strangers at a Table" by Kerry Hammond: This one is a little reminiscent of “Strangers on a Train” but with enough of its own details to be a different story. [This one also flowed well and kept my interest.]
--"Miller and Bell" by Victor Kreuiter: A few underworld characters, an identity issue, and some deaths to be sorted out. [I wasn't invested in these characters.]
--Two Sharks Walk into a Bar by David Krugler: Hustling is the name of the game in this story. [It kept my interest and was well written]
--"Pobre Maria a Capitan Guillen Mystery of Ecuador" by Tom Larsen: The story begins with a woman who has died in a hospital, but under suspicious circumstances. [A story that starts out with an angry superior insulting his inferiors is bound to make me lose interest—I didn’t follow this one too well.]
--"Playing God" by Avram Lavinsky: An apparent murder-suicide, cryptic notes. [Its an interesting story, but I seem to be too judgmental to appreciate it.]
--"Ears" by Jessi Lewis: Seeing puppies for sale at the side of the road, Ruby’s mother stops to get her daughter a birthday present. Ruby is disappointed when her mother returns with, not a puppy, but the mother of the brood, which she’s already named, Ears, because, well, just look at them. [How can you not like a story with a girl and her dog?]
--"The Smoking Gunners" by Ashley Lister: Beatrix appears to be guilty of murder. Jim rather hopes she’s not. [It kept my interest. I liked it.]
--"Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday" by Sean McClusky: A father receives a call -- his daughter is in the hands of kidnappers and the hunt is on to find her. [It kept my interest.]
--"What the Cat Dragged in" by Michael Mallory: A cat with a camera hanging around it’s neck appears to have caught a murder on camera. [Clever premise for a story.]
--"Sundown" by Lou Manfredo: A sunrise is disturbed, for Suffolk County’s PD detective, Joseph Oliver, as he ponders the reason for the presence of a female corpse along the bank of a stream. [It kept my interest.]
--"The Promise" by Annie Reed: Malachi’s daughter was found murdered near a pile of donated cloths behind a church, and Russel had promised to catch the killer. [Told mostly in past tense by Russel, much of it read like a newspaper story—so I didn’t need to spend much time figuring things out.]
--"Glass" by Anna round: When Marissa tells Eddie to pick up the broken glass, he doesn’t bother to mention he had nothing to do with its presence in the road, before obeying her. They live in the same building and this encounter has broken the ice, so that the next time Eddie sees her he asks her to coffee before he knows what he’s doing, and having been warmed by his earlier acquiescence to her request, she accepts. Meanwhile, a dead body is discovered in their building, and Marissa is worried about fingerprints on a bottle in the decedent’s room. [This one felt a bit contrived to me.]
--"Crime Scene" by Joseph S. Walker: Dealey Plaza; Dallas, Texas and a Kennedy buff are two elements of this story. [It kept my interest and I liked the unique idea of it.]
Bonus Story- "A Bottle of Perrier" by Edith Wharton. A missing host; a butler; and a bottle of Perrier. [I’ve liked Edith Wharton stories, but not so much this one. It could just be that the narrator’s rendition of the butler was hard on my ears.]
OVERALL OPINION: I very much enjoyed Amor Towles’ introduction. It was an excellent explanation of the mystery genre!
A few of these stories were good.

NARRATOR(S):
Sadly, when there are multiple readers, they never tell you who narrated what.

--Keith Sellon-Wright (From IMDb):
Keith Sellon-Wright is known for Almost Heroes (1998), Shameless (2011) and Parks and Recreation (2009).
--Christina Delaine (From IMDb):
Christina Delaine is an accomplished stage and voice actor who has trod the boards of theaters from coast to coast. A SOVAS Voice Arts Award (1 win, 8 nominations) and 8 time AudioFile Earphones Award winner and an Audie Award nominee for audiobook narration, her voice can also be heard in scores of commercials and video games. She has a BA from Dartmouth College, an MFA from Brown University/Trinity Rep and a dog named Boo Radley.
--Terrence Kidd (From Tantor Media):
Terrence Kidd
A seasoned playwright, Terrence Kidd uses his skill as a storyteller to bring life to any genre. He loves narrating nonfiction best, but Terry's engaged, informed, and warm tone illuminates everything from potboiler crime thrillers to romance. A longtime bartender, Terry now narrates from his home studio, punching and rolling, on Massachusetts's North Shore.

GENRE: Mystery Fiction

SAMPLE QUOTATION: Excerpt of Introduction:
“Before you begin reading this anthology, I ask you to join me in honoring that unsung hero of murder mysteries: the cadaver. Male or female, old or young, rich or poor, for over a hundred years the cadaver has been accommodating, gracious, and generally on time. There is no other figure in crime who has proven to be more reliable. Since the murder mystery first gained popularity, there have been two world wars, multiple economic crises, dance crazes and moonshots, the advents of radio, cinema, television, and the internet. Ideas of right and wrong have evolved, tastes have changed, the science of criminology has advanced by leaps and bounds. But through it all, the cadaver has shown up without complaint to do its job. A clock-puncher of the highest order, if you will. Over this time frame, many of our most revered detectives have proven themselves to be rather difficult to work with. They have been variously arrogant, irascible, antisocial, or persnickety. Witnesses have often been skittish or defensive. Many of them have intentionally sowed confusion through lies of commission or omission that spring from their own sins and prejudices. But, decade in and decade out, the cadaver has remembered his lines and hit his mark. This is despite the fact that it has borne the brunt of a thousand humiliations. Never mind that it has been subjected to the most definitive form of violence—homicide. It has then had to lie undiscovered, often in a cellar or back alley overnight. Once the police arrive, our cadaver is poked and prodded, its pockets searched. Having been shuttled to the morgue and laid out on a slab under the unforgiving florescent light, it is cut open, unceremoniously. Almost from the moment the corpse is discovered, it becomes the subject of slander. Friends, family, and acquaintances who tended to be complimentary and discreet when our victim was alive, are suddenly enumerating personal failings and sharing rumors of infidelity or financial malfeasance. And all of this—the loss of life, the autopsies, the recriminations—the cadaver has suffered in silence for over a century, on our behalf.”

RATING: 3.5

STARTED-FINISHED
12/25/2023-1/22/2024

[Chad Manske · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023," edited by Otto Penzler and Amor Towles, is a captivating anthology that serves up a smorgasbord of criminal delights. This collection of 21 recent short stories, plus a bonus tale from 1926, offers something for every mystery aficionado. Towles' introduction pays homage to the unsung hero of mystery fiction: the cadaver. His witty reflection on the reliability of corpses sets the tone for the eclectic mix that follows. From Jeffery Deaver's chess match with a twist to Brendan DuBois' perfectly crafted tale of a wealthy fugitive blackmailed by his gardener, the anthology showcases a range of styles and subgenres. The collection features both established authors like T.C. Boyle and emerging talents such as Jessi Lewis. It even includes appearances by familiar sleuths like Jack Reacher and Sherlock Holmes, alongside fresh and intriguing characters. The diversity in themes, tones, and plot lines ensures that readers will find multiple stories to savor. While not every story may hit the mark for every reader, the overall quality and variety make this anthology a worthy addition to any mystery lover's bookshelf. The bonus story by Edith Wharton from 1926 provides a delightful cherry on top of this literary sundae. In just 500 pages, Penzler and Towles have curated a collection that proves the mystery genre is alive, kicking, and full of surprises. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual reader, this anthology offers a thrilling journey through the best of contemporary mystery writing.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 consists of twenty-one short tales covering several subgenres including noir and modern. As in any anthology, I liked some better than others. As a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, my favourite story was The Adventure of the Misquoted Macbeth by Derrick Balanger and Dodge by Jeffrey Deavers is a definite standout. But, overall, the stories were all enjoyable and it introduced me to a lot of new authors whose books I will definitely look for in the future. I also liked that each story begins with an introduction to the writer and is followed by an explanation of how the writer came up with the idea for the tale, something I, and I expect most mystery readers, often wonder about.

But for me, the absolute best part of this anthology is the introduction by Amor Towles in which he praises the cadaver and its important and changing role in mysteries from the Golden Age to today. I now have much more respect for that sadly too-often overlooked body in the tale.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright, Christina Delaine, and Terence Kidd and they all do a terrific job of bringing the stories to life.

Thanks to Netgalley and Highbridge Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

[Mrs. Read]

Before evaluating The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 it’s only fair to consider the problem it posed to editor Amor Towles: for a long there was an annual series called simply The Best Mystery Stories of the Year, edited by various well-known writers in connection with Otto Penzler. Clones began to appear, each somewhat (or severely!) mutated, all bearing the words “Best,” “Mystery,” and “Stories” in some order,but with different jarring appendages or deformities - “Decade,” “Suspense,” “Year’s,” “American,” and more (Penzler’s usually in there somewhere). The inevitable difficulty of there being this quantity of ‘best’ compilations of, say, 20 stories each, is that someday the number of mystery short stories published in a given year is insufficient* to fill every one of them.** And it is this “someday” that Townes was up against. With the exception of T. C. Boyle’s “Princess,” there’s not a story in the book that’s worth reading, and that includes the brother’s take on Reacher. Don’t bother.

*this is assuming that for reasons of law, ethics, and/or pride none of the editors include stories already selected by other editors

**for the mathematically inclined [this will not be on the test]: q>n/20, where q is the number of ‘Best’ books and n is the total number of stories from which to choose

[Kari Ganske]

I really enjoyed this anthology edited and curated by an amazing author - Amor Towles. I really enjoyed how each story had its own narrator which helped bring those characters alive and set the stories apart. As with any anthology, some of the stories were better (IMO) than others. I felt a few were unfinished or samples of larger/longer stories. I also wondered how some of them made it into a Mystery Story anthology when they didn't seem to fit the definition of a Mystery. As in, they were good stories, but didn't have any mystery in them. I did enjoy that several of the stories had an author's note after which gave some insight into the creation of the story and/or characters. I also really like the authors' bios at the beginning of each story to give a little insight into authors we may not have read before. Overall, very enjoyable. I even found a few that I would love to use in the classroom with my students. My high schoolers LOVE mysteries.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to give my feedback on this advanced reader copy.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology offers a diverse collection of stories meant to cater to a wide range of readers. Jeffery Deaver's "Dodge" is a standout, a thrilling game of cat and mouse that had me on the edge of my seat. Then there's Brendan DuBois's "The Landscaper’s Wife," a traditional mystery that's familiar yet satisfying. And Andrew Child's Jack Reacher tale brings a modern, hard-hitting punch to the mix.

However, not all the pieces in this anthology are a hit. Some aren't mysteries at all, which puzzles me, me given that this is supposed to be a mystery collection. And a few stories don't have a conclusion at all... it's like the authors ran out of steam and thought "Well, good enough. Let's just stop now." As a reader, that's pretty frustrating, to say the least.

Overall, this is book is a mixed bag. If you're a mystery aficionado, this collection is worth a read, just be prepared for the occasional flop.

[Jack Mcloone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any anthology is going to be a mixed bag, but I was pleasantly surprised with the overall quality of this collection. There were really only two duds (“Sundown” and the bonus Edith Warton story) and a few absolutely stunning reads (“Miller and Bell” was a particularly fun ride).

In my attempts to read and better appreciate short stories, this collection is by far my most successful. I think the mystery genre — though a few of the collections here really stretch that definition here, and not in a “fun twist on the form” way — is particularly a fit for it, as the mystery can take center stage while not making itself overly complex for the sake of length. Many of the authors were still able to craft intricate, surprising mysteries given the shorter format.

I’m not sure how more frequent readers of mysteries and/or short stories will feel about this, but I found it overall very fun.

[VT Dorchester · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were, rather surprisingly, several rather noticeable typos in this collection.
Still, I was delighted to pick a copy up from the library book sale rack - and it was in almost-new condition, too - I don't know what they were thinking, selling this for a dollar!

I'm giving this three stars instead of four because as well as the typos, there were a few stories in it that I would argue are not mystery stories (but rather more thrillers.)

My favourite story in this collection was the amusing Pobre Maria: A Capitan Guillen Mystery of Ecuador by Tom Larsen, (even though it was also less a mystery story and more a thriller!) but there were several other mysteries that I also enjoyed a lot, and of the 21 I would say there were only one or two that I didn't much care for at all.

I'm happy to add this to my best mystery stories collection bookshelf!

[Gene Desrochers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this anthology. The last / bonus story by Edith Wharton was a real treat because it started out as something that I didn't like and wound up being spectacular in that it made me wade through thorough language to reach a goal I never had in mind. It was an example of how the journey made the ending worth the wait. It reminded me of the great novel, Dracula, where the reader must wait as Harker slowly, ever so slowly, runs across the darkness almost by accident. The journey, that's what these stories are about and they do it in such a patient, yet chilling fashion that the tale remains in the reader's heart long after the reveal. Among the other tales, I especially jived with "Ears" by Jessi Lewis. While they all had their charms, some resonated more than others, but Amor Towles made good choices in this collection.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for making this audiobook version available to me. Full disclosure, I always read these collections when I come across them. While I don't like every story, I am always more than satisfied when I read an Otto Penzler collection.
This is the first time I have tried to read a "best of" mystery collection as an audiobook and I am pleased with how it was handled. The information about the stories is usually kept separate, but here the information about the authors immediately follows their stories. This was the best way to keep the information together.
The performers were quite good. Short stories can be difficult because they need to get a lot done quickly, but the selections were quite good overall and included some of my favorite mystery writers.

[Blaine Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book on Kindle over three weeks, continuing my annual read of this series. Like the others, this is a buffet of short stories with a common theme. The editors choose from a huge pool of stories and find a wide variety of stories - which means each story (typically consumed in about 30 minutes) causes you to start over. Different characters, different plot but most significantly, different style.

To me the best stories occur when the author drips out details / character evolution slowly. In these cases, you learn just enough about a character to keep going. The story continually holds your interest because you learn more as you go, and you have to adapt to the new information.

If you like reading for enjoyment and discovery, I recommend this buffet.

[Ulker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cant recall the last time i’d read a collection of stories. You know that suspended feeling after you finish a good book? It’s like being in a moment of reflection, lingering in the world the stories created. You have that shock wave more frequently here, after each story.

In overall it’s a collection of well-crafted mysteries and thoughtful storytelling. The combination of Amor Towles' curation and the variety of suspenseful tales make it an engaging mix of intrigue and literary merit.

One important takeaway: stories that explore darker or more tragic themes like crime and death can really make us appreciate the simplicity and peace in our own lives. Amen🙏🏻

[MDM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This annual collection of short stories was surprisingly satisfying. With a little something for everyone, from Sherlock Holmes fans to police procedural groupies, the stories are little tastes of each author's work. Some of the authors are new to the field, and others are very experienced.

The audio is told by a cast, and the voicing was carefully chosen to meet the needs of the stories.

I really enjoyed the collection, and look forward to next year's performance!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the audiobook ARC!

I really enjoy short story collections, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this book. As with any collection, there were some that stood above the rest, including 'Dodge' and 'The Landscaper's Wife". And of course, the Edith Wharton story at the end was a delight. Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple should enjoy the homage stories in the collection as well. And fans of mystery stories will definitely find something to intrigued and delight them.

[Cybercrone · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was pretty excited to get this magazine. Given how happy I was while reading the first I'd read in this series, edited by Sara Paretsky, and what a Towles fan-girl I've become, I could only believe that this edition edited by Towles would blow me away.
Nope.
There wasn't one story that I could review with more than a "Meh!"
Sure wish I'd had the kind of education that would allow me to figure out what it is I like about some books and what I dislike about others, then I could tell you too.
But that isn't going to happen either.

[Tom Burkholder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023, is a compilation of many short mystery stories. The selections are good. A couple felt more like the first chapter of a book and left you hanging. But most were complete short stories with a lot of variety. Nice way to discover new authors. The audio-book narration with three different readers was very good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Luann Mae Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite writers, Amor Towles, chooses 21 of his favorite mystery stories of the year. Each has a brief introduction which I enjoyed and some have a note from the author afterwards which detailed the inspiration for the story. I found it fascinating how a character, conversation or event led to the tale.

Some are longer and these I enjoyed more. Some felt incomplete, way too short. But overall, this collection was a nice break and easy reading.

[Eryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read the entire first one and,
1. It was no mystery.
2. It was like the start of 3 or 4 actually possibly good stores jammed together and not developed
3. It made little sense. There was no end. It just sto

After that highly unsatisfactory start, I read the TOC and realized it was mostly (but not quite) but 74% in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.

What the heck Amor? Why’d you put ur name on this waste? Ugh!

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun collection of stories. I loved listening to it, and they very talented narrators who were able to give the characters a voice, bringing you into the story itself. I think one of my top favorite stories was the Sherlock Holmes short. It can be hard to do justice to Watson and Holmes, but it was very well done.

Hours of great stories and enjoyment! Grab this audio now.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never been a big short story person, but I did find a few here that I really enjoyed - Cold Hands, Warm Heart, New Kid in Town, Landscaper's wife and Ears. I also liked Blind Baseball but if ended on a cliff hanger. Narrators did a good job and I enjoyed the introduction which documented the importance of the cadaver in the mystery genre.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got the audiobook version from NetGalley. I was really happy to have a chance to listen to this. I don't often read mysteries or short stories so it was a nice change of pace for me. There were a few stories that I really enjoyed and a few that I was kind of frustrated at where the ending was. I had never heard of this series of books so I was happy to be introduced to it.