Great Tales of Mystery & Suspense

by Martin H. Greenberg (Editor), Barry N. Malzberg (Editor / Contributor), Bill Pronzini (Editor / Contributor)

Gathers forty-two stories by Poe, Twain, Ambler, Queen, Carr, Ellin, Macdonald, Marsh, McBain, Oates, and Malamund

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Martin Harry Greenberg was an American academic and speculative fiction anthologist. In all, he compiled 1,298 anthologies and commissioned over 8,200 original short stories. He founded Tekno Books, a packager of more than 2000 published books. In addition, he was a co-founder of the Sci-Fi Channel.

For the 1950s anthologist and publisher of Gnome Press, see Martin Greenberg.

Reviews

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories from known, unknown, and pulp writers. For the most part, these are interesting but, as is the case in most collections, there are some that are.........well, stinkers.

But there is one story that grabbed me for some reason and I read it twice. It is Cat's-Paw by Stanley Ellin. The title refers to the term "cats paw" which means a dupe or an unwitting tool of another. A man has lost his job and is searching the adverts for a position. He sees one which requires all the qualifications that he has. He very carefully prepares his application and submits it. In just a few days he receives a telephone call from a man who does not identify himself. After a in-depth interview, he is told that the job is his and that an office will be ready for him the next day. There are rather strict rules surrounding the job but he does not question them. And then the story begins. I don't know what it was about this story that was so terrific but I will be looking for more works by this author.

This is a good in-between book that can be read in short spurts and I recommend it to the mystery lover.

[Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of vintage mysteries.

[Pt Bunch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good writing doesn't necessarily make good reading. The book moves from classic mystery stories with hints of darkness to stories of downright awful horror. If you are into stories of children being skinned for leather or brutally murdered by mentally ill mothers, this is the book for you. Not my thing at all-hence the 2 stars.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good stories in there (the stories by Ngaio Marsh and Erle Stanley Gardener are probably the best), but good golly the last dozen or so are dreadful.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As suggested by the title, this is an anthology of mystery short stories from the 20th century. Often suspenseful, with sometimes flat-out shocking conclusions. A few of them I would like to see on film, though I don't know how to transfer it while keeping the integrity of the original format.

In any case, some stories aren't quite clear in how they end, but many are worth checking out on their own.

[Fritz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories were excellent. A few were duds. One or two had to be ripped out so that my kids can't ever read them - why include that stuff, guys?

Overall, though, a good read.

[Don]

added
11/24/2008