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Death Sentences: Stories of Deathly Books, Murderous Booksellers and Lethal Literature
'What treats you have in store!' IAN RANKIN.
Sigmund Freud deals with an unwelcome visitor; Columbo confronts a murderous bookseller; a Mexican cartel kingpin with a fatal weakness for rare books; deadly secrets deep in the London Library: who knew literature could be so lethal? Here are 15 short stories to die for from the world's best crime writers.
With an introduction from Ian Rankin, DEATH SENTENCES includes original, specially commissioned stories about deadly books from Jeffrey Deaver, Andrew Taylor, Laura Lippman, C.J. Box, Anne Perry, Ken Bruen, Thomas H. Cook, Micky Spillaine & Max Adam Collins, Nelson DeMille and John Connolly.
Sigmund Freud deals with an unwelcome visitor; Columbo confronts a murderous bookseller; a Mexican cartel kingpin with a fatal weakness for rare books; deadly secrets deep in the London Library: who knew literature could be so lethal? Here are 15 short stories to die for from the world's best crime writers.
With an introduction from Ian Rankin, DEATH SENTENCES includes original, specially commissioned stories about deadly books from Jeffrey Deaver, Andrew Taylor, Laura Lippman, C.J. Box, Anne Perry, Ken Bruen, Thomas H. Cook, Micky Spillaine & Max Adam Collins, Nelson DeMille and John Connolly.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
27 people are currently reading
2554 people want to read
About the author
Otto Penzler
374 books532 followersOtto Penzler is an editor of mystery fiction in the United States, and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City, where he lives.
Otto Penzler founded The Mysteriour Press in 1975 and was the publisher of The Armchair Detective, the Edgar-winning quarterly journal devoted to the study of mystery and suspense fiction, for seventeen years.
Penzler has won two Edgar Awards, for The Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection in 1977, and The Lineup in 2010. The Mystery Writers of America awarded him the prestigious Ellery Queen Award in 1994, and the Raven--the group's highest non-writing award--in 2003.
Otto Penzler founded The Mysteriour Press in 1975 and was the publisher of The Armchair Detective, the Edgar-winning quarterly journal devoted to the study of mystery and suspense fiction, for seventeen years.
Penzler has won two Edgar Awards, for The Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection in 1977, and The Lineup in 2010. The Mystery Writers of America awarded him the prestigious Ellery Queen Award in 1994, and the Raven--the group's highest non-writing award--in 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
August 1, 2020
”If you open your dictionary, you will discover that there is no such word as ‘bibliomystery.’ However, most mystery readers knew that the word refers to a mystery story that involves the world of books: a rare volume, a bookshop, a library, a collector or a bookseller.”
I do believe it is time that bibliomystery be recognized by every dictionary as...yes indeed...a word.
There are a couple of stories in this anthology dealing with...death by bookcase. I do often wonder as I wander deep into the bowels of my library if a falling bookcase might be my own demise. Colombo, in one story, is trying to trap a murderous bookseller, giving his trademark dumb act to be smart. One of my favorites is of a Mexican cartel drug lord who has a penchant for first editions. The tension for me ratchets up as I start to fear for his book collection as his enemies plot to kill him. Watch the fucking books, you philistines! There are stories dealing with hidden messages in the text of books and secrets buried deep in the vaults of libraries. A trail of clues might lead one to treasure or death. Sigmund Freud has an unexpected and insidious visitor who smells of sulphur and that very special cologne of fear that followed the SS wherever they went. I almost need a shower after reading that story. There is certainly something for everyone in this collection...what am I saying? Of course, there is. For after all, don’t we all like books, and don’t we all like murders most foul?
Otto Penzler, who is the owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York, edited this volume of stories, and he called upon the top names in the field, writers who are very familiar with the bestseller list. It is sort of interesting to read them all in one place because I find, with a few exceptions, that really their writing styles are very similar. There does seem to be a certain formula of style to be a bestselling author. Regardless, the star of most of these stories is the clever plotting. I read these stories sort of scattershot. One here, one there, between long reading bouts in other books. They are like a cookie treat between bigger meals.
The book finishes with a blast from the past for me. I have not read a story with Nelson Demille’s wisecracking John Corey in a long time and was pleasantly surprised that I still find his acerbic musings so entertaining. If you haven’t read Plum Island and need a book for a trip, although travel these days has become almost impossible, or the perfect beach read, although beaches have become very dangerous, virus-ridden places...is the concept of a beach read a relic of a bygone year? Well, if you could do those things, Plum Island would be the perfect companion. Maybe on second thought, it would be best if you just stay home in the safety of your favorite reading chair and let your mind do all the traveling.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/
I do believe it is time that bibliomystery be recognized by every dictionary as...yes indeed...a word.
There are a couple of stories in this anthology dealing with...death by bookcase. I do often wonder as I wander deep into the bowels of my library if a falling bookcase might be my own demise. Colombo, in one story, is trying to trap a murderous bookseller, giving his trademark dumb act to be smart. One of my favorites is of a Mexican cartel drug lord who has a penchant for first editions. The tension for me ratchets up as I start to fear for his book collection as his enemies plot to kill him. Watch the fucking books, you philistines! There are stories dealing with hidden messages in the text of books and secrets buried deep in the vaults of libraries. A trail of clues might lead one to treasure or death. Sigmund Freud has an unexpected and insidious visitor who smells of sulphur and that very special cologne of fear that followed the SS wherever they went. I almost need a shower after reading that story. There is certainly something for everyone in this collection...what am I saying? Of course, there is. For after all, don’t we all like books, and don’t we all like murders most foul?
Otto Penzler, who is the owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York, edited this volume of stories, and he called upon the top names in the field, writers who are very familiar with the bestseller list. It is sort of interesting to read them all in one place because I find, with a few exceptions, that really their writing styles are very similar. There does seem to be a certain formula of style to be a bestselling author. Regardless, the star of most of these stories is the clever plotting. I read these stories sort of scattershot. One here, one there, between long reading bouts in other books. They are like a cookie treat between bigger meals.
The book finishes with a blast from the past for me. I have not read a story with Nelson Demille’s wisecracking John Corey in a long time and was pleasantly surprised that I still find his acerbic musings so entertaining. If you haven’t read Plum Island and need a book for a trip, although travel these days has become almost impossible, or the perfect beach read, although beaches have become very dangerous, virus-ridden places...is the concept of a beach read a relic of a bygone year? Well, if you could do those things, Plum Island would be the perfect companion. Maybe on second thought, it would be best if you just stay home in the safety of your favorite reading chair and let your mind do all the traveling.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/
January 18, 2021
EXCERPT: They'd met last night for the first time and now, mid-morning, they were finally starting to let go a bit, to relax, to trust each other. Almost to trust each other.
Such is the way it works when you are partnered with a stranger on a mission to kill. (An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver)
ABOUT 'BIBLIOMYSTERIES Volume One': If you open your dictionary, you will discover that there is no such word as “bibliomystery.” However, most mystery readers know that the word refers to a mystery story that involves the world of books: a bookshop, a rare volume, a library, a collector, or a bookseller.
The stories in this unique collection were commissioned by the Mysterious Bookshop. They were written by some of the mystery genre’s most distinguished authors. Tough guys like Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Loren D. Estleman, and Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. Bestsellers like Nelson DeMille, Anne Perry, and Jeffery Deaver. Edgar winners such as C. J. Box, Thomas H. Cook, and Laura Lippman.
Here you will discover Sigmund Freud dealing with an unwelcome visitor; Columbo confronting a murderous bookseller; a Mexican cartel kingpin with a fatal weakness for rare books; and deadly secrets deep in the London Library; plus books with hidden messages, beguiling booksellers, crafty collectors, and a magical library that is guaranteed to enchant you. The stories have been published in seven languages—one has sold more than 250,000 copies as an e-book (“The Book Case” by Nelson DeMille)—and another won the Edgar Allan Poe Award as the Best Short Story of the Year (“The Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository” by John Connolly).
MY THOUGHTS: This is a mostly excellent collection of short stories with books and mysteries at their centre. There is a mix of contemporary and historical fiction. There were a couple of stories that I felt weren't really mysteries at all, but the high quality of the others eclipsed them.
My favourite story was 'The Book of Virtue' by Ken Bruen; the story I liked the least was 'The Final Testament' by Peter Blaumer.
The stories are: An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver ⭐⭐⭐
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box ⭐⭐⭐
The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Book of Ghosts by Reed Farrell Coleman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Final Testament by Peter Blaumer ⭐⭐
What's in a Name by Thomas H. Cook ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book Club by Lauren D. Estleman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Death Leaves a Bookmark by William Link ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Book Thing by Laura Lippman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Scroll by Anne Perry ⭐⭐⭐.5
It's In the Book by Mickey Spillane and Max Allen Collins ⭐⭐⭐.5
The Long Sonata of the Dead by Andrew Taylor ⭐⭐⭐.5
Rides a Stranger by David Bell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository by John Connolly ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Book Case by Nelson De Mille ⭐⭐⭐
David Thomas May did an excellent job of narrating the stories. He had an awful lot of different voices to portray and did so admirably.
Please note: some books are harmed in the telling of these stories.
Overall a ⭐⭐⭐⭐.6 rating
#BibliomysteriesVolume1HighBridgeAudio #NetGalley
EDITOR: Otto Penzler is an editor of mystery fiction in the United States, and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City, where he lives.
Otto Penzler founded The Mysteriour Press in 1975 and was the publisher of The Armchair Detective, the Edgar-winning quarterly journal devoted to the study of mystery and suspense fiction, for seventeen years.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HighBridge Audio via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Bibliomysteries Volume 1 for review. Publication date 05 January 2021.
All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Such is the way it works when you are partnered with a stranger on a mission to kill. (An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver)
ABOUT 'BIBLIOMYSTERIES Volume One': If you open your dictionary, you will discover that there is no such word as “bibliomystery.” However, most mystery readers know that the word refers to a mystery story that involves the world of books: a bookshop, a rare volume, a library, a collector, or a bookseller.
The stories in this unique collection were commissioned by the Mysterious Bookshop. They were written by some of the mystery genre’s most distinguished authors. Tough guys like Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Loren D. Estleman, and Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. Bestsellers like Nelson DeMille, Anne Perry, and Jeffery Deaver. Edgar winners such as C. J. Box, Thomas H. Cook, and Laura Lippman.
Here you will discover Sigmund Freud dealing with an unwelcome visitor; Columbo confronting a murderous bookseller; a Mexican cartel kingpin with a fatal weakness for rare books; and deadly secrets deep in the London Library; plus books with hidden messages, beguiling booksellers, crafty collectors, and a magical library that is guaranteed to enchant you. The stories have been published in seven languages—one has sold more than 250,000 copies as an e-book (“The Book Case” by Nelson DeMille)—and another won the Edgar Allan Poe Award as the Best Short Story of the Year (“The Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository” by John Connolly).
MY THOUGHTS: This is a mostly excellent collection of short stories with books and mysteries at their centre. There is a mix of contemporary and historical fiction. There were a couple of stories that I felt weren't really mysteries at all, but the high quality of the others eclipsed them.
My favourite story was 'The Book of Virtue' by Ken Bruen; the story I liked the least was 'The Final Testament' by Peter Blaumer.
The stories are: An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver ⭐⭐⭐
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box ⭐⭐⭐
The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Book of Ghosts by Reed Farrell Coleman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Final Testament by Peter Blaumer ⭐⭐
What's in a Name by Thomas H. Cook ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book Club by Lauren D. Estleman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Death Leaves a Bookmark by William Link ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Book Thing by Laura Lippman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Scroll by Anne Perry ⭐⭐⭐.5
It's In the Book by Mickey Spillane and Max Allen Collins ⭐⭐⭐.5
The Long Sonata of the Dead by Andrew Taylor ⭐⭐⭐.5
Rides a Stranger by David Bell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository by John Connolly ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Book Case by Nelson De Mille ⭐⭐⭐
David Thomas May did an excellent job of narrating the stories. He had an awful lot of different voices to portray and did so admirably.
Please note: some books are harmed in the telling of these stories.
Overall a ⭐⭐⭐⭐.6 rating
#BibliomysteriesVolume1HighBridgeAudio #NetGalley
EDITOR: Otto Penzler is an editor of mystery fiction in the United States, and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City, where he lives.
Otto Penzler founded The Mysteriour Press in 1975 and was the publisher of The Armchair Detective, the Edgar-winning quarterly journal devoted to the study of mystery and suspense fiction, for seventeen years.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HighBridge Audio via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Bibliomysteries Volume 1 for review. Publication date 05 January 2021.
All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 23, 2022
I really enjoyed this paperback tome of "deathly books, murderous booksellers and lethal literature". Bring me all the bibliomysteries (this book so aptly names such stories)!
I was originally looking for Death Sentences: Stories of Deathly Books, Murderous Booksellers and Lethal Literature edited by Otto Penzler & introduced by Ian Rankin. That volume has 15 short stories. Somehow this was listed as a paperback edition of that book and as I couldn't get a digital copy, I bought this paperback. It's very near but has 20 stories with some overlap with the 15 stories in the original edition. This is a 2019 UK-published revised edition and clocks in at 821 pages so I decided to dip in and out over time. I enjoyed most and as always with anthologies, the overall feel varies by the reader. I did find authors new to me who I will seek out to read for longer works and that's always good.
Also, I have to give points on the cover art. For any who follows my reviews, you know I am an avid reader of the reissues of the British Library Crime Classics and my eye is automatically drawn to the overlay square with the title and neat art. There are other publishers using the same style for mysteries (some old, some new but all classic crime themed) and I admit to snapping up those titles when tempted. So too this book isn't BL but I was captivated by the cover with Compartment C, Car 293, 1938 (oil on canvas) by Edward Hopper. I just love it and I'm glad to have it on my bookcase.
I had detailed comments for each story but that made the review far longer than I wanted to type so here are my favourites:
An Acceptable Sacrifice- Jeffery Deaver - a story of two agents, an American and Mexican working to eliminate a drug baron (or is he?) who happens to be an avid collector of books. I had serious anxiety over the 22,000-volume library being torched in the operation. A very good short story.
Great quotes from this story:
"There was a huge U.S automobile manufacturer here in Hermosillo and Cuchillo had made much of his fortune by supplying parts to the company. It would employ another 400 local workers. Though he benefitted from their foolishness, he couldn't understand the Americans' sending manufacturing away from their country. He would never do that. Business- no, all of life- was about loyalty."
"You can kill drug barons and their henchmen with impunity; 20,000 destroyed classics were not acceptable sacrifices. That was the sort of mar from which careers do not recover."
The Book Thing by Laura Lippman - Poses questions about physical versus digital books. Tess helps an Indie bookshop owner whose book inventory keeps shrinking. A lovely story that made me think about my own book collection (analog & digital) and about how books are shared, discovered, loved, collected (and sometimes ignored- the worst possibility). Three cheers for William and Baltimore's The Book Thing (a real-world place).
As I consider I have this book in paperback because digital wasn't available when I bought it. At 800+ pages my wrists weep (rheumatoid arthritis). It's not that I don't value paper books, it's my malady that limits me if that's all that's available. There was also discussion of limited food delivery in North Baltimore (a pre-pandemic story surely, before the rise of the delivery apps nationwide).
While I think it's wrong to peruse brick & mortar and then shop virtual, I do admit to using Goodreads/Amazon to find books or take suggestions and then buy from Brick mortar or Indies online or borrowing at the library. Am I ripping off Amazon by using them as "a curator of sorts"? Sauce. Geese. Ganders. (I actually do pay for Kindle Unlimited so Amazon does get its share of my designated book money). This made me think and I appreciated that.
It's in the Book by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins - Good story. Hammer is tasked by police and gangsters to retrieve the ledger of a recently deceased organized crime Don. It's my first read of Spillane's Mike Hammer (my father was a fan & I now see why).
The Log Sonata of the Dead by Andrew Taylor -based on the point that character, Adam, once used a slice of bacon as a bookmark (worse on a borrowed book) I hoped he should be dead by story's end. Great story with a great twist. the protagonist is patsy as a young man & again as an older one. a story of research lost love and playing the fool. good story.
Great quote from the story: "He was careless about his possessions, she said, just as he was careless about people."
Caxton Book Depository & Lending Library by John Connolly - A library like a TARDIS (bigger inside than outside) with originals and manuscripts where characters come to live after coming to life & the library chooses its librarians. Fantastic story. I loved it so much I actually read passages aloud to my husband and mother-in-law (she's always interested in what I'm reading and we often chat about books) during a family weekend getaway. They loved the passages.
The Book Case by Nelson DeMille - A great story of a detective who arrives on the scene of a bookseller at The Dead End book shop, felled by a bookcase in his office. Accident or murder? Such fun puzzling out and I liked the narrator's voice. It was nice to find out this character is the lead in a book series, so I've added those books to my TBR.
Remaindered by Peter Lovesy - bookseller Robert Ripple is dead. Taken out by a bad heart and a large box of hard-backed original Christies. Tanya Tripp the bookshop assistant handles his last affairs and reluctantly the bookshop. There was a lot more going on at the bookshop than at first glance. Very well done.
Mystery, Inc. by Joyce Carol Oates - two stories with the theme of hunter and prey. Really enjoyed the first one about the bookstore. The second was well written but being inside the mind of a child predator put me off too much.
Stories I really enjoyed but have mislaid my notes on atm:
The Sequel by R.L. Stine
The Little Men by Megan Abbott
Every Seven Years by Denise Mina
The Travelling Companion by Ian Rankin
Seven Years by Peter Robinson
Reconciliation Day by Christoper Fowler
Hoodoo Harry by Joe R. Lonsdale
Remainder of stories in this edition (not much enjoyed by me):
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box
The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen
The Scroll by Anne Perry
The Compendium of Srem by F. Paul Wilson
Citadel by Stephen Hunter
Recommended.
I was originally looking for Death Sentences: Stories of Deathly Books, Murderous Booksellers and Lethal Literature edited by Otto Penzler & introduced by Ian Rankin. That volume has 15 short stories. Somehow this was listed as a paperback edition of that book and as I couldn't get a digital copy, I bought this paperback. It's very near but has 20 stories with some overlap with the 15 stories in the original edition. This is a 2019 UK-published revised edition and clocks in at 821 pages so I decided to dip in and out over time. I enjoyed most and as always with anthologies, the overall feel varies by the reader. I did find authors new to me who I will seek out to read for longer works and that's always good.
Also, I have to give points on the cover art. For any who follows my reviews, you know I am an avid reader of the reissues of the British Library Crime Classics and my eye is automatically drawn to the overlay square with the title and neat art. There are other publishers using the same style for mysteries (some old, some new but all classic crime themed) and I admit to snapping up those titles when tempted. So too this book isn't BL but I was captivated by the cover with Compartment C, Car 293, 1938 (oil on canvas) by Edward Hopper. I just love it and I'm glad to have it on my bookcase.
I had detailed comments for each story but that made the review far longer than I wanted to type so here are my favourites:
An Acceptable Sacrifice- Jeffery Deaver - a story of two agents, an American and Mexican working to eliminate a drug baron (or is he?) who happens to be an avid collector of books. I had serious anxiety over the 22,000-volume library being torched in the operation. A very good short story.
Great quotes from this story:
"There was a huge U.S automobile manufacturer here in Hermosillo and Cuchillo had made much of his fortune by supplying parts to the company. It would employ another 400 local workers. Though he benefitted from their foolishness, he couldn't understand the Americans' sending manufacturing away from their country. He would never do that. Business- no, all of life- was about loyalty."
"You can kill drug barons and their henchmen with impunity; 20,000 destroyed classics were not acceptable sacrifices. That was the sort of mar from which careers do not recover."
The Book Thing by Laura Lippman - Poses questions about physical versus digital books. Tess helps an Indie bookshop owner whose book inventory keeps shrinking. A lovely story that made me think about my own book collection (analog & digital) and about how books are shared, discovered, loved, collected (and sometimes ignored- the worst possibility). Three cheers for William and Baltimore's The Book Thing (a real-world place).
As I consider I have this book in paperback because digital wasn't available when I bought it. At 800+ pages my wrists weep (rheumatoid arthritis). It's not that I don't value paper books, it's my malady that limits me if that's all that's available. There was also discussion of limited food delivery in North Baltimore (a pre-pandemic story surely, before the rise of the delivery apps nationwide).
While I think it's wrong to peruse brick & mortar and then shop virtual, I do admit to using Goodreads/Amazon to find books or take suggestions and then buy from Brick mortar or Indies online or borrowing at the library. Am I ripping off Amazon by using them as "a curator of sorts"? Sauce. Geese. Ganders. (I actually do pay for Kindle Unlimited so Amazon does get its share of my designated book money). This made me think and I appreciated that.
It's in the Book by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins - Good story. Hammer is tasked by police and gangsters to retrieve the ledger of a recently deceased organized crime Don. It's my first read of Spillane's Mike Hammer (my father was a fan & I now see why).
The Log Sonata of the Dead by Andrew Taylor -based on the point that character, Adam, once used a slice of bacon as a bookmark (worse on a borrowed book) I hoped he should be dead by story's end. Great story with a great twist. the protagonist is patsy as a young man & again as an older one. a story of research lost love and playing the fool. good story.
Great quote from the story: "He was careless about his possessions, she said, just as he was careless about people."
Caxton Book Depository & Lending Library by John Connolly - A library like a TARDIS (bigger inside than outside) with originals and manuscripts where characters come to live after coming to life & the library chooses its librarians. Fantastic story. I loved it so much I actually read passages aloud to my husband and mother-in-law (she's always interested in what I'm reading and we often chat about books) during a family weekend getaway. They loved the passages.
The Book Case by Nelson DeMille - A great story of a detective who arrives on the scene of a bookseller at The Dead End book shop, felled by a bookcase in his office. Accident or murder? Such fun puzzling out and I liked the narrator's voice. It was nice to find out this character is the lead in a book series, so I've added those books to my TBR.
Remaindered by Peter Lovesy - bookseller Robert Ripple is dead. Taken out by a bad heart and a large box of hard-backed original Christies. Tanya Tripp the bookshop assistant handles his last affairs and reluctantly the bookshop. There was a lot more going on at the bookshop than at first glance. Very well done.
Mystery, Inc. by Joyce Carol Oates - two stories with the theme of hunter and prey. Really enjoyed the first one about the bookstore. The second was well written but being inside the mind of a child predator put me off too much.
Stories I really enjoyed but have mislaid my notes on atm:
The Sequel by R.L. Stine
The Little Men by Megan Abbott
Every Seven Years by Denise Mina
The Travelling Companion by Ian Rankin
Seven Years by Peter Robinson
Reconciliation Day by Christoper Fowler
Hoodoo Harry by Joe R. Lonsdale
Remainder of stories in this edition (not much enjoyed by me):
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box
The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen
The Scroll by Anne Perry
The Compendium of Srem by F. Paul Wilson
Citadel by Stephen Hunter
Recommended.
July 22, 2023
Outstanding collection of short stories highlighting bibliophiles. Excellent collections performed masterfully. 10 of 10 stars
January 5, 2021
This is an excellent audiobook, perfect for lovers of mysteries and especially of mysteries featuring books. Comprised of fourteen short stories by a star studded list of authors (see below), expertly narrated by Daniel Thomas May, every story featured a mystery involving a book, library or bookshop and in one case an ancient scroll. All were very original and totally different from each other, sometimes featuring well loved investigators (such as Columbo and Mike Hammer) or historical characters (such as Sigmund Freud). I'd be hard pressed to name a favourite as I enjoyed them all very much. Listening to them while doing my Christmas baking made that task added very much to the pleasure of that task. I was also pleased to note there is a volume 2 of Bibliomysteries and hope that will also be available as an audiobook in the future.
The list of authors: Jeffery Deaver, C.J. Box, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Peter Blauner, Thomas H. Cook, Loren D. Estleman, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry, Mickey Spillane, Max Allan Collins, Andrew Taylor, David Bell
With many thanks to High Bridge Audio and Netgalley for a copy to listen to
The list of authors: Jeffery Deaver, C.J. Box, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Peter Blauner, Thomas H. Cook, Loren D. Estleman, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry, Mickey Spillane, Max Allan Collins, Andrew Taylor, David Bell
With many thanks to High Bridge Audio and Netgalley for a copy to listen to
Want to read
October 19, 2017 Contents:
xxx - Introduction by Ian Rankin
003 - "An Acceptable Sacrifice " by Jeffery Deaver
043 - "Pronghorns of the Third Reich" by C.J. Box
069 - "The Book of Virtue" by Ken Bruen
093 - "The Book of Ghosts" by Reed Farrel Coleman
121 - "The Final Testament" by Peter Blauner
151 - "What's In A Name? " by Thomas H. Cook
179 - "Book Club" by Loren D. Estleman
203 - "Death Leaves A Bookmark" by William Link
231 - "The Book Thing" by Laura Lippman
257 - "The Scroll" by Anne Perry
293 - "It's In the Book" by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins
333 - "The Long Sonata of the Dead" by Andrew Taylor
361 - "Rides A Stranger" by David Bell
413 - "The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository"by John Connolly
471 - "The Book Case" by Nelson DeMille.
xxx - Introduction by Ian Rankin
003 - "An Acceptable Sacrifice " by Jeffery Deaver
043 - "Pronghorns of the Third Reich" by C.J. Box
069 - "The Book of Virtue" by Ken Bruen
093 - "The Book of Ghosts" by Reed Farrel Coleman
121 - "The Final Testament" by Peter Blauner
151 - "What's In A Name? " by Thomas H. Cook
179 - "Book Club" by Loren D. Estleman
203 - "Death Leaves A Bookmark" by William Link
231 - "The Book Thing" by Laura Lippman
257 - "The Scroll" by Anne Perry
293 - "It's In the Book" by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins
333 - "The Long Sonata of the Dead" by Andrew Taylor
361 - "Rides A Stranger" by David Bell
413 - "The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository"by John Connolly
471 - "The Book Case" by Nelson DeMille.
October 8, 2025
October 7, 2025 Update Under Trivia and Links, I've added the link to the Goodreads Listopia to replace the Goodreads Series which I had created and which was destroyed by Goodreads. 😡
A Series of Deadly Book Stories
A review of the Pegasus Crime hardcover (August 8, 2017) collecting 15 individual short stories as published by the Mysterious Bookshop / Mysterious Press (2011-2013).
[3.33 average rating of the 15 stories, rounded down to a GR 3 star]
Really this felt more like a 4 star, but 2 or 3 stories dragged down the rating. Overall I quite enjoyed it and a few of these were terrific discoveries of writers that I had never previously read. Note that the order in this anthology collection is not the order of first publication. The placement has been adjusted in order to open and close on some of the better stories.
The Bibliomysteries series are short stories commissioned by Otto Penzler's The Mysterious Press to be written around the theme of deadly books. They are individually published in limited edition signed hardcovers followed by paperbacks and ebooks, and periodically collected in anthology editions such as Bibliomysteries (2017, containing stories 1-15) and Bibliomysteries: Volume Two (2018, containing stories 16-30).
I had read 4 of the 15 stories here previously and rather than chase the rest I was conveniently able to source this anthology collection from the Toronto Public Library. The following are individual ratings and synopses without spoilers. I've also linked to the 4 earlier reviews.
1. An Acceptable Sacrifice (#7 - 2012) **** by Jeffery Deaver. A Mexican and American agent find a way into a cartel boss’s inner sanctum by tempting the bibliophile with a rare copy of Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop (1840). Originally reviewed as What the Dickens?.
2. Pronghorns of the Third Reich (#5 – 2012) ** by C.J. Box. Two down on their luck ranch hands kidnap a lawyer in order to steal a rare book collection. There is a ridiculous background to this one, which can be deduced from the title.
3. The Book of Virtue (#1 – 2011) * by Ken Bruen. A read dud with a 17-year-old bouncer ensnared by a 25-year-old femme fatale. Ridiculous spelling errors on various name-dropped actors and writers, which this 2017 anthology couldn’t even be arsed to correct from the 2011 original. Originally reviewed as A Travesty of Errors.
4. The Book of Ghosts (#2 - 2011) *** by Reed Farrel Coleman. A concentration camp survivor has been lying about a supposed “Book of Ghosts” written by a fellow prisoner who did not survive. But 70 years later his lie may be revealed to the world.
5. The Final Testament (#11 - 2013) **** by Peter Blauner. A dying Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) in 1939 London is confronted by a Nazi conspiracy to appropriate and distort his final work, the controversial Moses and Monotheism. The author’s afterword explains that Nazi official Anton Sauerwald was a real person who did actually help to facilitate the Freud family’s escape from Nazi occupied Austria, although this story is fictionalized.
6. What’s In A Name? (#14 - 2013) **** by Thomas H. Cook. In an alternative history story, two German veterans of WWI meet in America in 1968. WW2 never happened. One of the men is a bibliophile and the other is a down on his heels tramp who carries around his memoir manuscript. Many readers will guess who the tramp is and the title of the book before it ends.
7. Book Club (#8 - 2012) *** by Loren D. Estleman. A book store owner and book club leader is consulted by the police when a local bibliophile is murdered and a rare volume from his extensive library has gone missing.
8. Death Leaves a Bookmark (#6 - 2012) *** by William Link. A ne’er do well nephew murders his rich bookstore owner uncle with a book case and an art book, but he didn’t expect Detective Columbo to be on the case. Yes! That Columbo! TV writer William Link (1933-2020) was the co-creator of the TV series character played by Peter Falk.
9. The Book Thing (#9 - 2012) *** by Laura Lippman. Investigator Tess Monaghan looks into why books are disappearing from a children’s book store. Her solution is helped by Baltimore’s The Book Thing which is a real-life free book outlet. The books aren’t actually “deadly” in this one.
10. The Scroll (#3 - 2011) **** by Anne Perry. Through an estate sale, a mysterious scroll comes into the possession of a rare book dealer. Various suspicious buyers want to acquire it, each for their own ends. The scroll itself can’t be photocopied or photographed for some reason. Finally, a fateful auction is held.
11. It’s in the Book (#15 – 2013) ** by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins. A mafioso don dies and a supposed ledger where he kept a record of his bribes and payoffs is missing and both the Feds & the Mob need to find it. This was an unfinished Mike Hammer story at the time of Spillane’s passing, later completed by Collins. It had a letdown ending. Reviewed earlier as Hammer Time.
12. The Long Sonata of the Dead (#10 – 2013) **** by Andrew Taylor. Two rivals from back in University days turn out to both be researching the work of an obscure (fictional) poet, who apparently originated the line “the long sonata of the dead”, later used by Samuel Beckett. The less successful writer sees a chance to perhaps regain his lost love who married the more successful writer.
13. Rides a Stranger (#13 – 2013) ***** by David Bell. Really terrific story about a son discovering that his father had written a pulp western novel in his youth which, due to its limited print run, now has an extraordinary rarity value. Others are hoping to acquire the few existing copies, some who will stop at nothing to do so.
14. The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository (#12 - 2013) **** by John Connolly. This has been my absolute favourite of the Bibliomysteries series. I had already read it separately and reviewed it at length as A Bibliophile’s Delight.
15. The Book Case (#4 - 2012) **** by Nelson DeMille. We follow the deductions and thinking of the detective when he investigates an apparent accident at a book store which may turn out to be murder. A good police procedural, although sometimes marred by juvenile asides e.g. “my tummy was growling.”
Trivia and Links
I have deleted my previously constructed link to a Goodreads
Book Series for the Bibliomysteries
. There is a Goodreads small print that says that short stories are not to be made into a numbered series of integers but must rather be in decimals. Currently I'm not inclined to recreate the series as .01, .02, .03 etc.
In the meantime, you can see a Listopia that features the 42 books here. Note that the Listopia is not in order of publication, see the link below for that.
At the Mysterious Bookshop the current listing (as of early February 2025) includes 42 volumes. Note that book #31 Christopher Fowler's Reconciliation Day (2017) seems to have been accidentally dropped from that list. As the most recent entry Peter Swanson's The Honeymoon Trap (#42) is from 2022, the series may have ended.
A Series of Deadly Book Stories
A review of the Pegasus Crime hardcover (August 8, 2017) collecting 15 individual short stories as published by the Mysterious Bookshop / Mysterious Press (2011-2013).
[3.33 average rating of the 15 stories, rounded down to a GR 3 star]
Really this felt more like a 4 star, but 2 or 3 stories dragged down the rating. Overall I quite enjoyed it and a few of these were terrific discoveries of writers that I had never previously read. Note that the order in this anthology collection is not the order of first publication. The placement has been adjusted in order to open and close on some of the better stories.
The Bibliomysteries series are short stories commissioned by Otto Penzler's The Mysterious Press to be written around the theme of deadly books. They are individually published in limited edition signed hardcovers followed by paperbacks and ebooks, and periodically collected in anthology editions such as Bibliomysteries (2017, containing stories 1-15) and Bibliomysteries: Volume Two (2018, containing stories 16-30).
I had read 4 of the 15 stories here previously and rather than chase the rest I was conveniently able to source this anthology collection from the Toronto Public Library. The following are individual ratings and synopses without spoilers. I've also linked to the 4 earlier reviews.
1. An Acceptable Sacrifice (#7 - 2012) **** by Jeffery Deaver. A Mexican and American agent find a way into a cartel boss’s inner sanctum by tempting the bibliophile with a rare copy of Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop (1840). Originally reviewed as What the Dickens?.
2. Pronghorns of the Third Reich (#5 – 2012) ** by C.J. Box. Two down on their luck ranch hands kidnap a lawyer in order to steal a rare book collection. There is a ridiculous background to this one, which can be deduced from the title.
3. The Book of Virtue (#1 – 2011) * by Ken Bruen. A read dud with a 17-year-old bouncer ensnared by a 25-year-old femme fatale. Ridiculous spelling errors on various name-dropped actors and writers, which this 2017 anthology couldn’t even be arsed to correct from the 2011 original. Originally reviewed as A Travesty of Errors.
4. The Book of Ghosts (#2 - 2011) *** by Reed Farrel Coleman. A concentration camp survivor has been lying about a supposed “Book of Ghosts” written by a fellow prisoner who did not survive. But 70 years later his lie may be revealed to the world.
5. The Final Testament (#11 - 2013) **** by Peter Blauner. A dying Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) in 1939 London is confronted by a Nazi conspiracy to appropriate and distort his final work, the controversial Moses and Monotheism. The author’s afterword explains that Nazi official Anton Sauerwald was a real person who did actually help to facilitate the Freud family’s escape from Nazi occupied Austria, although this story is fictionalized.
6. What’s In A Name? (#14 - 2013) **** by Thomas H. Cook. In an alternative history story, two German veterans of WWI meet in America in 1968. WW2 never happened. One of the men is a bibliophile and the other is a down on his heels tramp who carries around his memoir manuscript. Many readers will guess who the tramp is and the title of the book before it ends.
7. Book Club (#8 - 2012) *** by Loren D. Estleman. A book store owner and book club leader is consulted by the police when a local bibliophile is murdered and a rare volume from his extensive library has gone missing.
8. Death Leaves a Bookmark (#6 - 2012) *** by William Link. A ne’er do well nephew murders his rich bookstore owner uncle with a book case and an art book, but he didn’t expect Detective Columbo to be on the case. Yes! That Columbo! TV writer William Link (1933-2020) was the co-creator of the TV series character played by Peter Falk.
9. The Book Thing (#9 - 2012) *** by Laura Lippman. Investigator Tess Monaghan looks into why books are disappearing from a children’s book store. Her solution is helped by Baltimore’s The Book Thing which is a real-life free book outlet. The books aren’t actually “deadly” in this one.
10. The Scroll (#3 - 2011) **** by Anne Perry. Through an estate sale, a mysterious scroll comes into the possession of a rare book dealer. Various suspicious buyers want to acquire it, each for their own ends. The scroll itself can’t be photocopied or photographed for some reason. Finally, a fateful auction is held.
11. It’s in the Book (#15 – 2013) ** by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins. A mafioso don dies and a supposed ledger where he kept a record of his bribes and payoffs is missing and both the Feds & the Mob need to find it. This was an unfinished Mike Hammer story at the time of Spillane’s passing, later completed by Collins. It had a letdown ending. Reviewed earlier as Hammer Time.
12. The Long Sonata of the Dead (#10 – 2013) **** by Andrew Taylor. Two rivals from back in University days turn out to both be researching the work of an obscure (fictional) poet, who apparently originated the line “the long sonata of the dead”, later used by Samuel Beckett. The less successful writer sees a chance to perhaps regain his lost love who married the more successful writer.
13. Rides a Stranger (#13 – 2013) ***** by David Bell. Really terrific story about a son discovering that his father had written a pulp western novel in his youth which, due to its limited print run, now has an extraordinary rarity value. Others are hoping to acquire the few existing copies, some who will stop at nothing to do so.
14. The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository (#12 - 2013) **** by John Connolly. This has been my absolute favourite of the Bibliomysteries series. I had already read it separately and reviewed it at length as A Bibliophile’s Delight.
15. The Book Case (#4 - 2012) **** by Nelson DeMille. We follow the deductions and thinking of the detective when he investigates an apparent accident at a book store which may turn out to be murder. A good police procedural, although sometimes marred by juvenile asides e.g. “my tummy was growling.”
Trivia and Links
I have deleted my previously constructed link to a Goodreads
In the meantime, you can see a Listopia that features the 42 books here. Note that the Listopia is not in order of publication, see the link below for that.
At the Mysterious Bookshop the current listing (as of early February 2025) includes 42 volumes. Note that book #31 Christopher Fowler's Reconciliation Day (2017) seems to have been accidentally dropped from that list. As the most recent entry Peter Swanson's The Honeymoon Trap (#42) is from 2022, the series may have ended.
February 12, 2019
B.R.A.CE. 2019
Νο 111:Ένα βιβλίο που κόστισε πάνω από 20 ευρώ
Τι ωραίο βιβλίο! Ο εσωτερικός μου περαδώθε αγαλλίασε στις σελίδες του, αλήθεια! 💯💯
🔥 Μια αποδεκτή θυσία : Ένας βιβλιοφάγος / συλλέκτης, αρχηγός καρτέλ ναρκωτικών ( ή όχι ) και οι 2 αστυνομικοί που έχουν αναλάβει την δολοφονία του
🔥 Αντιλόπες του Τρίτου Ράιχ: Ένας άνθρωπος ψάχνει την δικαίωση για τον πατέρα του στην ληστεία μιας ιδιωτικής βιβλιοθήκης
🔥 Το βιβλίο της Αρετής: Κληρονομεί ένα βιβλίο από τον πατέρα του, αν πρόσεχε ίσως να ήταν διαφορετική η εξέλιξη του.
🔥 Το βιβλίο των φαντασμάτων: Ένας Εβραίος μετανάστης στην Αμερική και το μυστικό που κουβαλούσε από όταν το έσκασε από το στρατόπεδο συγκεντρώσεως
🔥 Η τελική διαθήκη: Μπορείς να εκβιάσεις τον Φρόυντ;
🔥 Τι κρύβει ένα όνομα: Ένας γερμανός συγγραφέας συναντάει έναν γέρο; Έχει σημασία το όνομα του;
🔥 Λέσχη Βιβλίου: Ένας συλλέκτης βιβλίων δολοφονείται; Ποιός είναι ο δολοφόνος;
🔥Ο Θάνατος αφήνει σελιδοδείκτη: Ένας βιβλιοπώλης δολοφονείται; Θα συλλάβουν τον δολοφόνο;
🔥 The Book Thing: Κάποιος κλέβει βιβλία, ποιός είναι; τι κίνητρο έχει;
🔥 Ο Πάπυρος: Πόσο επικίνδυνος μπορεί να είναι;
Μειονέκτημα η τιμή του ( 19,80€ ) και ότι το χώρισαν σε 2 τόμους.
Τι ωραίο βιβλίο! Ο εσωτερικός μου περαδώθε αγαλλίασε στις σελίδες του, αλήθεια! 💯💯
🔥 Μια αποδεκτή θυσία : Ένας βιβλιοφάγος / συλλέκτης, αρχηγός καρτέλ ναρκωτικών ( ή όχι ) και οι 2 αστυνομικοί που έχουν αναλάβει την δολοφονία του
🔥 Αντιλόπες του Τρίτου Ράιχ: Ένας άνθρωπος ψάχνει την δικαίωση για τον πατέρα του στην ληστεία μιας ιδιωτικής βιβλιοθήκης
🔥 Το βιβλίο της Αρετής: Κληρονομεί ένα βιβλίο από τον πατέρα του, αν πρόσεχε ίσως να ήταν διαφορετική η εξέλιξη του.
🔥 Το βιβλίο των φαντασμάτων: Ένας Εβραίος μετανάστης στην Αμερική και το μυστικό που κουβαλούσε από όταν το έσκασε από το στρατόπεδο συγκεντρώσεως
🔥 Η τελική διαθήκη: Μπορείς να εκβιάσεις τον Φρόυντ;
🔥 Τι κρύβει ένα όνομα: Ένας γερμανός συγγραφέας συναντάει έναν γέρο; Έχει σημασία το όνομα του;
🔥 Λέσχη Βιβλίου: Ένας συλλέκτης βιβλίων δολοφονείται; Ποιός είναι ο δολοφόνος;
🔥Ο Θάνατος αφήνει σελιδοδείκτη: Ένας βιβλιοπώλης δολοφονείται; Θα συλλάβουν τον δολοφόνο;
🔥 The Book Thing: Κάποιος κλέβει βιβλία, ποιός είναι; τι κίνητρο έχει;
🔥 Ο Πάπυρος: Πόσο επικίνδυνος μπορεί να είναι;
Μειονέκτημα η τιμή του ( 19,80€ ) και ότι το χώρισαν σε 2 τόμους.
June 16, 2019
Otto Penzler, critic, editor, and owner of the Mysterious Book Store in NYC (which was one of the first places I visited on my initial trip to NYC) has gathered in this volume a group of short stories and novellas which involve books and bookstores. Some of the authors are unknown to me but many are contemporary writers such as Jeffrey Deaver, Anne Perry, and Nelson DeMille and the stories are set mostly in modern times. They vary in quality but that is to be expected in a collection. A good book to have on your bed side table for quick reading.
December 29, 2022
Who knew literature could be so lethal...
15 dažādu autoru stāsti, kuru centrā ir grāmatas. Dažādas grāmatas - tās, kuras nogalina, ar kurām nogalina (burtiski) un kuru dēļ nogalina. Dīvaini grāmatu tirgotāji, ekscentriski kolekcionāri, shady grāmatu klubs. Tas viss apkopots šajā stāstu izlasē. Acīmredzot normāli cilvēki grāmatas īpaši nelasa. Kas to būtu domājis!
15 dažādu autoru stāsti, kuru centrā ir grāmatas. Dažādas grāmatas - tās, kuras nogalina, ar kurām nogalina (burtiski) un kuru dēļ nogalina. Dīvaini grāmatu tirgotāji, ekscentriski kolekcionāri, shady grāmatu klubs. Tas viss apkopots šajā stāstu izlasē. Acīmredzot normāli cilvēki grāmatas īpaši nelasa. Kas to būtu domājis!
April 24, 2021
The title of this book is enough to tempt any bibliophile who enjoys mystery stories. But because the title itself creates expectations, the book has a tougher task to match up to what the reader wants.
Bibliomysteries is an anthology originally published in 2013. The collection has 13 stories by 14 writers and each story has an element of mystery collected with books. The stories are an eclectic mix of various types of mysteries, from cozy to suspense to even other-worldly. Some of the stories hit the mark while others whizz by the target. Of the 13 stories, I really enjoyed 8: the ones written by Jeffrey Deaver, Reed Coleman, Peter Blauner, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry and (Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins). That's 61%, or 3 stars, which is what I would have rated the book had I read it.
What makes me give an additional star to the anthology is the phenomenal narrator, Daniel Thomas May. His rendition of the book is absolutely brilliant, with the perfect pitch, pace, and accents to help distinguish across the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version because of this wonderful narrator.
I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Bibliomysteries is an anthology originally published in 2013. The collection has 13 stories by 14 writers and each story has an element of mystery collected with books. The stories are an eclectic mix of various types of mysteries, from cozy to suspense to even other-worldly. Some of the stories hit the mark while others whizz by the target. Of the 13 stories, I really enjoyed 8: the ones written by Jeffrey Deaver, Reed Coleman, Peter Blauner, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry and (Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins). That's 61%, or 3 stars, which is what I would have rated the book had I read it.
What makes me give an additional star to the anthology is the phenomenal narrator, Daniel Thomas May. His rendition of the book is absolutely brilliant, with the perfect pitch, pace, and accents to help distinguish across the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version because of this wonderful narrator.
I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
July 27, 2017
I received a copy of this book to read and review from the publisher through NetGalley.
BIBLIOMYSTERIES edited by Otto Penzler is an impressive collection of short stories written by well known mystery crime writers, and the editor has done a fine job of compiling this assortment into a book that flows from one story to the next with a common theme, being they are all centered around books.
Most often when I read books that are a collection of short stories I will read a story at a time and can take time off between each one and don’t finish the book in a short amount of time, however I read this book rather quickly due to both the quality of the stories themselves (not surprising considering the authors), and how well this was put together by the editor.
Otto Penzler caught my attention as editor of the fine book “The Lineup” (recommended) that is made up of well known authors discussing the best known characters from their novels that I found very enjoyable.
Also of interest and on my to-read list is “In Pursuit of Spenser” that is a collection of well known author’s insights into Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser”.
I recommend this book to all fans of mystery>crime short stories, and followers of the authors who’ve written the stories included here.
5 stars.
BIBLIOMYSTERIES edited by Otto Penzler is an impressive collection of short stories written by well known mystery crime writers, and the editor has done a fine job of compiling this assortment into a book that flows from one story to the next with a common theme, being they are all centered around books.
Most often when I read books that are a collection of short stories I will read a story at a time and can take time off between each one and don’t finish the book in a short amount of time, however I read this book rather quickly due to both the quality of the stories themselves (not surprising considering the authors), and how well this was put together by the editor.
Otto Penzler caught my attention as editor of the fine book “The Lineup” (recommended) that is made up of well known authors discussing the best known characters from their novels that I found very enjoyable.
Also of interest and on my to-read list is “In Pursuit of Spenser” that is a collection of well known author’s insights into Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser”.
I recommend this book to all fans of mystery>crime short stories, and followers of the authors who’ve written the stories included here.
5 stars.
August 30, 2020
3.5☆. Κάποιες ιστορίες μου άρεσαν αρκετά κάποιες άλλες όχι και τόσο.
June 23, 2017
I received an e-ARC of this collection of short stories through NetGalley and Pegasus Books W.W. Norton & Company. Thank you.
Each story in this collection was not a five star read for me but when taken as a whole I have to let the star rating indicate how interested I was in the collection and how eager I was to read each succeeding story. The stories are completely different - even though there was the same circumstance which happened in two stories the narratives themselves were so different it didn't seem to matter to me. All the stories center on books; some are individual books, some are collections of books, some are privately owned, some in libraries, one was not a book at all but a scroll found while unpacking a crate of books. There are stories with a tiny feeling of the paranormal and there is one which unashamedly moves to the fantasy/mystical realm. I got a real chuckle when one author was describing a display of books written by bestselling authors in the front window of a bookshop and he included his own name.
These are the authors with stories in the collection in the order in which they appear: Jeffery Deaver, C. J. Box, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Peter Blauner, Thomas H. Cook, Loren D. Estleman, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry, Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, Andrew Taylor, David Bell, John Connolly, Nelson DeMille. There isn't much information given about original publication dates or whether stories have appeared previously in anthologies or collections, but there is an Introduction written by Ian Rankin and dated 2014. The C. J. Box is the only story I had read previously so 14 out of 15 stories being new for me was a great treat. The William Link story featured Columbo, if other stories featured an author's main series character I did not recognize the name - well, with the exception of the Mickey Spillane, of course.
Otto Penzler has done a superb job of presenting fifteen themed stories by modern authors in modern settings. The only thing I had a little bit of a problem with was the title. When I saw that title along with the cover art I immediately thought about stories from the golden age of crime fiction, but I was totally wrong. I would absolutely recommend this collection to anybody who wants to read well written stories by great writers. Some of the authors I was familiar with and already know I enjoy reading but I'm thrilled to have six new names I can begin investigating for reading full length novels they've written. That classifies as a bonanza to me!
Each story in this collection was not a five star read for me but when taken as a whole I have to let the star rating indicate how interested I was in the collection and how eager I was to read each succeeding story. The stories are completely different - even though there was the same circumstance which happened in two stories the narratives themselves were so different it didn't seem to matter to me. All the stories center on books; some are individual books, some are collections of books, some are privately owned, some in libraries, one was not a book at all but a scroll found while unpacking a crate of books. There are stories with a tiny feeling of the paranormal and there is one which unashamedly moves to the fantasy/mystical realm. I got a real chuckle when one author was describing a display of books written by bestselling authors in the front window of a bookshop and he included his own name.
These are the authors with stories in the collection in the order in which they appear: Jeffery Deaver, C. J. Box, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Peter Blauner, Thomas H. Cook, Loren D. Estleman, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry, Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, Andrew Taylor, David Bell, John Connolly, Nelson DeMille. There isn't much information given about original publication dates or whether stories have appeared previously in anthologies or collections, but there is an Introduction written by Ian Rankin and dated 2014. The C. J. Box is the only story I had read previously so 14 out of 15 stories being new for me was a great treat. The William Link story featured Columbo, if other stories featured an author's main series character I did not recognize the name - well, with the exception of the Mickey Spillane, of course.
Otto Penzler has done a superb job of presenting fifteen themed stories by modern authors in modern settings. The only thing I had a little bit of a problem with was the title. When I saw that title along with the cover art I immediately thought about stories from the golden age of crime fiction, but I was totally wrong. I would absolutely recommend this collection to anybody who wants to read well written stories by great writers. Some of the authors I was familiar with and already know I enjoy reading but I'm thrilled to have six new names I can begin investigating for reading full length novels they've written. That classifies as a bonanza to me!
April 4, 2021
2.5/5
September 14, 2019
Otto Penzler, famed editor, publisher, anthologist, and owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City has put together an impressive collection of crime short stories, all having something to do with the world of books. Murders taking place in bookstores or libraries, alternate histories involving specific books, supernatural infusions into the world of books, and even a couple of hitmen who use their target’s weakness for books to set their plan in motion, … you get the idea. But they all feature a background of bookstores, libraries, rare books, manuscripts, priceless volumes and eccentric book collectors. I found them, by and large to be great reads.
The authors represented are a veritable who’s who of crime/mystery works. John Connolly, Anne Perry, Thomas H. Cook, Ken Bruen, C.J. Box, Jeffery Deaver, and Nelson DeMille are but a few. There is even a Mike Hammer short story begun by Mickey Spillane and completed by Max Allan Collins. All were new to me except for the DeMille tale, “The Book Case” featuring the inimitable character of John Corey in his early days. I’d come across that one elsewhere but it’s hard to go wrong by re-reading a DeMille story.
All told, this was a wonderful collection. Thankfully, there is a second volume already out and since these stories are written exclusively for and published by The Mysterious Bookshop every month, I suspect future volumes will continue to arrive. Fingers crossed.
The authors represented are a veritable who’s who of crime/mystery works. John Connolly, Anne Perry, Thomas H. Cook, Ken Bruen, C.J. Box, Jeffery Deaver, and Nelson DeMille are but a few. There is even a Mike Hammer short story begun by Mickey Spillane and completed by Max Allan Collins. All were new to me except for the DeMille tale, “The Book Case” featuring the inimitable character of John Corey in his early days. I’d come across that one elsewhere but it’s hard to go wrong by re-reading a DeMille story.
All told, this was a wonderful collection. Thankfully, there is a second volume already out and since these stories are written exclusively for and published by The Mysterious Bookshop every month, I suspect future volumes will continue to arrive. Fingers crossed.
September 9, 2017
"...Diaz realized he was stabbed by guilt at the thought that he'd just planted a bomb that would take the life of a man at his most vulnerable, doing something he loved and found comfort in: reading a book." (Jeffrey Deaver)
Otto Penzler doesn’t mess around, and so when I saw this collection, I was all in. Many thanks go to Net Galley and Pegasus Books for the digital review copy, which I received free in exchange for this honest review. This title is now for sale.
All of the stories included here are themed around books; we have bookstores of course, and libraries, both public and private, magical and actual. All of them are copyrighted between 2011 and 2013. In addition to the excellent name of the editor here, some of whose other collections I have enjoyed, I saw three authors that I knew I wanted to read right away: John Connolly, Thomas H Cook, and Max Allan Collins. Sure enough, all three of their contributions were excellent; I have to admit Connolly’s was my favorite--featuring book characters that had come to life, which made me laugh out loud—but the quality was strong throughout. The very first story is by Jeffrey Deaver; I had never read his work before and it is excellent, so now I have a new author to follow. I confess I didn’t like the second story, which is by C.J. Box; I found his writing style curiously abrasive and I bailed. The third story likewise didn’t strike a chord. However, that still gives me 12 or 13 outstanding stories, and the collection is thick and juicy, like a terrific steak. Or tofu burger, depending on the reader’s tastes.
I can’t think of a more congenial collection than mysteries and books. For those that love the genre, this book is highly recommended.
Otto Penzler doesn’t mess around, and so when I saw this collection, I was all in. Many thanks go to Net Galley and Pegasus Books for the digital review copy, which I received free in exchange for this honest review. This title is now for sale.
All of the stories included here are themed around books; we have bookstores of course, and libraries, both public and private, magical and actual. All of them are copyrighted between 2011 and 2013. In addition to the excellent name of the editor here, some of whose other collections I have enjoyed, I saw three authors that I knew I wanted to read right away: John Connolly, Thomas H Cook, and Max Allan Collins. Sure enough, all three of their contributions were excellent; I have to admit Connolly’s was my favorite--featuring book characters that had come to life, which made me laugh out loud—but the quality was strong throughout. The very first story is by Jeffrey Deaver; I had never read his work before and it is excellent, so now I have a new author to follow. I confess I didn’t like the second story, which is by C.J. Box; I found his writing style curiously abrasive and I bailed. The third story likewise didn’t strike a chord. However, that still gives me 12 or 13 outstanding stories, and the collection is thick and juicy, like a terrific steak. Or tofu burger, depending on the reader’s tastes.
I can’t think of a more congenial collection than mysteries and books. For those that love the genre, this book is highly recommended.
October 15, 2021
Not quite a four-star read, but definitely had some entertaining stories, and a couple of gems. I particularly enjoyed The Book of Ghosts (Reed Farrel Coleman); The Scroll (Anne Perry); The Long Sonata of the Dead (Andrew Taylor); Rides a Stranger (David Bell): and my particular favorite, The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository, by John Connolly. The last is probably my favorite of the whole anthology, with The Scroll being a close second. Well worth the time.
September 15, 2019
Πρέπει να γίνει η ίδια ιδέα και με δισκάδικα και δίσκους βινυλιου.
March 12, 2021
A book about books being involved in mysteries? Sold. Here's a thought or two on each story:
An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver
I was a little uncomfortable with the handling of Mexicans by the white G-man but it did a good job of twist-counter twist-twist by sowing the seeds of doubt as to whether the Mexican book-loving drug lord was in fact a drug lord or just a successful businessman.
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box
Two former cattle hands take the lawyer that convicted them out to the ranch whose owner just died because one of them’s father got screwed out of his share of the ranch. Everyone betrays everyone in the midst of a horrid snow storm. In the abandoned house, the lawyer burns books, for heat. I was not a fan of that. There’s a photo, shown at the end of the story that corroborates the story of the ranch owner selling the eponymous pronghorns to the Nazis.
The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen
The story was almost all one line, sometimes one word, paragraphs. Made for a quick read about a criminal whose abusive dad died but has a book that may, or may not, have secrets that’ll help take down other criminals. Lots of pissing contests, and betrayals. Not a bad story but not a good one either.
The Book of Ghosts by Reed Farrel Coleman
A concentration camp survivor tells a tall tale to get to America. The Book of Ghosts was supposed to be a laundry list of deeds by the Nazis. He did some bad stuff and fibs not a little regarding the book. So when it’s found. Uh-oh. It was odd to see a concentration camp survivor portrayed in a bad light. It also featured a gay couple. And I’m unsure if they were treated kindly. A tough read for these reasons.
The Final Testament by Peter Blauner
The story of Dr. Freud and his dubious escape from the Germans and the attempted blackmail by someone who knows too much. It was interesting seeing history meet fiction. The background note at the end discloses that Dr. Freud did break the law by not paying his fair share, according to the Nazis.The title refers to Freud’s last book, which he’s trying to complete before he dies. The details about his reconstructed jaw due to cancer was pretty gross.
What’s in a Name by Thomas A. Cook
Continuing the WWII trend, as well as the historical fiction one, an author lectures about how people don’t change history, events do. A former classmate of the protagonist hangs back and they talk about whether a person can change history all the while clutching close to his chest is a book he wants published. I saw it coming though enjoyed it just the same.
Book Club by Loren D. Estlman
The setting, New Mexico, really came alive for me. The murder of a book clollector is investigated by a retire detective-cum-book store owner and the local law. It was a predictable ending but it was an example of how the setting and the people really make the story.
Death Leaves a Bookmark by WIlliam Link
I’d never read a Columbo story before this. It was not a good place to start. He really doesn’t do much.
The Book Thing by Laura Lippman
Books go missing from a surly Children’s bookstore owner’s store.
The Scroll by Anne Perry
This wasn’t about a book in its strictest sense but rather a scroll. Hence the title. It’s the lost confession of Judas that’s at the bottom of a box of donations to a bookstore. Three parties are after it. Murder and mayhem and faith and fear ensue. It’s was different from the others but I quite enjoyed it.
It’s in the Book by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins
Like Columbo, Max Hammer was a famous detective I’d only heard of, never read of. It was closer to the Noir style and I liked that about it. A Don dies and rumor has it, Hammer was mailed a book that’s supposed to have contained secrets that’ll help the successor run the family empire. Enter a son from a mistress and his supposed ignorance of his true father. It was a solid story.
The Long Sonata of The Dead by Andrew Taylor
I did not care for this one. It had the jaded feeling, the one who made it vs the one who didn’t contest. The book is one that’s wanted by both of them. It just missed its mark with me. It was well-written but I just didn’t care for the characters.
Rides a Stranger by David Bell
A dad dies and a son realizes his dad wrote a mystery novel, Rides a Stranger, before he (the son, not the dad, duh.) was born. It’s got a cult following because it was part of a limited series and a problem with printing made it the smallest release. People get killed over it.
The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository by John Connoly
A library that has only first editions and manuscripts acts at the Ur-copies of the stories. Oh and when a character from the book achieves a certain level of fame, being known to the general populous without their having read the book, they come alive. I love this trope. I just finished another book, The Library of the Unwritten, that dealt with it as well. The beginning is a bit plodding but it ended up being one of my favorites in the collection.
The Book Case by Nelson DeMille
A Indie bookstore owner is found crushed at his desk by a huge book case. The wife and the bestselling author are the prime suspects. The story spans only a matter of hours until Det. John Corey figures out whodunnit. The Det was a little off for me but I did enjoy it.
An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver
I was a little uncomfortable with the handling of Mexicans by the white G-man but it did a good job of twist-counter twist-twist by sowing the seeds of doubt as to whether the Mexican book-loving drug lord was in fact a drug lord or just a successful businessman.
Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box
Two former cattle hands take the lawyer that convicted them out to the ranch whose owner just died because one of them’s father got screwed out of his share of the ranch. Everyone betrays everyone in the midst of a horrid snow storm. In the abandoned house, the lawyer burns books, for heat. I was not a fan of that. There’s a photo, shown at the end of the story that corroborates the story of the ranch owner selling the eponymous pronghorns to the Nazis.
The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen
The story was almost all one line, sometimes one word, paragraphs. Made for a quick read about a criminal whose abusive dad died but has a book that may, or may not, have secrets that’ll help take down other criminals. Lots of pissing contests, and betrayals. Not a bad story but not a good one either.
The Book of Ghosts by Reed Farrel Coleman
A concentration camp survivor tells a tall tale to get to America. The Book of Ghosts was supposed to be a laundry list of deeds by the Nazis. He did some bad stuff and fibs not a little regarding the book. So when it’s found. Uh-oh. It was odd to see a concentration camp survivor portrayed in a bad light. It also featured a gay couple. And I’m unsure if they were treated kindly. A tough read for these reasons.
The Final Testament by Peter Blauner
The story of Dr. Freud and his dubious escape from the Germans and the attempted blackmail by someone who knows too much. It was interesting seeing history meet fiction. The background note at the end discloses that Dr. Freud did break the law by not paying his fair share, according to the Nazis.The title refers to Freud’s last book, which he’s trying to complete before he dies. The details about his reconstructed jaw due to cancer was pretty gross.
What’s in a Name by Thomas A. Cook
Continuing the WWII trend, as well as the historical fiction one, an author lectures about how people don’t change history, events do. A former classmate of the protagonist hangs back and they talk about whether a person can change history all the while clutching close to his chest is a book he wants published. I saw it coming though enjoyed it just the same.
Book Club by Loren D. Estlman
The setting, New Mexico, really came alive for me. The murder of a book clollector is investigated by a retire detective-cum-book store owner and the local law. It was a predictable ending but it was an example of how the setting and the people really make the story.
Death Leaves a Bookmark by WIlliam Link
I’d never read a Columbo story before this. It was not a good place to start. He really doesn’t do much.
The Book Thing by Laura Lippman
Books go missing from a surly Children’s bookstore owner’s store.
The Scroll by Anne Perry
This wasn’t about a book in its strictest sense but rather a scroll. Hence the title. It’s the lost confession of Judas that’s at the bottom of a box of donations to a bookstore. Three parties are after it. Murder and mayhem and faith and fear ensue. It’s was different from the others but I quite enjoyed it.
It’s in the Book by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins
Like Columbo, Max Hammer was a famous detective I’d only heard of, never read of. It was closer to the Noir style and I liked that about it. A Don dies and rumor has it, Hammer was mailed a book that’s supposed to have contained secrets that’ll help the successor run the family empire. Enter a son from a mistress and his supposed ignorance of his true father. It was a solid story.
The Long Sonata of The Dead by Andrew Taylor
I did not care for this one. It had the jaded feeling, the one who made it vs the one who didn’t contest. The book is one that’s wanted by both of them. It just missed its mark with me. It was well-written but I just didn’t care for the characters.
Rides a Stranger by David Bell
A dad dies and a son realizes his dad wrote a mystery novel, Rides a Stranger, before he (the son, not the dad, duh.) was born. It’s got a cult following because it was part of a limited series and a problem with printing made it the smallest release. People get killed over it.
The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository by John Connoly
A library that has only first editions and manuscripts acts at the Ur-copies of the stories. Oh and when a character from the book achieves a certain level of fame, being known to the general populous without their having read the book, they come alive. I love this trope. I just finished another book, The Library of the Unwritten, that dealt with it as well. The beginning is a bit plodding but it ended up being one of my favorites in the collection.
The Book Case by Nelson DeMille
A Indie bookstore owner is found crushed at his desk by a huge book case. The wife and the bestselling author are the prime suspects. The story spans only a matter of hours until Det. John Corey figures out whodunnit. The Det was a little off for me but I did enjoy it.
January 8, 2018
Bibliomysteries is an anthology put together by Otto Penzler, a well-known advocate of the mystery genre, and features fictional stories written by famous mystery authors which all involve books in some fashion. If you are a bibliophile and especially if you are a devotee of the mystery genre like me, you will definitely enjoy this book.
Here’s the lineup:
– Introduction by Ian Rankin
– “An Acceptable Sacrifice ” by Jeffery Deaver
– “Pronghorns of the Third Reich” by C.J. Box
– “The Book of Virtue” by Ken Bruen
– “The Book of Ghosts” by Reed Farrel Coleman
– “The Final Testament” by Peter Blauner
– “What’s In A Name?” by Thomas H. Cook
– “Book Club” by Loren D. Estleman
– “Death Leaves A Bookmark” by William Link
– “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman
– “The Scroll” by Anne Perry
– “It’s In the Book” by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins
– “The Long Sonata of the Dead” by Andrew Taylor
– “Rides A Stranger” by David Bell
– “The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository” by John Connolly
– “The Book Case” by Nelson DeMille.
I don’t want to give too much away by describing each story with any more detail than they do in the description (with how short each story is, I’d end up telling the whole thing!) but I will say that each story is very unique and it was fun seeing how different writers would work out completely different tales using the same prompt.
I enjoyed all of the stories, with one exception, which is really good odds for an anthology. My favorite two stories were “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman & “The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository” by John Connolly (definite favorite!), with close runners up in “The Scroll” by Anne Perry & “Rides A Stranger” by David Bell.
I’d highly recommend this anthology to anyone who loves mysteries, especially if they also love books. It’s not only a fun ride, it’s also a great introduction to authors you may not have read yet. I know I’m definitely going to be adding some of these authors to my “TBR” pile!
Here’s the lineup:
– Introduction by Ian Rankin
– “An Acceptable Sacrifice ” by Jeffery Deaver
– “Pronghorns of the Third Reich” by C.J. Box
– “The Book of Virtue” by Ken Bruen
– “The Book of Ghosts” by Reed Farrel Coleman
– “The Final Testament” by Peter Blauner
– “What’s In A Name?” by Thomas H. Cook
– “Book Club” by Loren D. Estleman
– “Death Leaves A Bookmark” by William Link
– “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman
– “The Scroll” by Anne Perry
– “It’s In the Book” by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins
– “The Long Sonata of the Dead” by Andrew Taylor
– “Rides A Stranger” by David Bell
– “The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository” by John Connolly
– “The Book Case” by Nelson DeMille.
I don’t want to give too much away by describing each story with any more detail than they do in the description (with how short each story is, I’d end up telling the whole thing!) but I will say that each story is very unique and it was fun seeing how different writers would work out completely different tales using the same prompt.
I enjoyed all of the stories, with one exception, which is really good odds for an anthology. My favorite two stories were “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman & “The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository” by John Connolly (definite favorite!), with close runners up in “The Scroll” by Anne Perry & “Rides A Stranger” by David Bell.
I’d highly recommend this anthology to anyone who loves mysteries, especially if they also love books. It’s not only a fun ride, it’s also a great introduction to authors you may not have read yet. I know I’m definitely going to be adding some of these authors to my “TBR” pile!
December 29, 2018
Otto Penzler is the owner of the famous Mysterious Bookstore and founder of The Mysterious Press but one of the things he does and does well is compile books of short stories. With his connections to authors he is able to get some wonderful stories for his compilations. In this addition which are mysteries and thrillers that all have a connection to books, he has authors such as C.J. Box, Laura Lippmann, and Peter Blauner contribute. Every story is clever and well worth the time. If you only have time for a few, try the Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository by John Connolly and Rides a Stranger by David Bell. Connolly’s story has a bit of magic realism to it and its plot may be a little familiar but it is wonderfully written and has a lovely ending. David Bell’s story is about an adult son who comes home to visit his dying father and finds that they had much more in common than he ever suspected. I’m looking forward to volume two which just came in 2018.
Get Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores from the Denver Public Library
- Lisa B
Get Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores from the Denver Public Library
- Lisa B
April 29, 2019
In most short story collections, there are losers and winners. This one is a pretty even collection, in my opinion. Even my least favorite, "The Book Case" by Nelson DeMille, is not a badly written story. I just REALLY didn't like the narrator. He's an asshole and if he has his own series, I'll be passing on that one. (UPDATE: It's John Corey, and yes, he has his own series. And yes, GR reviews seem to indicate he's a jerk.)
I think my favorite is David Bell's "Rides A Stranger," in which a grown son learns a lot about his deceased father.
There are some established characters - a story featuring Columbo, and one with Mike Hammer.
There are 2 or 3 stories that have supernatural elements; the rest are straight crime/mystery fiction. But all stories in this collection are centered around books: books, bookstores, libraries, book clubs, readers, authors.
Truly enjoyable collection; I will be looking for the next compilation.
I think my favorite is David Bell's "Rides A Stranger," in which a grown son learns a lot about his deceased father.
There are some established characters - a story featuring Columbo, and one with Mike Hammer.
There are 2 or 3 stories that have supernatural elements; the rest are straight crime/mystery fiction. But all stories in this collection are centered around books: books, bookstores, libraries, book clubs, readers, authors.
Truly enjoyable collection; I will be looking for the next compilation.
May 13, 2019
I’m not sure why I picked up this book when I already knew it’d get three stars if I read it. There are a lot of big-name authors here, who wrote short stories between 25-50 pages, but, strangely enough, it was the authors whom I’d never heard of who wrote, in my opinion, the best mysteries about books and/or bookstores. After a while, it was tough to slog through, and, admittedly, I gave up on 4-5 of these. And, as always, there were scenes and ending plot twists in this collection that will stick with me for a long time. But for goodness sakes, Mr. Penzler, get a second pair of eyes to assist you with the edits!
August 16, 2024
What an enjoyable read. Even thought it's 526 pages it was easy to read and entertaining. This book was neither fluff nor lightweight reading. It was a fun change from my mostly non fiction reading. The short stories were well crafted, some funny some tragic some pure fantasy. I only knew three of the writers but learned about the others through this book. My favorite stories were, "Pronghorns of the Third Reich", "What's in a Name", and " The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository." A plus of course is they were all bibliomysteries! It makes me want to rush out to my favorite used book store, Ed's Editions in West Columbia, SC.
October 10, 2019
15 more short stories involving books and bookstores as compiled by Otto Penzler - didn’t like as well as Volume II but enjoyed most of the mysteries.
Thomas H Cook had one of the best entries - “What’s in a Name?” He is one of my favorite authors and a great historian so I was very surprised to see him misquote the poem “In Flanders Field” - the poppies BLOW not GROW!! C’mon editors, wake up and smell the poppies or was that the problem???
Thomas H Cook had one of the best entries - “What’s in a Name?” He is one of my favorite authors and a great historian so I was very surprised to see him misquote the poem “In Flanders Field” - the poppies BLOW not GROW!! C’mon editors, wake up and smell the poppies or was that the problem???
March 4, 2018
Fun topics
June 11, 2019
Σε μια συλλογή διηγημάτων, ιδιαίτερα από διαφορετικούς συγγραφείς, υπάρχει πάντα το πρόβλημα ότι άλλος συγγραφέας μπορεί να αρέσει και άλλος όχι. Όπως επίσης το ότι υπάρχει ένα κοινό στοιχείο που αρέσει (εδώ συγκεκριμένα τα βιβλία), δεν αυξάνει οπωσδήποτε τις πιθανότητες να αρέσει και κάθε κείμενο που το συμπεριλαμβάνει. Eμπνευστής της συλλογής αυτής είναι ο Ότο Πένσλερ, ο 77χρονος ιδιοκτήτης του The Mysterious Bookshop, βάζοντας εδώ σαν όρο τη χρήση του βιβλίου στην εξέλιξη των ιστοριών. Στον πρώτο τόμο της συλλογής όλες οι ιστορίες έχουν χρησιμοποιήσει έξυπνα το βιβλίο στην πλοκή τους. Και ομολογώ ότι, αν και ελάχιστους από αυτούς ήξερα, παρόλα αυτά εκτίμησα τον διαφορετικό τρόπο χρήσης του βιβλίου στο στιλ ιστορίας του καθενός συγγραφέα. Μου άρεσαν πιο πολύ:
"Μια Αποδεκτή Θυσία" του Τζέφρι Ντίβερ (γνωστός από τα Bell) με την πραγματικά αξιαγάπητη βιβλιοφιλική ευαισθησία εκτελεστή ενός βαρώνου καρτέλ και τις εκπληκτικές ανατροπές της.
"Το βιβλίο των φαντασμάτων" του Ριντ Φάρελ Κόλμαν, όπου περιγράφεται πολύ επιδέξια το αδιέξοδο στο οποίο πέφτει ένας επιζών από στρατόπεδο συγκέντρωσης των Ναζί, όταν οικειοποιείται το κρυφό βιβλίο ενός θανόντα συγκρατούμενού του χωρίς να ξέρει καν ποιο είναι το περιεχόμενό του.
"Τι κρύβει ένα όνομα;" του Τόμας Χ. Κουκ, όπου ένας έμπορος σπάνιων βιβλίων έρχεται σε επαφή με μια διαβολική πλευρά της Ιστορίας και προκύπτει ως πολύ έξυπνη και σχεδόν σατυρική η ερώτηση του τίτλου.
"The Book Thing" της Λόρα Λίπμαν, μια μητέρα μικρού κοριτσιού μετατρέπεται σε επίδοξη ντετέκτιβ για να βρει ποιος κλέβει βιβλία από ένα συνοικιακό βιβλιοπωλείο διαπιστώνοντας ότι μια ψυχαναγκαστική συμπεριφορά μπορεί να πάρει αναπάντεχες διαστάσεις.
"Η Λέσχη Βιβλίου" της Λορίν Ίστλμαν, με τη δολοφονία ενός συλλέκτη βιβλίων τοπικής ιστορίας, ένας βιβλιοπώλης συνδυάζει τις αρετές του ντετέκτιβ με τις εμπορικές του, σ' αυτό το καθαρόαιμα αστυνομικό διήγημα.
"Ο θάνατος αφήνει σελιδοδείκτη" του Γουίλιαμ Λινκ, μια ιστορία του "δήθεν αδέξιου" επιθεωρητή Κολόμπο (που τόσο καλά υποδύθηκε στην ομώνυμη τηλεοπτική σειρά ο Πίτερ Φολκ) ο οποίος καταφέρνει να ξεσκεπάσει έναν άπληστο ανιψιό που σκοτώνει τον βιβλιοπώλη θείο του ρίχνοντάς του μια ολόκληρη βιβλιοθήκη πάνω του.
Τα υπόλοιπα διηγήματα δεν μου άφησαν και πολλά να θυμάμαι, αλλά στο σύνολό της η συλλογή ήταν ένα ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα και η αφορμή για περαιτέρω ειδικότερη αναζήτηση των επιμέρους συγγραφέων και φυσικά αναμένω τον δεύτερο τόμο της πολύ καλής συνεργασίας του εκδοτικού οίκου Άγρα με αυτή του Public.
In a collection of short stories, especially from different writers, there is always the problem that other writers may be likable and others not. As well as the fact that when there is a common element in a collection (as it is specifically the books here), it doesn’t necessarily increase the popularity of the story that includes it. The inventor of this collection is Otto Penzler, the 77-year-old owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York, who has put the term of using the book element in the plot of the stories. In the first volume of the collection, all the stories have a smart use of it. And I confess that even if few of the writers were well known to me, yet I appreciated the different way that the book element was used in the style of each author. I liked more:
"An Acceptable Sacrifice" by Jeffrey Deaver with the truly loveable bibliophilic sensitivity of a hitman of a drug baron and the stunning reversals.
"The Book of Ghosts" by Reed Farrel Coleman, where the deadlock of a Nazi concentration camp survivor is described in a skillful way, when he appropriates his deceased cellmate’s secret book, without even knowing what its contents are.
"What hides a name?" by Thomas H. Cook, where a dealer of rare books comes in contact with a diabolical side of the History and the question of the title appears in a very intelligent and almost satirical way.
"The Book Thing" by Laura Lippman, a mother of a little girl, turns into an aspiring detective to find out who steals books from a district bookstore by finding that compulsive behavior can get unexpected dimensions.
"The Book Club" by Loren D. Estleman, with the assassination of a local history book collector, where a bookseller combines his detective virtues with his commercial in this thoroughbred crime story.
"Death leaves a bookmark," by William Link, a story of the allegedly awkward Lieutenant Columbo (who was so skillfully portrayed in the titular TV series by Peter Falk), who manages to uncover a greedy nephew who kills his uncle, who has a rare bookshop, by throwing on him an entire bookcase.
The rest of the short stories didn’t leave me much to remember, but the whole collection was a pleasant reading and also became the occasion for a further specific search of the individual authors and of course, I can't wait for the second volume.
"Μια Αποδεκτή Θυσία" του Τζέφρι Ντίβερ (γνωστός από τα Bell) με την πραγματικά αξιαγάπητη βιβλιοφιλική ευαισθησία εκτελεστή ενός βαρώνου καρτέλ και τις εκπληκτικές ανατροπές της.
"Το βιβλίο των φαντασμάτων" του Ριντ Φάρελ Κόλμαν, όπου περιγράφεται πολύ επιδέξια το αδιέξοδο στο οποίο πέφτει ένας επιζών από στρατόπεδο συγκέντρωσης των Ναζί, όταν οικειοποιείται το κρυφό βιβλίο ενός θανόντα συγκρατούμενού του χωρίς να ξέρει καν ποιο είναι το περιεχόμενό του.
"Τι κρύβει ένα όνομα;" του Τόμας Χ. Κουκ, όπου ένας έμπορος σπάνιων βιβλίων έρχεται σε επαφή με μια διαβολική πλευρά της Ιστορίας και προκύπτει ως πολύ έξυπνη και σχεδόν σατυρική η ερώτηση του τίτλου.
"The Book Thing" της Λόρα Λίπμαν, μια μητέρα μικρού κοριτσιού μετατρέπεται σε επίδοξη ντετέκτιβ για να βρει ποιος κλέβει βιβλία από ένα συνοικιακό βιβλιοπωλείο διαπιστώνοντας ότι μια ψυχαναγκαστική συμπεριφορά μπορεί να πάρει αναπάντεχες διαστάσεις.
"Η Λέσχη Βιβλίου" της Λορίν Ίστλμαν, με τη δολοφονία ενός συλλέκτη βιβλίων τοπικής ιστορίας, ένας βιβλιοπώλης συνδυάζει τις αρετές του ντετέκτιβ με τις εμπορικές του, σ' αυτό το καθαρόαιμα αστυνομικό διήγημα.
"Ο θάνατος αφήνει σελιδοδείκτη" του Γουίλιαμ Λινκ, μια ιστορία του "δήθεν αδέξιου" επιθεωρητή Κολόμπο (που τόσο καλά υποδύθηκε στην ομώνυμη τηλεοπτική σειρά ο Πίτερ Φολκ) ο οποίος καταφέρνει να ξεσκεπάσει έναν άπληστο ανιψιό που σκοτώνει τον βιβλιοπώλη θείο του ρίχνοντάς του μια ολόκληρη βιβλιοθήκη πάνω του.
Τα υπόλοιπα διηγήματα δεν μου άφησαν και πολλά να θυμάμαι, αλλά στο σύνολό της η συλλογή ήταν ένα ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα και η αφορμή για περαιτέρω ειδικότερη αναζήτηση των επιμέρους συγγραφέων και φυσικά αναμένω τον δεύτερο τόμο της πολύ καλής συνεργασίας του εκδοτικού οίκου Άγρα με αυτή του Public.
In a collection of short stories, especially from different writers, there is always the problem that other writers may be likable and others not. As well as the fact that when there is a common element in a collection (as it is specifically the books here), it doesn’t necessarily increase the popularity of the story that includes it. The inventor of this collection is Otto Penzler, the 77-year-old owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York, who has put the term of using the book element in the plot of the stories. In the first volume of the collection, all the stories have a smart use of it. And I confess that even if few of the writers were well known to me, yet I appreciated the different way that the book element was used in the style of each author. I liked more:
"An Acceptable Sacrifice" by Jeffrey Deaver with the truly loveable bibliophilic sensitivity of a hitman of a drug baron and the stunning reversals.
"The Book of Ghosts" by Reed Farrel Coleman, where the deadlock of a Nazi concentration camp survivor is described in a skillful way, when he appropriates his deceased cellmate’s secret book, without even knowing what its contents are.
"What hides a name?" by Thomas H. Cook, where a dealer of rare books comes in contact with a diabolical side of the History and the question of the title appears in a very intelligent and almost satirical way.
"The Book Thing" by Laura Lippman, a mother of a little girl, turns into an aspiring detective to find out who steals books from a district bookstore by finding that compulsive behavior can get unexpected dimensions.
"The Book Club" by Loren D. Estleman, with the assassination of a local history book collector, where a bookseller combines his detective virtues with his commercial in this thoroughbred crime story.
"Death leaves a bookmark," by William Link, a story of the allegedly awkward Lieutenant Columbo (who was so skillfully portrayed in the titular TV series by Peter Falk), who manages to uncover a greedy nephew who kills his uncle, who has a rare bookshop, by throwing on him an entire bookcase.
The rest of the short stories didn’t leave me much to remember, but the whole collection was a pleasant reading and also became the occasion for a further specific search of the individual authors and of course, I can't wait for the second volume.
January 15, 2025
A nice compendium of mysteries involving books. Be they via a bookstore, a library, in of themselves, or merely in reference. Many familiar authors and some I had not heard of. My favorite section was that of posthumous Mickey Spillane with Max Allan Collins. I like the grit.
July 27, 2024
A large collection of short stories, some gripping others a complete turn off. The collection is all about death either supernatural or murderous but all connected to books . Sometimes the connection is tenuous and sometimes very literal, for example murder by bookcase. A mixed bag.
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