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The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026: The Year's Best Crime Fiction Selected by Edgar Award Winner Megan Abbott
“Crime fiction has always been outsider fiction, and this anthology, too, is a safe harbor for misfits and outcasts,” writes guest editor Megan Abbott. Full of wacky, peculiar, and eccentric characters, The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026 features an enterprising dental hygienist who makes some extra money by collecting corpses for a funeral home, a sixth-grade girl who uses her competitive jump-roping skills to protect herself from looming danger, and a broke young car thief who falls for a married woman who entices him into a criminal act. From traditional and masterfully crafted whodunits to experimental tales, these stories will have chills running down your spine and your heart knocking in your chest.
THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE 2026 D.C. BENNY • CHRISTOPHER BOLLEN • SARA GRAN • CHERYL A. HEAD • DAVID MORRELL • WANDA M. MORRIS • M.E. PROCTOR • ROB D. SMITH • PAUL TREMBLAY • AND OTHERS
THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE 2026 D.C. BENNY • CHRISTOPHER BOLLEN • SARA GRAN • CHERYL A. HEAD • DAVID MORRELL • WANDA M. MORRIS • M.E. PROCTOR • ROB D. SMITH • PAUL TREMBLAY • AND OTHERS
- GenresShort Stories
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2026
About the author
Megan Abbott
66 books6,447 followersMegan Abbott is the Edgar®-winning author of the novels Die a Little, Queenpin, The Song Is You, Bury Me Deep, The End of Everything, Dare Me, The Fever, You Will Know Me and Give Me Your Hand.
Abbott is co-showrunner, writer and executive producer of DARE ME, the TV show adapated from her novel. She was also a staff writer on HBO's THE DEUCE. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Believer and the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Born in the Detroit area, she graduated from the University of Michigan and received her Ph.D. in English and American literature from New York University. She has taught at NYU, SUNY and the New School University and has served as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at The University of Mississippi.
She is also the author of a nonfiction book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, and the editor of A Hell of a Woman, an anthology of female crime fiction. She is currently developing two of her novels, Dare Me and The Fever, for television.
Abbott is co-showrunner, writer and executive producer of DARE ME, the TV show adapated from her novel. She was also a staff writer on HBO's THE DEUCE. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Believer and the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Born in the Detroit area, she graduated from the University of Michigan and received her Ph.D. in English and American literature from New York University. She has taught at NYU, SUNY and the New School University and has served as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at The University of Mississippi.
She is also the author of a nonfiction book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, and the editor of A Hell of a Woman, an anthology of female crime fiction. She is currently developing two of her novels, Dare Me and The Fever, for television.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 7, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This anthology took me a long time to go through. I was about halfway through when my dad died (natural cause, no crime involved) and I just was not in the right head space to enjoy any of these.
When I finished, it took me awhile to even want to attempt a review. In the last three weeks, all of the stories have since left my brain. Looking over the titles, I could not tell you a single standout fact from any of them.
I wasn’t looking forward to picking up this anthology. I didn’t particularly enjoy any of them. Less than a month later, I cannot remember a single thing about them.
Do with that what you will.
Maybe 2026 wasn’t the best year for mystery and suspense. Maybe it was all on me.
This anthology took me a long time to go through. I was about halfway through when my dad died (natural cause, no crime involved) and I just was not in the right head space to enjoy any of these.
When I finished, it took me awhile to even want to attempt a review. In the last three weeks, all of the stories have since left my brain. Looking over the titles, I could not tell you a single standout fact from any of them.
I wasn’t looking forward to picking up this anthology. I didn’t particularly enjoy any of them. Less than a month later, I cannot remember a single thing about them.
Do with that what you will.
Maybe 2026 wasn’t the best year for mystery and suspense. Maybe it was all on me.
October 30, 2026
Thanks go to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the copy of this collection to read and review in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very solid collection of mystery stories that came together to present a dark representation of family bonds, revenge, and, in some cases, freedom. I liked the way the stories all centered around a (mostly) central theme, but each had a life of its own. Some certainly worked better than others (Past Lives, Hello, Little Girl, and Slow Ride really stood out), and even though there were a few stories that I didn't care for that much (One Thing About Blue, Swans, What You Lost), the majority of the collection was above average.
Odd Jobs by D. C. Benny - 4/5
The Prophet Daniel by Christopher Bollen - 2.5/5
Choose Your Own Heartbreak by Sara Gran - 3/5
The Field by Becky Hagenston - 3/5
Smoke and Mirrors by Charles John Harper - 4/5
Finding Jimmy Baldwin by Cheryl A. Head - 4/5
Our Theseus by Nathan Jefferson - 4/5
Past Lives by Shane Joaquin Jimenez - 5/5
Hello, Little Girl by Rebecca K. Jones - 5/5
What You Lost by Meagan Lucas - 2.5/5
The Corpse Collector by David Morrell - 3/5
Small Things by Wanda M. Morris - 4/5
One Thing About Blue by Maureen O'Leary - 2/5
For Rosalie, with Love by M. E. Proctor - 4/5
Double Dutch Dare by P.M. Raymond - 3.5/5
Mama by Rob D. Smith - 4/5
Beautiful, Dangerous Things by Gabriela Stiteler - 3/5
Swans by Amy Stuber - 2/5
Slow Ride by Mark Thielman - 5/5
Do It by Paul Temblay - 3/5
This was a very solid collection of mystery stories that came together to present a dark representation of family bonds, revenge, and, in some cases, freedom. I liked the way the stories all centered around a (mostly) central theme, but each had a life of its own. Some certainly worked better than others (Past Lives, Hello, Little Girl, and Slow Ride really stood out), and even though there were a few stories that I didn't care for that much (One Thing About Blue, Swans, What You Lost), the majority of the collection was above average.
Odd Jobs by D. C. Benny - 4/5
The Prophet Daniel by Christopher Bollen - 2.5/5
Choose Your Own Heartbreak by Sara Gran - 3/5
The Field by Becky Hagenston - 3/5
Smoke and Mirrors by Charles John Harper - 4/5
Finding Jimmy Baldwin by Cheryl A. Head - 4/5
Our Theseus by Nathan Jefferson - 4/5
Past Lives by Shane Joaquin Jimenez - 5/5
Hello, Little Girl by Rebecca K. Jones - 5/5
What You Lost by Meagan Lucas - 2.5/5
The Corpse Collector by David Morrell - 3/5
Small Things by Wanda M. Morris - 4/5
One Thing About Blue by Maureen O'Leary - 2/5
For Rosalie, with Love by M. E. Proctor - 4/5
Double Dutch Dare by P.M. Raymond - 3.5/5
Mama by Rob D. Smith - 4/5
Beautiful, Dangerous Things by Gabriela Stiteler - 3/5
Swans by Amy Stuber - 2/5
Slow Ride by Mark Thielman - 5/5
Do It by Paul Temblay - 3/5
October 30, 2026
This collection of mystery and suspense short stories was absorbing. I enjoyed the variety of styles and themes.
My favorites were:
“The Prophet Daniel,” by Christopher Bollen
An American in Venice becomes obsessed. This was so good - I ate it up. And spectacularly narrated.
“Small Things” by Wanda M. Morris
A crafty wife takes measures to make sure she has access to her passion. I adored this story!
“Swans” by Amy Stuber
The writing immersed me in this young man's college experience. So well-written.
“What You Lost” by Meagan Lucas
This story follows three women navigating a flood in North Carolina. Satisfying.
Honorable mention:
“One Thing About Blue” by Maureen O’Leary - great writing
“Hello, Little Girl” by Rebecca K. Jones - clever story
“Past Lives” by Shane Joaquin Jimenez - interesting premise well executed
“The Corpse Collector” by David Morrell - such a fun story
“The Field” by Becky Hagenston - subtle but this one stayed with me
“Do It” by Paul Tremblay - nostaglia for the 90s
Aside from these there were several other stories I would rate 4 stars, and a handful that weren't for me.
The collection was narrated by an ensemble, each narrator suiting the stories they told perfectly. Audiobook production was great.
Thanks to HarperAudio and Mariner Books , NetGalley, Steph Cha, guest editor Megan Abbott and all the authors for this audiobook to honestly review.
My favorites were:
“The Prophet Daniel,” by Christopher Bollen
An American in Venice becomes obsessed. This was so good - I ate it up. And spectacularly narrated.
“Small Things” by Wanda M. Morris
A crafty wife takes measures to make sure she has access to her passion. I adored this story!
“Swans” by Amy Stuber
The writing immersed me in this young man's college experience. So well-written.
“What You Lost” by Meagan Lucas
This story follows three women navigating a flood in North Carolina. Satisfying.
Honorable mention:
“One Thing About Blue” by Maureen O’Leary - great writing
“Hello, Little Girl” by Rebecca K. Jones - clever story
“Past Lives” by Shane Joaquin Jimenez - interesting premise well executed
“The Corpse Collector” by David Morrell - such a fun story
“The Field” by Becky Hagenston - subtle but this one stayed with me
“Do It” by Paul Tremblay - nostaglia for the 90s
Aside from these there were several other stories I would rate 4 stars, and a handful that weren't for me.
The collection was narrated by an ensemble, each narrator suiting the stories they told perfectly. Audiobook production was great.
Thanks to HarperAudio and Mariner Books , NetGalley, Steph Cha, guest editor Megan Abbott and all the authors for this audiobook to honestly review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“While genre fiction is often accused of being formulaic, this anthology proves no formula can contain these characters’ complexities or these authors’ imaginations.“*—excerpt from Megan Abbott’s introduction.
I continue to be impressed with the direction of this series with Steph Cha as Series Editor.
While I enjoyed every one, my favorite stories are as follows:
“Odd Jobs” by D.C. Benny: Ex-con and former boxer Samson gets to the bottom of the disappearance of his friend and neighbor Phyllis. Benny took his novel idea and distilled it into this story with its memorable characters and beautifully built New York City world.
The protagonist isn’t only obsessed with Annunciation paintings in Christopher Bollen’s “The Prophet Daniel,” his time in Venice is consumed with making a scammer pay for his crime.
“The Field” by Becky Hagenston: In Cezanne country, Eleven-year-old Josephine’s life changes after her father’s girlfriend disappears. Such a subtle and powerful tale.
In Shane Joaquin Jimenez’s “Past Lives,” a fresh from a kill hitman is haunted by his past. The snowy polar vortex Las Vegas setting complements the cool speculative elements.
“Hello, Little Girl” by Rebecca K. Jones: Rendered brilliantly in a second person perspective, the story follows a young man who develops a killer obsession with a rare stamp.
In “What You Lost” by Meagan Lucas, three small town women in a struggle to survive a hurricane. The magic is in the character development, how each character handles the challenges the extreme weather brings, and the way each story intersects.
“One Thing About Blue” by Maureen O’Leary follows Georgia who serves time after being caught stealing as a part of her friend Blue’s scheme. Once released, she finds herself in the center of Blue’s latest grift. O’Leary does a magnificent job of conveying Georgia’s emotions and her complicated relationship with Blue.
“Double Dutch Dare” by P.M. Raymond: A girl with a dream for her team to win a jump rope contest makes a disturbing discovery about the man courting her mother. The sense of friendship and community make this story a stand out.
“Mama” by Rob D. Smith: The beautiful woman Ton, a teen car thief and aspiring wheelman, meets drives the story until the very end. I enjoyed the eighties setting and how the song inspired the story.
At the heart of “Beautiful, Dangerous Things” by Gabriela Stiteler lies ride or die friendship, unrequired love, murder, misconceptions, and music. Stiteler is the master of character creation and writing tight, stunning prose.
“Swans” by Amy Stuber: A group of college roommates’ night at a bar leads to crime and betrayal. Beautiful writing and lovely character work lead to an absolute gut punch of an ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to Mariner Books, an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text, and the quoted material might be altered or removed from the final version of the book.
I continue to be impressed with the direction of this series with Steph Cha as Series Editor.
While I enjoyed every one, my favorite stories are as follows:
“Odd Jobs” by D.C. Benny: Ex-con and former boxer Samson gets to the bottom of the disappearance of his friend and neighbor Phyllis. Benny took his novel idea and distilled it into this story with its memorable characters and beautifully built New York City world.
The protagonist isn’t only obsessed with Annunciation paintings in Christopher Bollen’s “The Prophet Daniel,” his time in Venice is consumed with making a scammer pay for his crime.
“The Field” by Becky Hagenston: In Cezanne country, Eleven-year-old Josephine’s life changes after her father’s girlfriend disappears. Such a subtle and powerful tale.
In Shane Joaquin Jimenez’s “Past Lives,” a fresh from a kill hitman is haunted by his past. The snowy polar vortex Las Vegas setting complements the cool speculative elements.
“Hello, Little Girl” by Rebecca K. Jones: Rendered brilliantly in a second person perspective, the story follows a young man who develops a killer obsession with a rare stamp.
In “What You Lost” by Meagan Lucas, three small town women in a struggle to survive a hurricane. The magic is in the character development, how each character handles the challenges the extreme weather brings, and the way each story intersects.
“One Thing About Blue” by Maureen O’Leary follows Georgia who serves time after being caught stealing as a part of her friend Blue’s scheme. Once released, she finds herself in the center of Blue’s latest grift. O’Leary does a magnificent job of conveying Georgia’s emotions and her complicated relationship with Blue.
“Double Dutch Dare” by P.M. Raymond: A girl with a dream for her team to win a jump rope contest makes a disturbing discovery about the man courting her mother. The sense of friendship and community make this story a stand out.
“Mama” by Rob D. Smith: The beautiful woman Ton, a teen car thief and aspiring wheelman, meets drives the story until the very end. I enjoyed the eighties setting and how the song inspired the story.
At the heart of “Beautiful, Dangerous Things” by Gabriela Stiteler lies ride or die friendship, unrequired love, murder, misconceptions, and music. Stiteler is the master of character creation and writing tight, stunning prose.
“Swans” by Amy Stuber: A group of college roommates’ night at a bar leads to crime and betrayal. Beautiful writing and lovely character work lead to an absolute gut punch of an ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to Mariner Books, an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text, and the quoted material might be altered or removed from the final version of the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another year passing which means it’s time for “The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026” chosen by Megan Abbott; series editor Steph Cha. I am a longtime follower of these books, I believe that this is my seventh collection that I’ve read. The stories usually are a reflection of the guest editor’s taste, last year’s entry was a bit darker, this time we have some pretty weird choices.
“Odd Jobs” by D.C. Benny: A landlord has an evil solution to take care of a rent-controlled tenant. Excellent story.
“The Prophet Daniel” by Christopher Bollen: A victim seeks revenge on a conman in Venice.
“Choose Your Own Heartbreak” by Sara Gran: A choose your own adventure pulp tale. Fun.
“The Field” by Becky Hagenston: A young girl in the fields of France has a difficult relationship with her stepmother. Interesting.
“Smoke and Mirrors”: The private detective who’s next door to Philip Marlowe’s office gets hired to retrieve a pearl necklace. Nice homage to the genre.
“Finding Jimmy Baldwin” by Cheryl A. Head: A weird story involving the disappearance of the writer James Bladwin in Harlem.
“Our Theseus” by Nathan Jefferson: Two men robbing a house face an unexpected surprise.
“Past Lives” by Shane Joaquin Jimenez: Snow in Las Vegas foreshadows the circular nature of life.
“Hello, Little Girl” by Rebecca K. Jones: A lifelong obsession with a rare stamp leads to a long con with bad consequences.
“What You Lost” by Meagan Lucas: The once in a lifetime flooding in North Carolina leads to very different results for three different women.
“The Corpse Collector” by David Morrell: A dental hygienist who collects corpses as a side gig for a funeral home sees something very suspicious. Clever.
“Small Things” by Wanda M. Morris: A husband takes away his wife’s one source of joy with unexpected results.
“One Thing About Blue” by Maureen O’Leary: A lifelong relationship with a con woman.
“For Rosalie, with Love” by M. E. Proctor: A very disturbing story about how far a man will go for the woman he loves.
“Double Dutch Dare” by P.M. Raymond: A jump rope competition is a girl’s only hope to escape her life.
“Mama” by Rob D. Smith: A car thief becomes a temporary escape for a woman in an unhappy marriage.
“Beautiful, Dangerous Things” by Gabriela Stiteler: Two girls in love with the same man, both of which should know better.
“Swans” by Amy Stuber: A depressing story about one night out for some college roommates.
“Slow Ride” by Mark Thielman: An apprentice car thief finally has enough of his mentor. Suspenseful and fun.
“Do It” by Paul Tremblay: The local high school outcast working at the pizza parlor thinks she knows the robber.
As with any collection, some are better than others, some fit the theme more than others, there’s always a couple that make me smile. Not too many “classic” mysteries this time around.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Mariner Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
“Odd Jobs” by D.C. Benny: A landlord has an evil solution to take care of a rent-controlled tenant. Excellent story.
“The Prophet Daniel” by Christopher Bollen: A victim seeks revenge on a conman in Venice.
“Choose Your Own Heartbreak” by Sara Gran: A choose your own adventure pulp tale. Fun.
“The Field” by Becky Hagenston: A young girl in the fields of France has a difficult relationship with her stepmother. Interesting.
“Smoke and Mirrors”: The private detective who’s next door to Philip Marlowe’s office gets hired to retrieve a pearl necklace. Nice homage to the genre.
“Finding Jimmy Baldwin” by Cheryl A. Head: A weird story involving the disappearance of the writer James Bladwin in Harlem.
“Our Theseus” by Nathan Jefferson: Two men robbing a house face an unexpected surprise.
“Past Lives” by Shane Joaquin Jimenez: Snow in Las Vegas foreshadows the circular nature of life.
“Hello, Little Girl” by Rebecca K. Jones: A lifelong obsession with a rare stamp leads to a long con with bad consequences.
“What You Lost” by Meagan Lucas: The once in a lifetime flooding in North Carolina leads to very different results for three different women.
“The Corpse Collector” by David Morrell: A dental hygienist who collects corpses as a side gig for a funeral home sees something very suspicious. Clever.
“Small Things” by Wanda M. Morris: A husband takes away his wife’s one source of joy with unexpected results.
“One Thing About Blue” by Maureen O’Leary: A lifelong relationship with a con woman.
“For Rosalie, with Love” by M. E. Proctor: A very disturbing story about how far a man will go for the woman he loves.
“Double Dutch Dare” by P.M. Raymond: A jump rope competition is a girl’s only hope to escape her life.
“Mama” by Rob D. Smith: A car thief becomes a temporary escape for a woman in an unhappy marriage.
“Beautiful, Dangerous Things” by Gabriela Stiteler: Two girls in love with the same man, both of which should know better.
“Swans” by Amy Stuber: A depressing story about one night out for some college roommates.
“Slow Ride” by Mark Thielman: An apprentice car thief finally has enough of his mentor. Suspenseful and fun.
“Do It” by Paul Tremblay: The local high school outcast working at the pizza parlor thinks she knows the robber.
As with any collection, some are better than others, some fit the theme more than others, there’s always a couple that make me smile. Not too many “classic” mysteries this time around.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Mariner Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After listening to the introduction by Steph Cha, I was ready to mark this as a DNF and move on. I am one of the readers she addresses—those who don’t particularly like politics with their fiction—and it boggles my mind why anyone would want to alienate half of their potential readership right out of the gate. I understand that crime novels are inherently political, but there is a way to engage with those issues without becoming preachy.
I’m glad I gave the collection a chance, though, because most of the stories here are excellent, and most manage to make their points without feeling like they’re hitting you over the head with a hammer.
Among my favorites are “The Prophet Daniel” by Christopher Bollen, the highly original “Choose Your Own Heartbreak” by Sara Gran, and “The Corpse Collector” by David Morrell. “Slow Ride” by Mark Thielman is insanely suspenseful and possibly my favorite story in the collection, closely followed by the philosophical “Past Lives” by Shane Joaquin Jimenez, which is easily the most poignant and heartbreaking story here.
A few weren’t for me, especially “Small Things” by Wanda M. Morris, which I had read before and disliked enormously.
The narrators are all amazing: Elizabeth Wiley, Graham Halstead, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Joe Knezevich, Cary Hite, Janina Edwards, and Jennifer Jill Araya. With only a handful of actors embodying such a wildly varied cast of characters, they somehow nail every single one.
So, overall, despite the unevenness that comes with the territory in a collection like this, I found this genuinely enjoyable. I’m very glad I didn’t let the introduction convince me to give up on it.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/HarperAudio Adult | Mariner Books.
I’m glad I gave the collection a chance, though, because most of the stories here are excellent, and most manage to make their points without feeling like they’re hitting you over the head with a hammer.
Among my favorites are “The Prophet Daniel” by Christopher Bollen, the highly original “Choose Your Own Heartbreak” by Sara Gran, and “The Corpse Collector” by David Morrell. “Slow Ride” by Mark Thielman is insanely suspenseful and possibly my favorite story in the collection, closely followed by the philosophical “Past Lives” by Shane Joaquin Jimenez, which is easily the most poignant and heartbreaking story here.
A few weren’t for me, especially “Small Things” by Wanda M. Morris, which I had read before and disliked enormously.
The narrators are all amazing: Elizabeth Wiley, Graham Halstead, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Joe Knezevich, Cary Hite, Janina Edwards, and Jennifer Jill Araya. With only a handful of actors embodying such a wildly varied cast of characters, they somehow nail every single one.
So, overall, despite the unevenness that comes with the territory in a collection like this, I found this genuinely enjoyable. I’m very glad I didn’t let the introduction convince me to give up on it.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/HarperAudio Adult | Mariner Books.
October 29, 2026
I've read this series in the past, but this is the first volume I've read since the editor changed from Otto Penzler to Steph Cha. Prior to reading "The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026," I read "The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2026" edited by Otto Penzler. "The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026" is by far the better of the two. Anyone who likes mystery and suspense short stories will enjoy this anthology,
"The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026" consists of 20 short stories. I liked 16 of the 20, which is 80%. My favorites were:
"Odd Jobs" by D.C. Benny
"The Prophet Daniel" by Christopher Bollen
"The Field" by Becky Hagerstown
"Our Theseus" by Nathan Jefferson
"Past Lives" by Shane Joaquin Jimenez
"Hello, Little Girl" by Rebecca K. Jones
"What You Lost" by Meagan Lucas
"The Corpse Collector" by David Morrell
"Small Things" by Wanda M. Morris
"One Thing About Blue" by Maureen O'Leary
"For Rosalie, With Love" by M.E. Proctor
"Double Dutch Dare" by P.M. Raymond
"Mama" by Rob D. Smith
"Beautiful, Dangerous Things" by Gabriela Stiteler
"Swans" by Amy Stuber
"Slow Ride" by Mark Thielman
One of the reasons why I love anthologies is that it's a great way for me to learn about new authors. This volume did not disappoint. Eighteen of the twenty authors were new to me.
I loved the Contributors' Notes at the back of the book, which provides a short bio of each author, along with an Artist Statement, explaining the inspiration behind the stories. Reading these notes always enhance my understanding of the stories.
Highly Recommended!
Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the complimentary DRC. All opinions are my own.
"The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026" consists of 20 short stories. I liked 16 of the 20, which is 80%. My favorites were:
"Odd Jobs" by D.C. Benny
"The Prophet Daniel" by Christopher Bollen
"The Field" by Becky Hagerstown
"Our Theseus" by Nathan Jefferson
"Past Lives" by Shane Joaquin Jimenez
"Hello, Little Girl" by Rebecca K. Jones
"What You Lost" by Meagan Lucas
"The Corpse Collector" by David Morrell
"Small Things" by Wanda M. Morris
"One Thing About Blue" by Maureen O'Leary
"For Rosalie, With Love" by M.E. Proctor
"Double Dutch Dare" by P.M. Raymond
"Mama" by Rob D. Smith
"Beautiful, Dangerous Things" by Gabriela Stiteler
"Swans" by Amy Stuber
"Slow Ride" by Mark Thielman
One of the reasons why I love anthologies is that it's a great way for me to learn about new authors. This volume did not disappoint. Eighteen of the twenty authors were new to me.
I loved the Contributors' Notes at the back of the book, which provides a short bio of each author, along with an Artist Statement, explaining the inspiration behind the stories. Reading these notes always enhance my understanding of the stories.
Highly Recommended!
Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the complimentary DRC. All opinions are my own.
October 26, 2026
There are two popular annual collections of mystery stories issued each year, this one and "The Best Mystery Stories of the Year" series edited by Otto Penzler. I read this year's editions back-to-back. I reviewed the Penzler volume yesterday. I rate the stories on a five-star scale. This volume had,
5 Stars -5
4 Stars-1
3 Stars-6
4 Stars-5
1 Star-2
This series tends towards more literary and experimental stories. The Penzler series leans more towards well-constructed stories. This series also includes, per its title, more suspense stories that are not traditional crime stories. This volume has more excellent 5-star stories than the Penzler volume, but also more not very good 1- or 2-star stories. This series takes more risk. The Penzler series is more consistent.
David Morrell's first rate "The Corpse Collector" is the best dental hygienist as a detective story I have ever read. M. E. Proctor's "One Thing About Rosalie" is a crooked love story narrated by a very creepy psychopath with a spectacular ending. On the first level I enjoyed Paul Tremblay's "Do It" because it is set in Stoughton, Ma, a town I know well and it is about Town Spa Pizza, one of my favorite pizza places. On top of that it is also a spooky story about an alienated young girl in the middle of bad stuff.
One of the things that struck in this volume was that, by my count, 7 of the 20 stories are focused on alienated and/or neglected teenagers. That included some of the weaker stories. There can be a fine line between alienated and whiny.
5 Stars -5
4 Stars-1
3 Stars-6
4 Stars-5
1 Star-2
This series tends towards more literary and experimental stories. The Penzler series leans more towards well-constructed stories. This series also includes, per its title, more suspense stories that are not traditional crime stories. This volume has more excellent 5-star stories than the Penzler volume, but also more not very good 1- or 2-star stories. This series takes more risk. The Penzler series is more consistent.
David Morrell's first rate "The Corpse Collector" is the best dental hygienist as a detective story I have ever read. M. E. Proctor's "One Thing About Rosalie" is a crooked love story narrated by a very creepy psychopath with a spectacular ending. On the first level I enjoyed Paul Tremblay's "Do It" because it is set in Stoughton, Ma, a town I know well and it is about Town Spa Pizza, one of my favorite pizza places. On top of that it is also a spooky story about an alienated young girl in the middle of bad stuff.
One of the things that struck in this volume was that, by my count, 7 of the 20 stories are focused on alienated and/or neglected teenagers. That included some of the weaker stories. There can be a fine line between alienated and whiny.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This collection of mysterious and suspenseful short stories edited by Megan Abbott is really very good and I enjoyed it immensely. I highly recommend it to fans of the genre as this is a great sampling of a wide variety of authors. I was expecting to see a few that did not appeal to me, but I'm happy to be wrong about that; each story was interesting in its own way and I am very impressed with this collection.
Here's a list of the stories in the anthology:
Odd Jobs by D.C. Benny
The Prophet by Daniel Christopher Bollen
Choose Your Own Heartbreak by Sara Gran
The Field by Becky Hagenston
Smoke and Mirrors by Charles John Harper
Finding Jimmy Baldwin by Cheryl A. Head
Our Theseus by Nathan Jefferson
Past Lives by Shane Joaquin Jimenez
Hello, Little Girl by Rebecca K. Jones
What You Lost by Meagan Lucas
The Corpse Collector by David Morrell
Small Things by Wanda M. Morris
One Thing About Blue by Maureen O’Leary
For Rosalie, with Love by M.E. Proctor
Double Dutch Dare by P.M. Raymond
Mama by Rob D. Smith
Beautiful, Dangerous Things by Gabriela Stiteler
Swans by Amy Stuber
Slow Ride by Mark Thielman
Do It by Paul Tremblay
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Here's a list of the stories in the anthology:
Odd Jobs by D.C. Benny
The Prophet by Daniel Christopher Bollen
Choose Your Own Heartbreak by Sara Gran
The Field by Becky Hagenston
Smoke and Mirrors by Charles John Harper
Finding Jimmy Baldwin by Cheryl A. Head
Our Theseus by Nathan Jefferson
Past Lives by Shane Joaquin Jimenez
Hello, Little Girl by Rebecca K. Jones
What You Lost by Meagan Lucas
The Corpse Collector by David Morrell
Small Things by Wanda M. Morris
One Thing About Blue by Maureen O’Leary
For Rosalie, with Love by M.E. Proctor
Double Dutch Dare by P.M. Raymond
Mama by Rob D. Smith
Beautiful, Dangerous Things by Gabriela Stiteler
Swans by Amy Stuber
Slow Ride by Mark Thielman
Do It by Paul Tremblay
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love books that feature short stories. These "best of the best" collections are among my most often recommended books. Most of them have a theme.....this one is the best American mystery and suspense short stories written during 2025. The selections are written by authors of all skill levels and experience, with each author flexing their skills to catch readers' attention and provide a reading experience that you'll feel obliged to share with your reading circle. These books make excellent gifts to yourself or others. I rotate these when I feel stuck or just need a break from the usual. 5 easy stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am so sorry but why (and how) is this considered "the best" mystery and suspense? These stories were so meh and flat and anti-climactic. Not a suspenseful moment to be had. I am so confused.
I probably would've DNFed this book if not for having gotten the audiobook from NetGalley. I did have to do some skimming just to get through it. There was just nothing to this. I really wouldn't recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I probably would've DNFed this book if not for having gotten the audiobook from NetGalley. I did have to do some skimming just to get through it. There was just nothing to this. I really wouldn't recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Megan Abbot is one of my favorite authors, so I knew that a mystery and suspense collection selected by her would not disappoint. This is a delicious assortment of the most satisfying stories of vengeance, out-smarting-ness, human frailty and twists. Each story is a neat little package with characters and plots that will stay with you long after you've finished.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Megan Abbott, editing this year’s anthology, made it an immediate must-read for me. These anthologies always excel at introducing me to new authors. The standout for my millennial heart was Sara Gran's 'Choose Your Own Heartbreak'. A brilliant story written in a style similar to the classic, beloved Choose Your Own Adventure stories.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sometimes, The Best..., is a misnomer. A few good stories and a few decent stories are cobbled together, and it is a mixed bag of tales. Not in the case of this collection, which is all topnotch and wonderful. Not a bad story in the book. A few authors I've read before and several I made note of and will be reading more from them. Wonderful.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Normally it's a mixed bag with these stories, but I had a tough time getting into this one. Even the Reacher one! And i do love Megan Abbott who introduced this one but didn't include a story!
October 29, 2026
the stories were not what I was expecting.
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