Desperate Detroit and Stories of Other Dire Places

by Loren D. Estleman

"Loren Estleman is my hero." --Harlan Coben

"Desperate Detroit and Stories of Other Dire Places" represents forty years of suspense writing in the short form. Previously published in a host of magazines and anthologies, with a new preface and introductions to the stories written especially for this collection, these eighteen tales feature gangsters, private eyes, psychotic killers, hitmen, feuding families, prostitutes, prizefighters, bodyguards, corrupt cops, the walking dead, and ordinary people driven by desperation to commit acts of violence.

Genres: Short Stories, Mystery, Fiction, Crime

237 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2016

About the author

Loren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter.

Estleman is most famous for his novels about P.I. Amos Walker. Other series characters include Old West marshal Page Murdock and hitman Peter Macklin. He has also written a series of novels about the history of crime in Detroit (also the setting of his Walker books.) His non-series works include Bloody Season, a fictional recreation of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and several novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.

Series:
* Amos Walker Mystery
* Valentino Mystery
* Detroit Crime Mystery
* Peter Macklin Mystery
* Page Murdock Mystery

Reviews

[Buddy Scalera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever, short and medium-length stories focused on crime and mystery. If you like street-level crime and petty criminals, this collection will appeal to you.

Despite the short length, these stories are usually very clear and nuanced. Plus, many include a fun little O. Henry twist in the last couple of paragraphs.

There is a real charm to the prose. The author seems to take great pride in clever sentences and snappy dialogue. Sometimes the stories take a backseat to the writing, which is a bit of flash over substance. If you're okay with this (and I am), you'll enjoy the experience.

This was my first exposure to author Loren D. Estleman. I've already started reading one of his novels.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't familiar with this author's previous works, so I went into this book with no expectations or preconceptions. I wasn't very impressed. I realize that this is a compendium of short works he'd amassed over many years, but, unless his intention was to show the reader how he'd improved over those years, it was a weak, poor showing. I found the crime-noir style a little too flippant for my taste, and only a couple of stories were very intriguing to me.

One point: he's really good at the last-minute twist (The Bog, The Tree on Execution Hill).

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up thinking it was a book of Amos Walker Shorts. It was not.

This was a very entertaining book, Estleman gives us a glimpse into his mystery writing past with a group of stories about people in odd situations. Please note, these people are NOT heroes, they are protagonists and therein lies the difference. Each person is put into a difficult situation and given unique choices to make. Yes there are a few themes and twists that he used a few times, but in different ways.

Overall this is a good read with something for everyone.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A handful of Estleman short stories from various collections, magazines, and such through the years. A few of them are very early stories, some more recent. Although known primarily for detective and western novels, he has quite a range and these books put that on display nicely from supernatural to crime to humor.

The quality isn't always as stellar as his wordsmithing and crafting of dialog can be, but the format of short -- sometimes very short -- stories makes it more difficult to develop some of those themes and again some of this is very early in Estleman's writing career.

Overall its a nice collection with plenty of surprises and particularly nice is the intro for each story giving a bit of background to the tales.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

y favorite author Loren D. Estleman has collected a group of short stories in a book entitled “Desperate Detroit: And Stories of Other Dire Places”. I loved them.

Between 10-15 pages long, each of these 18 stories stories is top notch. Hit men, corrupt cops, prositutes, regular Joes, bad guys and good guys - all are featured in these tales.

As Estleman wrote, “…crime is the most durable small business we have…” and these stories have plenty of it.

I am always struck how well he can paint a picture - one that allows you to feel you’re standing right there in the scene.

I was sad when I finished the last story. I wished there were 18 more.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desperate Detroit is a collection of short stories which all revolve around men and women having to make hard choices in bad situations all across the United States. There is a variety of styles and situations which make Desperate Detroit a book that is easy to read in chunks rather than in one sitting. An enjoyable read.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories that kept me interested so that each had to be finished before bed - otherwise I'd lay awake wondering how it would finish. The last one, 'Now We Are Seven' left me wanting more. There's more than enough variety & suspense to keep a mystery lover's anxiety up. Now I need to check out Estleman's other books.

[Valissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those random books that came across the library counter. Turned out to be the perfect rainy day in the hammock reads. Collection of short stories, well done for the most part, in that the voice almost never echoes into the next story. I am always amazed when an author can create so many different voices to express the story in.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. This book of short stories was an excellent companion for me on a trip, when time for extended reading was limited. I enjoyed the variety of stories, the frequent (apparently) autobiographical details, and especially the many plot twists.

[Suzze Tiernan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed local author Lauren Estleman, and this was an interesting introspective of many years of his short stories.

[Reynolds Darke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good short stories

[Al Stoess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting stories. I'm not a short story fans although I like Estleman, especially Amos Walker novels.

[Jack Goodstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

18 stories going back as far as 1977--all with an ironic twist at the end.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the o. Henry-esque surprise endings, most of them I had not expected. A couple stories were almost exactly the same ... what's up with that?

Overall, an easy enjoyable read.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, solid short stories. Estleman does a good job with the last second plot twists.