The Mammoth Book of New Historical Whodunits

by Mike Ashley (editor), Marilyn Todd

Selected by best-selling editor Mike Ashley, these stories include brand new contributions as well as rare reprints, from writers such as Ian Rankin, Lynda Robinson, Sharan Newman, Gail Frazer, Gillian Linscott, and Peter Tremayne. Featuring such towering historical figures as the Queen of Sheba, Attila the Hun, Hildegarde of Bingen, Geoffrey Chaucer, Henry the Navigator, and Benjamin Franklin, The Mammoth Book of New Historical Whodunits is a brilliant collection of thirty stories of mystery and intrigue spread over three thousand years, from ancient Egypt to the Titanic, that is sure to please fans of this unique genre.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Anthologies, Short Stories, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery

512 pages, Paperback

Published June 10, 2005

About the author

Michael Raymond Donald Ashley is the author and editor of over sixty books that in total have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Chatham, Kent.

Reviews

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed The Mammoth Book of New Historical Whodunits for the Sister Fidelma series tale that is only available in the US as part of this anthology. However, I love historical mysteries, short stories, and anthologies so if time permits, I might read one or two more.

I love the Dame Frevisse series so I dove into that tale first.
The Stone-Worker's Tale by Margaret Frazer 4 stars
#17.3 Dame Frevisse

Mid-fourteenth century Oxfordshire and the life of a priory nun who has a keen eye and clever intellect are the heart of the Dame Frevisse Mysteries. The long, engaging series of novels by Margaret Frazer have been favorites and I thought it was over until recently I discovered there were some late short story tales added to the series.

The Stone-Worker's Tale is the third of the four short story standalones at the tale end of the series.

Dame Frevisse is on her annual family visit with her cousin Lady Alice. Alice is designing her own tomb and has a gifted journeyman mason working the carvings. Except Simon, the mason, and one of Alice's women have disappeared. Everyone says they eloped together, but Dame Frevisse isn't so sure.

With an economy of words, Margaret Frazer not only paints Frevisse's medieval world, but the cast of characters and the engaging mystery.

Then, I read the one I originally came for: The Spiteful Shadow by Peter Tremayne 3.5 stars
#25.5 Sister Fidelma Series

Set in 7th century Ireland and a standalone from deep in the series.

Fidelma is visiting her old mentor Abbot Laisran after delivering to him her brother's gift of a copied book. He is disturbed by a recent killing in his monastery. Fidelma is a law advocate and eagerly offers to here his story of the murder and then conduct an investigation. There is something of the supernatural in Laisran's tale, but Fidelma deals in facts and she spots the truth before her mulled wine ever had a chance to cool near the abbot's fire.

As a series fan, I enjoyed this little tale set in the series, but it also isn't nearly as strongly developed as the main books in the series and is a fast read with little given of Fidelma's character, her credentials for sleuthing, or much beyond a general ancient feel to the story. In other words, its a short story with decent development and a clever little historical mystery.

I love seeing so many historical time periods represented and both familiar and unfamiliar names in the historical mystery genre. The short tales are like brief tastes to entice readers to try more later. I only sampled two and both were from familiar series that I can heartily recommend.

Titles in the anthology:
"His Master's Servant" by Philip Boast
"Death in the Desert" by Jean Davidson
"The Judgment of the Gods" by Rob Reginald
"The Oracle of Amun" by Mary Reed
"Cupid's Arrow" (Claudia Seferius series) by Marilyn Todd
"The Spiteful Shadow" (Sister Fidelma series) by Peter Tremayne
"Catherine and the Sybil" (Catherine LeVendeur series) by Sharan Newman
"The Jester and the Mathematician" (Fools' Guild series) by Alan Gordon
"The Duke's Tale" by Cherith Baldry
"Sea of Darkness" by Sarah A. Hoyt
"The Stone-Worker's Tale" (Sister Frevisse series) by Margaret Frazer
"The Witching Hour" by Martin Edwards
"The Dutchman and the Wrongful Heir" by Maan Meyers
"If Serpents Envious" by Clayton Emery
"The Uninvited Guest" by Edward D. Hoch
"Benjamin's Trap" by Richard Moquist
"The Serpent's Back" by Ian Rankin
"Botanist at Bay" by Edward Marston
"The Living and the Dead" by Judith Cutler
"Footprints" by Jeffrey Farnol
"The Tenth Commandment" by Melville Davisson Post
"Murder in Old Manhattan" by Frank Bonham
"The Abolitionist" by Lynda S. Robinson
"Poisoned with Politeness" by Gillian Linscott
"Threads of Scarlet" by Claire Griffen
"The Gentleman on the Titanic" by John Lutz

[Tomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy, fun read.

[Ronald · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the most part, the majority of stories are too short to get into a proper mystery-solving mood, with the prose mostly uninspired. There were a handful of good stories that properly delivered, but the rest are not very memorable.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

stars 1.11-1.17

His Master's Servant by Philip Boast ***
Death in the Desert by Jean Davidson ***
the Judgment of the Gods by Rob Reginald ***
the Oracle of Amun by Mary Reed ***
Claudia Seferius] Cupid's Arrow by Marilyn Todd ****
Sister Fidelma] the Spiteful Shadow by Peter Tremayne ***
Catherine LeVendeur] Catherine and the Sybil by Sharan Newman ***
Fools' Guild] the Jester and the Mathematician by Alan Gordon ****
the Duke's Tale by Cherith Baldry
Sea of Darkness by Sarah A. Hoyt
Sister Frevisse 20 the Stone-Worker's Tale by Margaret Frazer
the Witching Hour by Martin Edwards
the Dutchman and the Wrongful Heir by Maan Meyers
If Serpents Envious by Clayton Emery
the Uninvited Guest by Edward D. Hoch
Benjamin's Trap by Richard Moquist
the Serpent's Back by Ian Rankin
Botanist at Bay by Edward Marston
the Living and the Dead by Judith Cutler
Footprints by Jeffrey Farnol
the Tenth Commandment by Melville Davisson Post
Murder in Old Manhattan by Frank Bonham
the Abolitionist by Lynda S. Robinson
Poisoned with Politeness by Gillian Linscott
Threads of Scarlet by Clare Griffon
the Gentleman on the Titanic by John Lutz

[Chriss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great anthology of historical mysteries. I've re-read many of the stories and discovered new author's I like. I've got a full review on my blog.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many short historical mystery stories. Sometimes I needed a dictionary for words that were cultural. This led to some confusion on my part, especially when the story took place in Europe a long time ago. Most were very good stories.

[Jan Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

These anthologies, edited by Mike Ashley, were a great introduction to historical mysteries and their authors. I went on to read many books inspired by these "Mammoth" collections.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally I dont like short stories as they as short... most of these read quickly and enjoyable however they are easy to figure out.