Crimes and Misdemeanors: New and Original Stories of Love and Death

by Elaine Koster (Editor), Joseph Pittman (Editor), Various

For fifty years Signet books has published the finest writers the world has known, and "Crimes and Misdemeanors" brings together some of today's most acclaimed authors in this all-new original anthology. This rich and varied short story collection features the talents of Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Nancy Taylor Rosenberg, Sharyn McCrumb, E.L. Doctorow, Lawrence Block, Joy Fielding, Jeffery Deaver, Eileen Goudge, Ed McBain, Tabitha King, Erica Jong, Lisa Alther, Larry Collins, Stephen Frey, Linda Lay Shuler, Wendy Hornsby, and Joan Hess. Eighteen ground-breaking voices, one landmark volume.

Contents:

Stormy weather / Lisa Alther
Headaches and bad dreams / Lawrence Block
Baby-sitting Ingrid / Larry Collins
Wrong time, wrong place / Jeffery Deaver
Untitled / E.L. Doctorow
Mother's Day / Joy Fielding
Paranoia / Stephen Frey
The price of tea in China / Eileen Goudge
Six shades of black / Joan Hess
The naked giant / Wendy Hornsby
Songs in the key of I / Erica Jong
L.T.'s theory of pets / Stephen King
Djinn & tonic / Tabitha King
Where or when / Ed McBain
An autumn migration / Sharyn McCrumb
Color blind / Joyce Carol Oates
A place for Nathan / Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
The unsung song of Mary Gallinger / Linda Lay Shuler.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Short Story Collection, Collections, Horror

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Angie S · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok selection of short stories, but I can't say I enjoyed it much. I didn't read everything, but I decided to count it for review rather than Did Not Finish since I read what I wanted to. Short story compilations often work that way, so I don't feel like I'm cheating. It was interesting to have stories by both Stephen and Tabitha King even if neither story was quite to my taste. Not bad, but, overall, not for me.

[Carol Waters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a disappoint! 18 writers who have nothing in common except their publisher, who probably twisted arms to get this thing together. Stephen King and Joyce Carol Oates came through but “A Place for Nathan” by Rosenberg was was pathetic and “The Unsung Song of Mary Gallinger” was another pitiful story about a woman who gets it all in the end. I could have skipped the last few stories.

[Khanson919 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to read a short story between finishing a book and starting a new one. Kind of like a palate cleanser. I really liked some of these stories, but I did not understand why there was a pottery section in the book. The poems felt really out of place.

[Lynn Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite authors had excellent stories and those that are not on that list tended to have less interesting stories. Great selection of authors and interests.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this years ago