Best Crime Stories of the Year: 2021

by Lee Child (Editor), Otto Penzler (Editor)

Selected by #1 bestselling author Lee the twenty finest short stories of 2021. There is no finer form for a crime than the short story. WIthin a few pages, a clue can be discovered, divulged and its significance determined; all else is mere embellishment. The classic mystery tale will be familiar to aficionados and casual readers it was invented by Edgar Allen Poe, popularised by Arthur Conan Doyle, and perfected by Agatha Christie. But mystery fiction has changed a great deal over the years – as have all things – and the writers within these pages present far more than a simple case of crime and resolution. Far from predictable, these stories provide fertile grounds of aberrant circumstances and the poor choices they lead to. You will find diverse methods and motivations, original perspectives and perils. Above all, you will find tales of the extremes of human psychology caused by despair, hate, greed, fear, envy, insanity or love. Featuring stories Doug Allyn, Jim Allyn, Ambrose Bierce, Michael Bracken, James Lee Burke, Martin Edwards, John Floyd, Jacqueline Freimor, Alison Gaylin, Sue Grafton, Paul Kemprecos, Stephen King, Janice Law, Dennis McFadden, David Marcum, Tom Mead, David Morrell, Joyce Carol Oates, Sara Paretsky, Joseph Walker, Andrew Welsh-Huggins.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Crime, Anthologies

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2021

About the author

Lee Child was born October 29th, 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV's "golden age." During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.

Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.

Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.

Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.

Reviews

[Jannelies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading an anthology is like opening a box of chocolates. I never know where to start so I usually just delve in - to be pleasantly or unpleasantly suprised.
Since the stories in this book are coming from so many (very) different authors, it is hard to recommend one or more, or tell you which one's I didn't like. After all, we all have a different taste and as with a box of chocolates, you can have a taste of each story and then decide whether you like it or not.
I liked most stories and had a good time reading this book.

[AR’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this anthology. Every entry was unique and brilliantly put together, followed by comments by the authors to summarise their muses and inspirations for their piece. Naturally, I loved some more than others but overall, brilliant. Surely, any crime-fiction novel enthusiast would thoroughly enjoy; if not out of curiosity, than out of complete love for the genre.

[Susan Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given up reading. Some good stories but really, no not many. Also Holmes 221 Baker Street? Thought he was 221b.

Think only got this as saw Lee Child's name shouting out on cover but, when looked properly "edited by" in smaller print. It does have a story by Stephen King though which was good.

[The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is fairly typical - some excellent/great, some good, some that didn’t grab me as much as others.
I liked the author’s notes at the end of each story about why they wrote it or why they liked writing it.

[Adam Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a random library acquisition, outside of my usual reading tastes, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Still a mixed bag, and overall grittier than I would like, but definitely some excellent stories. (I suppose, in one sense, they are all excellent to the right reader). It's also great to have a short paragraph at the end of each story where the writer explains the inspiration for the story.

My favourites:
- Blest Be The Tie That Binds by Michael Bracken - a mystery set in a Baptist church
- The Locked Cabin by Martin Edwards - a sea-based locked room mystery with a twist
- If You Want Something Done Right by Sue Grafton - a previously unpublished story
- The Sixth Decoy by Paul Kemprecos - a surprisingly compelling story about woodcarving
- Requiem for a Homecoming by David Morrell - a historic crime discussed by two potential suspects

[wally walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent collection

[A.N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A number of short stories, some good, some not so good.

[Tomiko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess shorts aren’t for me. DNF

[Nicola Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad

There was two or three stories that had me gripped. Overall a mediocre read. I especially liked "The End of the Road" one as it kind of related to my life sans the murders!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked most of the stories. I liked the hard-boiled main characters, who were often ex-military. The author's comments added to the enjoyment.

[Laura C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories varied, some very good.ones where I will look up the authors. Also some not so good ones. I would give it 3.5 stars but I can't give half stars

[Susan Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of authors - mostly good, others did not resonate

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a mixed bag with this one. Some stories were excellent and others just fluff.
Glad to have picked it up. I enjoy short stories as a palette cleanser between novels.

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lee Child’s name sold it to me but I wish I never picked it up. Only finished it under duress, i.e. my own. Enjoyed about 3 of short stories. The rest was just blah.