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Retrievers #3.5
Murder by Magic: Twenty Tales of Crime and the Supernatural
This anthology features 20 original stories of murder by acclaimed and award-winning science fiction and fantasy writers.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2004
51 people are currently reading
724 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Edghill
98 books137 followersShe was born long enough ago to have seen Classic Trek on its first outing and to remember that she once thought Spock Must Die! to be great literature. As she aged, she put aside her fond dreams of taking over for Batman when he retired, and returned to her first love, writing. Her first SF sale (as Eluki Bes Shahar) was the Hellflower series, in which Damon Runyon meets Doc Smith over at the old Bester place. Between books and short stories in every genre but the Western (several dozen so far), she's held the usual selection of odd and part-time writer jobs, including bookstore clerk, secretary, beta tester for computer software, graphic designer, book illustrator, library clerk, and administrative assistant for a non-profit arts organization. She can truthfully state that she once killed vampires for a living, and that without any knowledge of medicine has illustrated half-a-dozen medical textbooks.
Her last name -- despite the efforts of editors, reviewers, publishing houses, her webmaster, and occasionally her own fingers -- is not spelled 'Edgehill'.
Also writes under the name Eluki Bes Shahar.
Her last name -- despite the efforts of editors, reviewers, publishing houses, her webmaster, and occasionally her own fingers -- is not spelled 'Edgehill'.
Also writes under the name Eluki Bes Shahar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 15, 2009
I really enjoyed this anthology, although it took me a while to read through. I can honestly say that every story was unique. There was a slight lean towards higher fantasy and/or historical fantasy that was interesting, as I was expecting a modern occult detective slant. But that is just my presupposition of this volume.
My favorite story in this collection, hands down, was 'Dopplegangsters' by Laura Resnick. I thought it was very clever. Made men aka mafiosos are being preyed upon by a supernatural presence that is pretending to be each one of them, right at the moment of their death while they are physically elsewhere, in other words a dopplegangster. I have never felt sorry for mafia types, but I almost did in this story. Apparently Ms. Resnick is releasing a novel-length version of this story soon. Sign me up.
I was a little disappointed in one story which had a decided judgmental cast about a famous murder case about ten or more years ago. I know it's fiction and an author is free to follow her creative urges, but in this country people are innocent until proven guilty (although it doesn't seem like it sometimes), even if you don't like the verdict. One of my big pet peeves is being preached to or heavy-handedly being morally led by a story, and that tale definitely was guilty of this. Too bad. I enjoyed it very much until I realized what case the author was writing about. Not impressed at all with that.
Otherwise I loved the stories in this collection. There's a little bit of everything. In fact, I think the authors were impressive in their creativity and their storytelling. It's more along the lines of paranormal mystery, so don't look for too many mythical beasties in this one. The good news is I made some notes on authors I want to read such as the prolific Mercedes Lackey, who I had not read up until this point.
If you like fantasy involving magic mixed with crime-solving and murder mysteries, you should read this one. Also it has a fantastic little afterward discussing the evolution of occult detective novels. I furiously wrote down every book and story discussed to add to my to read list.
My favorite story in this collection, hands down, was 'Dopplegangsters' by Laura Resnick. I thought it was very clever. Made men aka mafiosos are being preyed upon by a supernatural presence that is pretending to be each one of them, right at the moment of their death while they are physically elsewhere, in other words a dopplegangster. I have never felt sorry for mafia types, but I almost did in this story. Apparently Ms. Resnick is releasing a novel-length version of this story soon. Sign me up.
I was a little disappointed in one story which had a decided judgmental cast about a famous murder case about ten or more years ago. I know it's fiction and an author is free to follow her creative urges, but in this country people are innocent until proven guilty (although it doesn't seem like it sometimes), even if you don't like the verdict. One of my big pet peeves is being preached to or heavy-handedly being morally led by a story, and that tale definitely was guilty of this. Too bad. I enjoyed it very much until I realized what case the author was writing about. Not impressed at all with that.
Otherwise I loved the stories in this collection. There's a little bit of everything. In fact, I think the authors were impressive in their creativity and their storytelling. It's more along the lines of paranormal mystery, so don't look for too many mythical beasties in this one. The good news is I made some notes on authors I want to read such as the prolific Mercedes Lackey, who I had not read up until this point.
If you like fantasy involving magic mixed with crime-solving and murder mysteries, you should read this one. Also it has a fantastic little afterward discussing the evolution of occult detective novels. I furiously wrote down every book and story discussed to add to my to read list.
March 3, 2021
General Thoughts
I've had this book on my TBR pile for over a decade. Time to read it for an /r/fantasy bingo spot. I originally moved it onto the TBR due to it having stories by Mercedes Lackey and Jennifer Roberson.
Thanks to that title I'm expecting a lot of murder in this book. Especially magic-users or curses that kill people. Surprisingly, the first few stories revolve around kinds of murder and some kind of magic... but not so much 'murder by magic'.
I like that there are little blurbs describing each author at the start of each story.
Unfortunately most of these stories feel *very* dated. Not to mention overly simplified, which I guess is the majority of short stories out there. But it's especially poor for tales that need to set up a murder victim, suspects, and solve the crime all within about 10 pages. It's a real shame, since I love magical murder stories. These are generally just not that great.
Also the only thing that really got me to 1. read this book is Mercedes Lackey's inclusion and 2. finish the book is the fact that Lackey's story was the very last one.
---
Piece of Mind: I generally think Jennifer Roberson does a pretty good job at telling stories. And while this short tale had some interesting characters, a bit of magic being real in our world, and I guess a strong nod to pet lovers, in general I didn't like this tale much. I'm not a huge dog person, and also I'm so over that whole 'I'm an old cop who left before I could finish my one worst case and also I'm objectifying every woman I meet'. 2/5
Special Surprise Guest Appearance by ...: I liked this story, but I hated the main character. He was an old, worn out misogynistic racist who feels his superiority should entitle him to everything: he gets plastic surgery to look younger, hair extensions to maintain a look, body shapewear to hide his paunch... I was very happy that his true self was exposed in a Dorian Gray manner. I liked the real magic come into our world in this one far more: an ancient creature making a pact for freedom is one of my favorite fantasy tropes.
But also no matter how much of a racist, misogynistic POS your MC is, I don't think you should be saying lines like, "Chardonnay Le Seuer was one of those tall black women with a whole lot of cream in their coffee."
Doppelgangster: I really liked this story. It was parts absurd, over the top, and also had a great plot. I loved how there actually was a plot, and I did not 100% predict it (so common with short stories). I loved how crazy the gangsters were. And I really like the idea of dopplegangers going around until the real person is dead, one after the other falling until you don't know who to trust or who is next.
Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder: This one kept me on my toes for the most part, but only because I wasn't sure if the couple were vampires or werewolves - turns out they were both? I'm not really sure. It's a different kind of marriage / couple, but pretty forgettable.
The Case of the Headless Corpse: Eh... some interesting ideas here, but nothing that really stood out.
A Death in the Working: Tons of footnotes in this tiny story, which was amusing to say the least. I wonder if you couldn't just put all that extra info into the story itself, however. Most of it was just world building.
Cold Case: Okay, this story is actually pretty great. I love the idea of a back-logged police officer who also needs to go interrogate ghosts about their own murder.
Snake in the Grass: This is interesting due to the pagan and religious balance in the world. But there are overtones and implications here I do not like at all. But it's hard to pin down, mostly because it's a short story.
Double Jeopardy: Incredibly rushed; this story would really have done better as a novella. There was no space to breath, to feel for any of the characters.
Witch Sight: This was the first story that I felt was the most well contained / constrained by the word count limit. It had just enough going on to keep it interesting, but not so much that you had many questions left over. Still, I'd love to spend a lot more time in this world, especially! Seeing the spirits of air and forest is my favorite part.
Overrush: This story was more confusing again. Thrust right into a lot of people, a plot, etc. and not very clearly explained. Also it seems the story shifted back and forth in time without really making that clear. Lots of names being used but only like 3 characters on screen increases the confusion. (And while there was a neat electricity-based magic, the whole ending just ended so disappointing. Really not a great story.
Captured in Silver: "As usual, there would be no real justice in Tourvallon" is a good summation of this book. Do only a handful of these tales end satisfactorily? I have a good mind to just quit reading. Once again this story had an interesting case, interesting premise, and lead nowhere.
A Night at the Opera: Tons of male gaze. Eww. On top of that not a very interesting or clever story. Jumped around a lot. More like Great Gatsby speed up x1000 plus magic.
A Tremble in the Air: An interesting plot, though ultimately too simple.
Murder Entailed: I don't understand why these short story authors have to have 3 people in a room, plus another corpse, and then use 10 names to address all 4 of those parties. Is the aim to confuse the reader as much as possible from the get go?
I was hoping this would be a sort of clue-do type tale, but alas, it is not. And then it's followed up by a healthy dose of patriarchy. These stories are *such* a product of their times.
Dropping Hints: This murder mystery is actually somewhat intriguing. Confronted with 5 identical homunculi, which is the murderer and which 4 are the innocents? I love a good logic puzzle. Sadly the main character of this story doesn't profess themselves to be smart enough to logic their way through, and so even that fun bit was removed.
Au Purr: Okay, a human in cat form sneaking about is one of my favorite things ever. Please be a good story! -later- Eh, it was an okay story, I guess.
Getting the Chair: Animated furniture is somewhat amusing, but not at the level of 'humor' this story is aiming for.
The Necromancer's Apprentice: Incompetence is usually not a good character trait. It really is not interesting, and combined with necromancy which also bores me... Sigh. Add to that the heaps of abuse the men somehow feel fit to pile upon anyone of a lower station than them. Yeah, no.
Grey Eminence: (Very amusing author blurb headed this story). And the story is one of the Sarah and Nan adventures from the Elemental Masters! This is the highlight of the book, even though I feel I've read this story before elsewhere.
I've had this book on my TBR pile for over a decade. Time to read it for an /r/fantasy bingo spot. I originally moved it onto the TBR due to it having stories by Mercedes Lackey and Jennifer Roberson.
Thanks to that title I'm expecting a lot of murder in this book. Especially magic-users or curses that kill people. Surprisingly, the first few stories revolve around kinds of murder and some kind of magic... but not so much 'murder by magic'.
I like that there are little blurbs describing each author at the start of each story.
Unfortunately most of these stories feel *very* dated. Not to mention overly simplified, which I guess is the majority of short stories out there. But it's especially poor for tales that need to set up a murder victim, suspects, and solve the crime all within about 10 pages. It's a real shame, since I love magical murder stories. These are generally just not that great.
Also the only thing that really got me to 1. read this book is Mercedes Lackey's inclusion and 2. finish the book is the fact that Lackey's story was the very last one.
---
Piece of Mind: I generally think Jennifer Roberson does a pretty good job at telling stories. And while this short tale had some interesting characters, a bit of magic being real in our world, and I guess a strong nod to pet lovers, in general I didn't like this tale much. I'm not a huge dog person, and also I'm so over that whole 'I'm an old cop who left before I could finish my one worst case and also I'm objectifying every woman I meet'. 2/5
Special Surprise Guest Appearance by ...: I liked this story, but I hated the main character. He was an old, worn out misogynistic racist who feels his superiority should entitle him to everything: he gets plastic surgery to look younger, hair extensions to maintain a look, body shapewear to hide his paunch... I was very happy that his true self was exposed in a Dorian Gray manner. I liked the real magic come into our world in this one far more: an ancient creature making a pact for freedom is one of my favorite fantasy tropes.
But also no matter how much of a racist, misogynistic POS your MC is, I don't think you should be saying lines like, "Chardonnay Le Seuer was one of those tall black women with a whole lot of cream in their coffee."
Doppelgangster: I really liked this story. It was parts absurd, over the top, and also had a great plot. I loved how there actually was a plot, and I did not 100% predict it (so common with short stories). I loved how crazy the gangsters were. And I really like the idea of dopplegangers going around until the real person is dead, one after the other falling until you don't know who to trust or who is next.
Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder: This one kept me on my toes for the most part, but only because I wasn't sure if the couple were vampires or werewolves - turns out they were both? I'm not really sure. It's a different kind of marriage / couple, but pretty forgettable.
The Case of the Headless Corpse: Eh... some interesting ideas here, but nothing that really stood out.
A Death in the Working: Tons of footnotes in this tiny story, which was amusing to say the least. I wonder if you couldn't just put all that extra info into the story itself, however. Most of it was just world building.
Cold Case: Okay, this story is actually pretty great. I love the idea of a back-logged police officer who also needs to go interrogate ghosts about their own murder.
Snake in the Grass: This is interesting due to the pagan and religious balance in the world. But there are overtones and implications here I do not like at all. But it's hard to pin down, mostly because it's a short story.
Double Jeopardy: Incredibly rushed; this story would really have done better as a novella. There was no space to breath, to feel for any of the characters.
Witch Sight: This was the first story that I felt was the most well contained / constrained by the word count limit. It had just enough going on to keep it interesting, but not so much that you had many questions left over. Still, I'd love to spend a lot more time in this world, especially! Seeing the spirits of air and forest is my favorite part.
Overrush: This story was more confusing again. Thrust right into a lot of people, a plot, etc. and not very clearly explained. Also it seems the story shifted back and forth in time without really making that clear. Lots of names being used but only like 3 characters on screen increases the confusion. (And while there was a neat electricity-based magic, the whole ending just ended so disappointing. Really not a great story.
Captured in Silver: "As usual, there would be no real justice in Tourvallon" is a good summation of this book. Do only a handful of these tales end satisfactorily? I have a good mind to just quit reading. Once again this story had an interesting case, interesting premise, and lead nowhere.
A Night at the Opera: Tons of male gaze. Eww. On top of that not a very interesting or clever story. Jumped around a lot. More like Great Gatsby speed up x1000 plus magic.
A Tremble in the Air: An interesting plot, though ultimately too simple.
Murder Entailed: I don't understand why these short story authors have to have 3 people in a room, plus another corpse, and then use 10 names to address all 4 of those parties. Is the aim to confuse the reader as much as possible from the get go?
I was hoping this would be a sort of clue-do type tale, but alas, it is not. And then it's followed up by a healthy dose of patriarchy. These stories are *such* a product of their times.
Dropping Hints: This murder mystery is actually somewhat intriguing. Confronted with 5 identical homunculi, which is the murderer and which 4 are the innocents? I love a good logic puzzle. Sadly the main character of this story doesn't profess themselves to be smart enough to logic their way through, and so even that fun bit was removed.
Au Purr: Okay, a human in cat form sneaking about is one of my favorite things ever. Please be a good story! -later- Eh, it was an okay story, I guess.
Getting the Chair: Animated furniture is somewhat amusing, but not at the level of 'humor' this story is aiming for.
The Necromancer's Apprentice: Incompetence is usually not a good character trait. It really is not interesting, and combined with necromancy which also bores me... Sigh. Add to that the heaps of abuse the men somehow feel fit to pile upon anyone of a lower station than them. Yeah, no.
Grey Eminence: (Very amusing author blurb headed this story). And the story is one of the Sarah and Nan adventures from the Elemental Masters! This is the highlight of the book, even though I feel I've read this story before elsewhere.
November 16, 2021
A bit uneven, like many themed anthologies, but the good stories are REALLY good.
August 17, 2009
Very unique & enjoyable short stories, from paranormal to fantasy.
This is one anthology that's absolutely worth reading. I enjoyed every one of the 20 stories.
This is one anthology that's absolutely worth reading. I enjoyed every one of the 20 stories.
April 27, 2022
Not bad, as anthologies go. Some stories were charming, some funny, some weird, still some a bit scary. But overall, a decent collection.
July 20, 2019
Quick thoughts: Strong collection overall with some really clever ideas in certain stories.
December 20, 2014
Supernatural meets Agatha Christie in this cool anthology. I picked up this book at a bookstore a few years ago and I just started reading it this fall.
I loved most of the short stories in this anthology which is rare for me. Whenever I read anthologies, I usually only find a few short stories I enjoy, This one, however, I loved 80% of them.
The ones I didn't like were dealing with a subject I didn't enjoy. The writing and character development was still top notch. I just didn't connect with the story.
I give credit to Rosemary Edghill for a superb job editing and formatting the stories. They flowed smoothly and it was as if it was written by one author (instead of twenty).
Do you love mysteries and the supernatural? This book is for you!
I loved most of the short stories in this anthology which is rare for me. Whenever I read anthologies, I usually only find a few short stories I enjoy, This one, however, I loved 80% of them.
The ones I didn't like were dealing with a subject I didn't enjoy. The writing and character development was still top notch. I just didn't connect with the story.
I give credit to Rosemary Edghill for a superb job editing and formatting the stories. They flowed smoothly and it was as if it was written by one author (instead of twenty).
Do you love mysteries and the supernatural? This book is for you!
September 5, 2015
This had a nice wide range of stories, contemporary, historical, pseudohistorical, and pure fantasy. I skipped a couple stories but I read most of them and found some authors I want to read more of. There were also a few fave authors in the mix and I enjoyed reading their stories. A few stories were quite good, most were average, and none were awful. The majority of the mysteries kept me guessing. Overall, an enjoyable anthology.
January 4, 2026
A very interesting and varied collection. It was interesting to see different genres within this collection (ie more fantasy vs modern vs historical). It was also neat to see how some authors went heavier on the magic angle while others focused more on a mystery surrounding a murder (more like a whodunit). Some authors managed to balance both very well.
Peace of Mind (Jennifer Roberson) - an interesting modern take on murder and magic; 3 stars
Special Surprise Guest Appearance By (Carole Nelson Douglas) - This was more of a revenge story than a classic murder mystery. This was intriguing but I got a little lost at the end. 3 stars.
Doppelgangster (Laura Resnick) - definitely a different kind of story. 3 stars
Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder (Will Graham) - I found this one particularly interesting. More in the lines of a "detective for hire/murder mystery" with magic added; 3.5 stars
The Case of the Headless Corpse (Josepha Sherman) - I thought this was kind of a cool whodunit and howdunit. 3 stars
A death in the working (Debra Doyle)- I found this one just okay. There were a lot of weird names and hierarchy that just bogged down the narrative for such a short story. barely 3 stars
Cold case (Diane Duane)- Very interesting take on investigating a cold case. I figured out the twist early but was still very good and was one of my favorite stories. 3.5
Snake in the Grass (Susan R. Matthews) - More of a murder mystery. I just thought this was okay. 3 stars
Double Jeopardy (M.J. Hamilton) - A decent story although I didn't entirely understand the overall point with twins vs a single person using the amulets. Felt a little rushed at the end. 3 stars
Witch Sight (Roberta Gellis) - Had a feel of the medieval witch trials although the place was mythical and the time period ambiguous. Another murder mystery. 3 stars
Overrush (Laura Anne Gilman) - I liked this one but it felt a little rushed at the end. Felt like this was part of a larger book or it should be. 3 stars
Captured in Silver (Teresa Edgerton) - A locked-room mystery with a magical component. 3 stars
A Night at the Opera (Sharon Lee and Steve Miller) - The names of some characters kept changing (sometimes referred to by full name, sometimes last name, sometimes nickname) making it difficult to keep track. The plot itself also felt a little convoluted. 3 stars
A Tremble in the Air (James D. MacDonald) - An interesting combo of an investigator who also uses magic (or at least supernatural talent) to solve a mystery that is more interesting because it's not how you'd expect it to end up. 3.5 stars
Murder Entailed (Susan Krinard) - good but a little confusing with talents and other magic explanations crammed into a short story along with a lot of murder suspects. The magic element was more interesting than the murder mystery. It was still interesting and I'd read more by this author. 3-3.5 stars
Peace of Mind (Jennifer Roberson) - an interesting modern take on murder and magic; 3 stars
Special Surprise Guest Appearance By (Carole Nelson Douglas) - This was more of a revenge story than a classic murder mystery. This was intriguing but I got a little lost at the end. 3 stars.
Doppelgangster (Laura Resnick) - definitely a different kind of story. 3 stars
Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder (Will Graham) - I found this one particularly interesting. More in the lines of a "detective for hire/murder mystery" with magic added; 3.5 stars
The Case of the Headless Corpse (Josepha Sherman) - I thought this was kind of a cool whodunit and howdunit. 3 stars
A death in the working (Debra Doyle)- I found this one just okay. There were a lot of weird names and hierarchy that just bogged down the narrative for such a short story. barely 3 stars
Cold case (Diane Duane)- Very interesting take on investigating a cold case. I figured out the twist early but was still very good and was one of my favorite stories. 3.5
Snake in the Grass (Susan R. Matthews) - More of a murder mystery. I just thought this was okay. 3 stars
Double Jeopardy (M.J. Hamilton) - A decent story although I didn't entirely understand the overall point with twins vs a single person using the amulets. Felt a little rushed at the end. 3 stars
Witch Sight (Roberta Gellis) - Had a feel of the medieval witch trials although the place was mythical and the time period ambiguous. Another murder mystery. 3 stars
Overrush (Laura Anne Gilman) - I liked this one but it felt a little rushed at the end. Felt like this was part of a larger book or it should be. 3 stars
Captured in Silver (Teresa Edgerton) - A locked-room mystery with a magical component. 3 stars
A Night at the Opera (Sharon Lee and Steve Miller) - The names of some characters kept changing (sometimes referred to by full name, sometimes last name, sometimes nickname) making it difficult to keep track. The plot itself also felt a little convoluted. 3 stars
A Tremble in the Air (James D. MacDonald) - An interesting combo of an investigator who also uses magic (or at least supernatural talent) to solve a mystery that is more interesting because it's not how you'd expect it to end up. 3.5 stars
Murder Entailed (Susan Krinard) - good but a little confusing with talents and other magic explanations crammed into a short story along with a lot of murder suspects. The magic element was more interesting than the murder mystery. It was still interesting and I'd read more by this author. 3-3.5 stars
October 12, 2025
This anthology was a bit of a mixed bag. Some of the stories were incredibly well written and kept me transfixed from start to finish. While others were really not my thing, or just didn't work as standalones. Let's start with the ones I didn't like:
Dopplegangster by Laura Resnick
The plot on this one was interesting, but I found it hard to follow due to the large amount of characters. I kept having to go back and re-read sections to remember who was who. It's a short story, I fell like less is more.
A Death in the Working by Debra Doyle
There were more footnotes than actual plot. If you need that many footnotes to explain to readers what is happening, maybe your writing needs a little bit of polishing. I think this one would have made more sense if I had read the other books in the series, but I shouldn't have had to considering this is a collection of short stories. It should work by itself.
Snake in the Grass by Susan R. Matthews
This one I also found to be confusing, but mostly because I felt like I was missing something. The system of magic seemed interesting, but it wasn't really well fleshed out and that took away from the plot.
There were a few stories I really enjoyed:
A Tremble in the Air by James D. Macdonald
A classic who-dunnit with a magical twist. The writing was enjoyable, and the plot was sound. I didn't figure it out until the end, but I also wasn't confused. Very enjoyable.
Murder Entailed by Susan Krinard
Another classic style, with a magical twist. I loved the lore building of this one, as well as the character building. The story was just complex enough to keep me guessing, but not enough to be too much for a short story. Also very enjoyable.
Grey Eminence by Mercedes Lackey
I think I bought this book because of this story as I have read Mercedes Lackey before. This was excellent, if not a little long. There also wasn't any murder (which was kind of the whole point of the anthology) but it was very intriguing and I was riveted by the plot. I think my favourite story in the collection.
The rest of the stories were mostly just okay, and that is why I have given it 3 stars. I know short story collections can be hit or miss, and this mostly had a stories that were neither. I don't regret reading it as there were some that I did really enjoy, but it might have been better as a more casual read when I had time here and there.
Dopplegangster by Laura Resnick
The plot on this one was interesting, but I found it hard to follow due to the large amount of characters. I kept having to go back and re-read sections to remember who was who. It's a short story, I fell like less is more.
A Death in the Working by Debra Doyle
There were more footnotes than actual plot. If you need that many footnotes to explain to readers what is happening, maybe your writing needs a little bit of polishing. I think this one would have made more sense if I had read the other books in the series, but I shouldn't have had to considering this is a collection of short stories. It should work by itself.
Snake in the Grass by Susan R. Matthews
This one I also found to be confusing, but mostly because I felt like I was missing something. The system of magic seemed interesting, but it wasn't really well fleshed out and that took away from the plot.
There were a few stories I really enjoyed:
A Tremble in the Air by James D. Macdonald
A classic who-dunnit with a magical twist. The writing was enjoyable, and the plot was sound. I didn't figure it out until the end, but I also wasn't confused. Very enjoyable.
Murder Entailed by Susan Krinard
Another classic style, with a magical twist. I loved the lore building of this one, as well as the character building. The story was just complex enough to keep me guessing, but not enough to be too much for a short story. Also very enjoyable.
Grey Eminence by Mercedes Lackey
I think I bought this book because of this story as I have read Mercedes Lackey before. This was excellent, if not a little long. There also wasn't any murder (which was kind of the whole point of the anthology) but it was very intriguing and I was riveted by the plot. I think my favourite story in the collection.
The rest of the stories were mostly just okay, and that is why I have given it 3 stars. I know short story collections can be hit or miss, and this mostly had a stories that were neither. I don't regret reading it as there were some that I did really enjoy, but it might have been better as a more casual read when I had time here and there.
October 10, 2017
Very good.
Piece of Mind by Jennifer Roberson was very good.
Special Surprise Guest Appearance by... By Carole Nelson Douglas was also nice.
Dopplegangster by Laura Resnick was good.
Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder by Will Graham was also pretty good; just a little bit funny.
The Case of the Headless Corpse by Josepha Sherman was good; enough that I looked if she had a series of the characters.
A Death in the Working by Debra Doyle was also good. I'm not typing the rest of the subtitle, because it's about three sentences. The mystery with copious footnotes style was pretty amusing and clever. The magic was also interesting.
Cold Case by Diane Duane was very good and a bit sad; the way you kind of expect. A really nice treat.
Snake in the Grass by Susan R. Matthews was one where it really felt like it needed more backstory explanation; because I had a hard time with it. It was not really easy to get.
Double Jeopardy by M.J. Hamilton wasn't one I liked. I think I read part and then skipped the rest.
Witch Sight by Roberta Gellis was really good; I liked it a lot.
Overrush by Laura Anne Gilman was good.
Captured in Silver by Teresa Edgerton had both good and bad parts; overall a mix.
A Night at the Opera by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller was good; I really liked it.
A Tremble in the Air by James D. Macdonald was good; a lot of fun. A semi-traditional occult detective.
Murder Entailed by Susan Krinard was the reason I got this book, it had the first 'Kit and Oliver'. I read the second one and I wanted to read the first one. It was good.
Dropping Hints by Lawrence Watt-Evans was very good; a nice little mystery.
Au Purr by Esther Friesner was pretty good. I didn't like it much at first, but it developed into a nice story.
Getting the Chair was good; I ended up looking for the sequels. They don't have them at the library yet, but I'll keep an eye out.
The Necromancer's Apprentice was ok; it didn't really do much for me.
Grey Eminence was good; it was in the Elemental Masters line. I enjoyed it.
Overall, a really good book!
Piece of Mind by Jennifer Roberson was very good.
Special Surprise Guest Appearance by... By Carole Nelson Douglas was also nice.
Dopplegangster by Laura Resnick was good.
Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder by Will Graham was also pretty good; just a little bit funny.
The Case of the Headless Corpse by Josepha Sherman was good; enough that I looked if she had a series of the characters.
A Death in the Working by Debra Doyle was also good. I'm not typing the rest of the subtitle, because it's about three sentences. The mystery with copious footnotes style was pretty amusing and clever. The magic was also interesting.
Cold Case by Diane Duane was very good and a bit sad; the way you kind of expect. A really nice treat.
Snake in the Grass by Susan R. Matthews was one where it really felt like it needed more backstory explanation; because I had a hard time with it. It was not really easy to get.
Double Jeopardy by M.J. Hamilton wasn't one I liked. I think I read part and then skipped the rest.
Witch Sight by Roberta Gellis was really good; I liked it a lot.
Overrush by Laura Anne Gilman was good.
Captured in Silver by Teresa Edgerton had both good and bad parts; overall a mix.
A Night at the Opera by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller was good; I really liked it.
A Tremble in the Air by James D. Macdonald was good; a lot of fun. A semi-traditional occult detective.
Murder Entailed by Susan Krinard was the reason I got this book, it had the first 'Kit and Oliver'. I read the second one and I wanted to read the first one. It was good.
Dropping Hints by Lawrence Watt-Evans was very good; a nice little mystery.
Au Purr by Esther Friesner was pretty good. I didn't like it much at first, but it developed into a nice story.
Getting the Chair was good; I ended up looking for the sequels. They don't have them at the library yet, but I'll keep an eye out.
The Necromancer's Apprentice was ok; it didn't really do much for me.
Grey Eminence was good; it was in the Elemental Masters line. I enjoyed it.
Overall, a really good book!
April 24, 2021
This is another of these modern, commissioned anthologies full of stories by writers you've never heard of with one or two names thrown in so they can go on the cover for sales purposes. What's impressive about the bios of the authors is how many of them have produced numerous novels. Figures of nine and ten novels seem common, and one or two of them have produced thirty novels, sometimes set in the same universe.
Judging by the short stories these ones write, the novel is their forté. This must be true because nobody could write thirty novels so pedestrian, and only the insane would publish the things. Or maybe there is more of a market for these things than I know, a cohort I'm not a member of, which would explain why I've never heard of these women. And they are mostly women. Fantasy, and increasingly SF, is dominated by women.
The standout stories are 'Doppelgangster' by Laura Resnick and 'Grey Eminence' by Mercedes Lackey. You can expect something competent from Lackey, and the story ticks all the boxes (albeit she should never try to emulate a Cockney accent in prose) but the Resnick was a nice surprise. Logically worked out and with some attention to authentic detail.
None of these stories are particularly inspiring, and none will stick in your memory unless you're in solitary confinement or something, but you can while away a week or so in between household chores with them.
Judging by the short stories these ones write, the novel is their forté. This must be true because nobody could write thirty novels so pedestrian, and only the insane would publish the things. Or maybe there is more of a market for these things than I know, a cohort I'm not a member of, which would explain why I've never heard of these women. And they are mostly women. Fantasy, and increasingly SF, is dominated by women.
The standout stories are 'Doppelgangster' by Laura Resnick and 'Grey Eminence' by Mercedes Lackey. You can expect something competent from Lackey, and the story ticks all the boxes (albeit she should never try to emulate a Cockney accent in prose) but the Resnick was a nice surprise. Logically worked out and with some attention to authentic detail.
None of these stories are particularly inspiring, and none will stick in your memory unless you're in solitary confinement or something, but you can while away a week or so in between household chores with them.
February 8, 2025
This was a fun short story anthology to read through. For me, the top three short stories were:
- Dopplegangster, by Laura Resnick. A very fun story with great comedic tone and it had a lot of character for a short story.
- Cold Case, by Diane Duane. I thought this was very poignant, with several good turns that surprised me.
- Grey Eminence, by Mercedes Lackey. My only fault with this is it isn't really a mystery, but it compensates with great worldbuilding. It's nice to learn that it ties to some of her other works.
I think my take away from this book is that writing a short mystery is hard, especially with incorporating worldbuilding from having a fantasy setting. Some of the works did it better than others. I definitely felt some of the mysteries were more contrived or forced, and would have benefitted from being in a longer form. Still, there were some good stories that carried the anthology.
- Dopplegangster, by Laura Resnick. A very fun story with great comedic tone and it had a lot of character for a short story.
- Cold Case, by Diane Duane. I thought this was very poignant, with several good turns that surprised me.
- Grey Eminence, by Mercedes Lackey. My only fault with this is it isn't really a mystery, but it compensates with great worldbuilding. It's nice to learn that it ties to some of her other works.
I think my take away from this book is that writing a short mystery is hard, especially with incorporating worldbuilding from having a fantasy setting. Some of the works did it better than others. I definitely felt some of the mysteries were more contrived or forced, and would have benefitted from being in a longer form. Still, there were some good stories that carried the anthology.
November 22, 2025
Like a lot of short story anthologies, this was a mixed bag. There were several I skimmed through and one I DNF'd after the first few paragraphs. And one that made me genuinely angry with the ending, because it was lazy and offensive with who the "villain" ended up being (the only disabled/autistic person in the story is the murderer? really?).
A lot of ok stories, though reading through these really reminds me that short stories are an art form and not everyone is great at them.
I did find a new author - Laura Anne Gilman - and I even paused my reading of the short story book in order to read the first book of her Retrievers series (Staying Dead).
Mercedes Lackey was the final story, which I was looking forward to... except I didn't realize I'd already read this one somewhere else! Oh well.
A lot of ok stories, though reading through these really reminds me that short stories are an art form and not everyone is great at them.
I did find a new author - Laura Anne Gilman - and I even paused my reading of the short story book in order to read the first book of her Retrievers series (Staying Dead).
Mercedes Lackey was the final story, which I was looking forward to... except I didn't realize I'd already read this one somewhere else! Oh well.
May 21, 2018
As always with anthologies, some stories really worked for me while others didn't. There was one story that, I believe, failed to execute properly, in that the solution to the mystery wasn't explained well. And part of that was it wasn't built properly. Other stories tried to go noir and didn't really have a "solution", in that the perpetrator wasn't caught (wasn't even identified!), but the crime spree was ended. But I did enjoy most entries, and appreciated the elements that only a fantasy crime story could employ, like the bewitched furniture being the sole witnesses to a crime.
Also, the Thin Man pastiche was odd in that both Nick and Nora were entirely sober for the whole story.
Also, the Thin Man pastiche was odd in that both Nick and Nora were entirely sober for the whole story.
October 4, 2018
I enjoyed most of the stories in this book. There is an entire review out there somewhere but I can't find where I saved it.
This link does a good job of saying what each story is like.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_...
This link does a good job of saying what each story is like.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_...
July 23, 2022
A nice blend of stories, with murders and the supernatural mixed up. I think the editors might have done better to put the first story in the book ("Piece of Mind" by Jennifer Robinson) at the end since it has such an impact on the reader that subsequent stories don't live up to it.
November 3, 2023
A fun, enjoyable collection of short stories! And what a "blast from the past"! All the authors that we've known and loved through those SF paperbacks from years ago. Now I have a long list of re-reads for the next months.
December 21, 2025
I wonderful collection of short stories, including some of my favorite authors (including Lawrence Watt-Evans, Esther Friesner, and Mercedes Lackey). I've always liked fantasy detective stories, and some of these stories fit that label, although they range beyond that label as well.
October 7, 2018
The few good short stories were outweighed by the bad ones.
January 29, 2023
Good variety of stories, all done well.
March 22, 2018
This anthoology was a slow read and I felt like it was a bit short of space for the authors to really get into the story so they talked to me.
After I was finnished I realised that a lot of them in here is really good stories and some I got really into and was a turnover every leaf in antipication of what would happen and some didnt speak to me a all.
After I was finnished I realised that a lot of them in here is really good stories and some I got really into and was a turnover every leaf in antipication of what would happen and some didnt speak to me a all.
September 19, 2010
I'm not going to write an in-depth review, but here are the book highlights for me:
Doppelgangster by Laura Resnick - Except for the basic concept, this is unrelated to her Esther Diamond series. Very creative and clever, my third favorite of the book.
A Death in the Working by Debra Doyle - About one-third to half the story is footnotes. Intriguing world and premise but I would recommend either reading the story first, then the footnotes or the other way around. Otherwise the footnotes interfere with the flow of the story.
Overrush by Laura Anne Gilman - I haven't read her Retrievers series, this story features the same cast, so I'll definitely try it out after reading this.
Au Purr by Esther Friesner - In my top two favorites of the book. Very well-done and interesting. Wish it was a series but from what research I did, it isn't.
Getting the Chair by Keith R.A. DeCandido - A bit nonsensical and silly, but that's why I liked it. A fun read even if some sentences were confusing due to their structure.
Grey Eminence by Mercedes Lackey - No murder, not really a mystery, so it doesn't fit into this anthology as well as the others but I don't care. They saved the best, and longest, story for last. Captivating and wonderful, I loved every bit of it and want more. :)
The Afterword - Yes, that's right, the afterword was good too.
There were a few other stories I liked (The Case of the Headless Corpse, Cold Case, Murder Entailed, Dropping Hints), but the rest were either just okay or I didn't like them at all.
3.5 stars
Story synopsises:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_B...
Doppelgangster by Laura Resnick - Except for the basic concept, this is unrelated to her Esther Diamond series. Very creative and clever, my third favorite of the book.
A Death in the Working by Debra Doyle - About one-third to half the story is footnotes. Intriguing world and premise but I would recommend either reading the story first, then the footnotes or the other way around. Otherwise the footnotes interfere with the flow of the story.
Overrush by Laura Anne Gilman - I haven't read her Retrievers series, this story features the same cast, so I'll definitely try it out after reading this.
Au Purr by Esther Friesner - In my top two favorites of the book. Very well-done and interesting. Wish it was a series but from what research I did, it isn't.
Getting the Chair by Keith R.A. DeCandido - A bit nonsensical and silly, but that's why I liked it. A fun read even if some sentences were confusing due to their structure.
Grey Eminence by Mercedes Lackey - No murder, not really a mystery, so it doesn't fit into this anthology as well as the others but I don't care. They saved the best, and longest, story for last. Captivating and wonderful, I loved every bit of it and want more. :)
The Afterword - Yes, that's right, the afterword was good too.
There were a few other stories I liked (The Case of the Headless Corpse, Cold Case, Murder Entailed, Dropping Hints), but the rest were either just okay or I didn't like them at all.
3.5 stars
Story synopsises:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_B...
March 21, 2016
Murder By Magic: Twenty Tales of Crime and the Supernatural
I bought this book because of the intriguing concept of marrying murder mysteries to the fantasy/occult genre. I liked the idea of the normal rules of murder and murder solving to be changed and augmented. After all, if you take away the underlying main plot development in the 4th Harry Potter book, what you have is a great murder mystery that takes place in the magical realm and that was what I was expecting from this book. The editor has the twenty stories categorized by their similarities, which was a good move. I personally think she picked the wrong ones to begin with and the book had a weak start, but I hung in there with it and was ultimately pleased. The first category is exactly what it sounds like; the stories take place in the modern day. They were fun and funny, but a little shallow. The second category, Murder Unclassifiable was the worst set by far. It was as if the authors were trying to pack all of the information that would need to take place over the course of several full length novels into 5 or 6 pages. Finally when I got to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th categories, the stories became more of what I expected which was a murder mystery accented with magic and fantasy elements. Therefore, most of the stories are very good. Some aren't so great. My favorites include: Special Surprise Guest Appearance By..., Dopplegangster, Witch Sight, Au Purr, and Grey Eminence.
I bought this book because of the intriguing concept of marrying murder mysteries to the fantasy/occult genre. I liked the idea of the normal rules of murder and murder solving to be changed and augmented. After all, if you take away the underlying main plot development in the 4th Harry Potter book, what you have is a great murder mystery that takes place in the magical realm and that was what I was expecting from this book. The editor has the twenty stories categorized by their similarities, which was a good move. I personally think she picked the wrong ones to begin with and the book had a weak start, but I hung in there with it and was ultimately pleased. The first category is exactly what it sounds like; the stories take place in the modern day. They were fun and funny, but a little shallow. The second category, Murder Unclassifiable was the worst set by far. It was as if the authors were trying to pack all of the information that would need to take place over the course of several full length novels into 5 or 6 pages. Finally when I got to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th categories, the stories became more of what I expected which was a murder mystery accented with magic and fantasy elements. Therefore, most of the stories are very good. Some aren't so great. My favorites include: Special Surprise Guest Appearance By..., Dopplegangster, Witch Sight, Au Purr, and Grey Eminence.
April 10, 2023
I was drawn to the title but this book was clearly not for me. Important caveat, I read the first few stories than some from the different parts in the book. Like others before me I do not wish pass any judgment on the authors as most of them seem not to be short story writers, which is an art in itself.
I think the stories were generally quite instrumental and sometimes artificial in trying to fit a clever supernatural or magical thing in a story. Generally I thought, context and character building were shallow. I missed meaningful themes, even when emotional connection was really easy to make (for example in the story with the boy who died from a lack of money for good care and a scrooge-like antagonist).
'But they are short stories', one might say. And yes, that means you have to choose and compromise. I just feel that the choices did not cater to my personal reading preferences. These did not resonate with me.
I think the stories were generally quite instrumental and sometimes artificial in trying to fit a clever supernatural or magical thing in a story. Generally I thought, context and character building were shallow. I missed meaningful themes, even when emotional connection was really easy to make (for example in the story with the boy who died from a lack of money for good care and a scrooge-like antagonist).
'But they are short stories', one might say. And yes, that means you have to choose and compromise. I just feel that the choices did not cater to my personal reading preferences. These did not resonate with me.
July 9, 2010
This is a really solid collection of short stories. The stories are a collection of modern urban fantasies, classic British country house mysteries, locked room mysteries, and fantasy settings. I enjoyed the mixture of types of stories and the way the various authors played with the two genres. Several of the stories were really exceptional.
One thing I did not like: I originally picked up the collection because I am a big Mercedes Lackey fan, and the book includes a short story by her. In fact, her story closes the book. However, it is not a new short story. It is an excerpt from "Wizard of London" one of the novels in her Elemental Magic series. The story technically stands alone, but it didn't really include a mystery per se and if you don't know the characters in it, it lacks any real depth. It was a disappointment in an otherwise excellent collection.
One thing I did not like: I originally picked up the collection because I am a big Mercedes Lackey fan, and the book includes a short story by her. In fact, her story closes the book. However, it is not a new short story. It is an excerpt from "Wizard of London" one of the novels in her Elemental Magic series. The story technically stands alone, but it didn't really include a mystery per se and if you don't know the characters in it, it lacks any real depth. It was a disappointment in an otherwise excellent collection.
May 24, 2012
I enjoyed this edited (Rosemary Edgehill) collection of short stories, divided into 5 sections: Murder Most Modern, Murder Unclassifiable, Murder Most Genteel, Murder Fantastical, and Murder Most Historical. Particular faves were Laura Resnik's hilarious Dopelgangster, first-timer Will Graham's Mixed Marriages Can Be Murder, Diane Duane's Cold Case, Laura Anne Gilman's Overrush, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller's A Night at the Opera, James D. McDonald's A Tremble in the Air, Lawrence Watt-Evans' Dropping Hints, Esther Friesner's Au Purr,
January 30, 2014
Short stories are often like a sample pack of tasty looking food. This book had a favorable good to not so good ratio. I particularly enjoyed "Murder Entailed" by Susan Krinard, "Getting the Chair" by Keith R.A. deCandidi, "Au Purr" by Esther Friesner, and "Grey Eminence" by Mercedes Lackey. I recommend this sample pack to anyone who likes Mystery and Fantasy.
August 5, 2012
Mostly fantasy combined with either cozy or amateur detective mystery, with a couple of grittier and sadder procedurals (which were naturally my favorites. Overall, a good read. The only real complaint I have is that the last story contained no murder. It wasn't really even a mystery. It was an enjoyable read, but I have no idea what it was doing in this particular anthology.
May 21, 2015
So many good stories. So many good writers.
Murder and Magic what a good combo.
A few writers I know.
[Keith R.A. DiCandido, Laura Anne Gilman, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Josepha Sherman, Diane Duane, Debra Doyle and Sharon Lee & Steve Miller]
A few that are new for me.
This is good work and great fun.
I’ll have to read them all in their own books.
Murder and Magic what a good combo.
A few writers I know.
[Keith R.A. DiCandido, Laura Anne Gilman, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Josepha Sherman, Diane Duane, Debra Doyle and Sharon Lee & Steve Miller]
A few that are new for me.
This is good work and great fun.
I’ll have to read them all in their own books.
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