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Allie Beckstrom #1.5 (Sweet Smell of Cherries)
Crime Spells
Sixteen original stories about magic-fueled crimes and those who investigate them.
When magic is used for criminal purposes, all sorts of ethical and logistical questions arise beyond the realm of everyday law and order.
Now, sixteen top tale-tellers offer fascinating new stories of those who commit magic crimes, those who investigate them, and those who prosecute them. From a young woman who uses out-of-body excursions to research paranormal crimes to a bookie who's been paying for hex protection against magical interference to an artist who does divination through his sketched visions which may lead to a murderer's undoing, here are powerful tales of magical crimes and punishments.
When magic is used for criminal purposes, all sorts of ethical and logistical questions arise beyond the realm of everyday law and order.
Now, sixteen top tale-tellers offer fascinating new stories of those who commit magic crimes, those who investigate them, and those who prosecute them. From a young woman who uses out-of-body excursions to research paranormal crimes to a bookie who's been paying for hex protection against magical interference to an artist who does divination through his sketched visions which may lead to a murderer's undoing, here are powerful tales of magical crimes and punishments.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2009
11 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Martin H. Greenberg
910 books162 followersMartin Harry Greenberg was an American academic and speculative fiction anthologist. In all, he compiled 1,298 anthologies and commissioned over 8,200 original short stories. He founded Tekno Books, a packager of more than 2000 published books. In addition, he was a co-founder of the Sci-Fi Channel.
For the 1950s anthologist and publisher of Gnome Press, see Martin Greenberg.
For the 1950s anthologist and publisher of Gnome Press, see Martin Greenberg.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 12, 2010
Crime Spells: Table of Contents
Web Ginn House by Phaedra Weldon: A good story with an interesting voice for the main character, who uses her ability to travel outside her body to earn a living. This new case presents her with some . . . unexpected problems. I liked the setup for the character and her career, but the case itself felt a little unwieldy. There were too many things going on and in the end they didn’t get connected as well as I would have liked.
The Hex Is In by Mike Resnick: Here, a bookie has to investigate who might have dropped a piano on a football player to screw up the spread. We meet a lot of interesting characters in here, all with a tongue-in-cheek mobster feel to it all. A fun story.
If Vanity Doesn’t Kill Me by Michael A. Stackpole: This time, the main character is actually an ex-detective charged with bribery a while back. He’s asked to look into a case because of his inherent talent, and the possible connection to his mother. The way that talents work in this world is interesting and relevant to the story and character. I missed the clue to who the killer was though.
Witness to the Fall by Jay Lake: An interesting and very atmospheric story about a “witch” who uses the wind for prophecy. She’s called to help unravel what happened about a death in the local village. I liked the style of this story, very literary (and I don’t usually like literary style), but the atmosphere was great. A little more clarity would have been nice about some of the nuances of the crime and the characters involved, but definitely a good story.
The Best Defense by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Here, the main character is a lawyer who is forced to take on a client that, for all practical purposes, obviously committed the crime. He manages to use his rather non-magical powers to defend his client . . . but it turns out that that’s only the beginning. I can’t say much more without spoiling the story, but this one has a rather nice twist at the end.
Call of the Second Wolf by Steven Mohan, Jr.: This story has a main character who’s Russian . . . and that comes across in the style of the writing. The author gives the character’s inner voice the appropriate accent, which took some getting used to while reading. However, once you get into the flow, the subsequent Russian mafia story is so far my favorite story in the anthology. I loved the twist and plotline of the story. Well thought out, and a lot happens in the course of such a short piece.
The Old Girlfriend of Doom by Dean Wesley Smith: A tongue-in-cheek story with a main character that could be a superhero with superpowers . . . or not. It’s never exactly clear. But whatever he’s got, he’s trying to save an old girlfriend who’s in trouble with some Silicon Suckers who want her breasts. Like I said, tongue-in-cheek.
Second Sight by Ilsa J. Bick: This story had quite a bit going on in it. The main character is a detective who has some special abilities that he hasn’t embraced yet. The plot is complicated and there a lot to sort out. So while the magical content of the story—the magic coming from a pre-Hindu culture that I haven’t seen used in anything else—was interesting and intriguing, I found that I had a hard time following what was going on and keeping track of the multiple characters. I felt this story would have been much better as a much longer piece, either a novella or a novel. I wanted more time spent on nearly all of its aspects, so that I could absorb the material.
The True Secret of Magic, Only $1.98, Write Box 47, Portland, ORE by Joe Edwards: I really liked this short story. It was calm and quiet and only had two characters of importance (although the overall idea behind the story had huge stakes for everyone, not just these two). The main character was a woman with her own special abilities, and she was interesting and drew me in. The other character was a cop, and he didn’t quite have the same dimension as the woman. But a good story.
The Sweet Smell of Cherries by Devon Monk: A very well-written story about a young girl who can “Hound” out magic, meaning she can sense magic and the signature of who used it. She uses this ability to find things—people, lost dogs, etc. Here, she thinks she’s being hired to Hound out a lost dog, but instead they want her to find a lost girl. The prose is smooth and the story solid.
Eye Opening by Jason Schmetzer: An interesting story about a thief with a kind of second sight which allows him to “see” through wood, glass, metal, etc. Very helpful in his profession, since he can see the tumblers on a safe lock, for example. He ends up getting mixed up in something much bigger, however, and learns that his Sight is more than it seems. A fun little story.
Faith’s Curse by Randall Bills: This story plays on the idea that magic comes from the belief, that a magician is more powerful if more people believe he’s actually a magician. The main character has garnered a ton of power, but in the process has perhaps abused those that were faithful to him. The plot surrounds his search for another magician and begins with a body that could only have been murdered using powerful magic. I found the story hard to get into, mostly because I didn’t like the main character. He wasn’t a likeable character, which was kind of the point by the end, but I still found it difficult to care for him.
The Wish of a Wish by Robert T. Jeschonek: The main character here is attempting to save a genie from her current rather cruel master, but his attempts are foiled by the laws that bind a genie and by the mindset a genie would have based on their upbringing—the idea that they were created solely to serve their master. It had an interesting premise and a good ending, along with a slight tongue-in-cheek approach that helped mitigate some of the cruelty and darker elements of the story.
RPG Reunion by Peter Orullian: This was an interesting story simply because of the RPG elements and the fact that how this particular RPG game ended 20 years before is probably how every RPG group ends—a fight over something stupid that happened during an adventure. Here, the “victim” in that fight learns some true magic and comes back for revenge. Some good jabs at the D&D gaming world, while it’s still obvious that there’s a certain sense of nostalgia and love of the whole RPG experience as well.
Treasure by Leslie Claire Walker: A story dealing with fairy magic and the consequences of making a deal with the fairy, even when the person who breaks that pact isn’t yourself, although you suffer the consequences. I liked the writing of this piece in particular, as well as the main character. Definitely one of my favorites in this anthology.
She’s Not There by Steve Perry: In this story, we have a main character who can make herself appear as anyone she wishes, although she has to touch someone first before the glamour works. It also doesn’t disguise her voice. She uses this ability to steal minor things from rich folk, but just enough to get by. The story involves what happens when one of her small thefts goes wrong and what she’s driven to do in order to survive . . . and what she’s willing to risk. A good story to finish off the anthology.
***********************
Overall, a good anthology. Some interesting stories in here, and interesting takes on magical crimes. Definitely an anthology I’d recommend.
Web Ginn House by Phaedra Weldon: A good story with an interesting voice for the main character, who uses her ability to travel outside her body to earn a living. This new case presents her with some . . . unexpected problems. I liked the setup for the character and her career, but the case itself felt a little unwieldy. There were too many things going on and in the end they didn’t get connected as well as I would have liked.
The Hex Is In by Mike Resnick: Here, a bookie has to investigate who might have dropped a piano on a football player to screw up the spread. We meet a lot of interesting characters in here, all with a tongue-in-cheek mobster feel to it all. A fun story.
If Vanity Doesn’t Kill Me by Michael A. Stackpole: This time, the main character is actually an ex-detective charged with bribery a while back. He’s asked to look into a case because of his inherent talent, and the possible connection to his mother. The way that talents work in this world is interesting and relevant to the story and character. I missed the clue to who the killer was though.
Witness to the Fall by Jay Lake: An interesting and very atmospheric story about a “witch” who uses the wind for prophecy. She’s called to help unravel what happened about a death in the local village. I liked the style of this story, very literary (and I don’t usually like literary style), but the atmosphere was great. A little more clarity would have been nice about some of the nuances of the crime and the characters involved, but definitely a good story.
The Best Defense by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Here, the main character is a lawyer who is forced to take on a client that, for all practical purposes, obviously committed the crime. He manages to use his rather non-magical powers to defend his client . . . but it turns out that that’s only the beginning. I can’t say much more without spoiling the story, but this one has a rather nice twist at the end.
Call of the Second Wolf by Steven Mohan, Jr.: This story has a main character who’s Russian . . . and that comes across in the style of the writing. The author gives the character’s inner voice the appropriate accent, which took some getting used to while reading. However, once you get into the flow, the subsequent Russian mafia story is so far my favorite story in the anthology. I loved the twist and plotline of the story. Well thought out, and a lot happens in the course of such a short piece.
The Old Girlfriend of Doom by Dean Wesley Smith: A tongue-in-cheek story with a main character that could be a superhero with superpowers . . . or not. It’s never exactly clear. But whatever he’s got, he’s trying to save an old girlfriend who’s in trouble with some Silicon Suckers who want her breasts. Like I said, tongue-in-cheek.
Second Sight by Ilsa J. Bick: This story had quite a bit going on in it. The main character is a detective who has some special abilities that he hasn’t embraced yet. The plot is complicated and there a lot to sort out. So while the magical content of the story—the magic coming from a pre-Hindu culture that I haven’t seen used in anything else—was interesting and intriguing, I found that I had a hard time following what was going on and keeping track of the multiple characters. I felt this story would have been much better as a much longer piece, either a novella or a novel. I wanted more time spent on nearly all of its aspects, so that I could absorb the material.
The True Secret of Magic, Only $1.98, Write Box 47, Portland, ORE by Joe Edwards: I really liked this short story. It was calm and quiet and only had two characters of importance (although the overall idea behind the story had huge stakes for everyone, not just these two). The main character was a woman with her own special abilities, and she was interesting and drew me in. The other character was a cop, and he didn’t quite have the same dimension as the woman. But a good story.
The Sweet Smell of Cherries by Devon Monk: A very well-written story about a young girl who can “Hound” out magic, meaning she can sense magic and the signature of who used it. She uses this ability to find things—people, lost dogs, etc. Here, she thinks she’s being hired to Hound out a lost dog, but instead they want her to find a lost girl. The prose is smooth and the story solid.
Eye Opening by Jason Schmetzer: An interesting story about a thief with a kind of second sight which allows him to “see” through wood, glass, metal, etc. Very helpful in his profession, since he can see the tumblers on a safe lock, for example. He ends up getting mixed up in something much bigger, however, and learns that his Sight is more than it seems. A fun little story.
Faith’s Curse by Randall Bills: This story plays on the idea that magic comes from the belief, that a magician is more powerful if more people believe he’s actually a magician. The main character has garnered a ton of power, but in the process has perhaps abused those that were faithful to him. The plot surrounds his search for another magician and begins with a body that could only have been murdered using powerful magic. I found the story hard to get into, mostly because I didn’t like the main character. He wasn’t a likeable character, which was kind of the point by the end, but I still found it difficult to care for him.
The Wish of a Wish by Robert T. Jeschonek: The main character here is attempting to save a genie from her current rather cruel master, but his attempts are foiled by the laws that bind a genie and by the mindset a genie would have based on their upbringing—the idea that they were created solely to serve their master. It had an interesting premise and a good ending, along with a slight tongue-in-cheek approach that helped mitigate some of the cruelty and darker elements of the story.
RPG Reunion by Peter Orullian: This was an interesting story simply because of the RPG elements and the fact that how this particular RPG game ended 20 years before is probably how every RPG group ends—a fight over something stupid that happened during an adventure. Here, the “victim” in that fight learns some true magic and comes back for revenge. Some good jabs at the D&D gaming world, while it’s still obvious that there’s a certain sense of nostalgia and love of the whole RPG experience as well.
Treasure by Leslie Claire Walker: A story dealing with fairy magic and the consequences of making a deal with the fairy, even when the person who breaks that pact isn’t yourself, although you suffer the consequences. I liked the writing of this piece in particular, as well as the main character. Definitely one of my favorites in this anthology.
She’s Not There by Steve Perry: In this story, we have a main character who can make herself appear as anyone she wishes, although she has to touch someone first before the glamour works. It also doesn’t disguise her voice. She uses this ability to steal minor things from rich folk, but just enough to get by. The story involves what happens when one of her small thefts goes wrong and what she’s driven to do in order to survive . . . and what she’s willing to risk. A good story to finish off the anthology.
***********************
Overall, a good anthology. Some interesting stories in here, and interesting takes on magical crimes. Definitely an anthology I’d recommend.
February 5, 2017
My boyfriend took me on the perfect date: to the used bookstore with an "allowance!" I chose this book because of the various magickal items and pentacles on the cover. You don't see that on a lot of fiction books. The concept also seemed really different, and it didn't hurt that it only cost a dollar!
When I review books, I always wonder if all genres should be held to the same standards. I don't think so because I approach each one looking for something different. This is a fantasy collection published by "Fantasy Daw" (a publisher I'm not familiar with.) I think fantasy is one of the hardest genres to write because you have to balance world building, interesting plot, and complex characters in a reasonable length of pages. That can be really tough so when I read short stories in this genre I am probably more forgiving than others. We read these stories for fun, not necessarily for deep meaning. I do, anyway.
Alright, onto the actual book. The quality of short stories in this book varied. There were only a few short stories that really stood out to me as something that went beyond good story telling and showed literary talent ("Witness to the Fall," "The True Secret of Magic, Only $1.98, Write Box 47, Portland, OR" and "Treasure.") Other stories did their job - interesting enough plots (and even when predictable, they were still enjoyable,) - exactly what you'd expect form this type of collection "RPG Reunion," "She's Not There.") Others read like stories merely to advertise the author's characters (and the series attached to these characters.) Most of these came off as cheesy attempts for pulp fiction ("Web Ginn House," "The Hex is In.")
This collection also had one of the strangest, most stupid stories I have ever read - it may even beat Stephen King's "The Lawnmower Man." "The Old Girlfriend of Doom" by Dean Wesley Smith was a story about a race of paranormal beings who live in underground sand castles. When some of the sand over their sacred burial ground is refined into silicone and used in breast implants, they want the implants back -- but can only take them out through the anus! The hero of this story is "poker boy," a man who gets power out of casinos and wearing a leather fedora and duster. Somehow, he's allowed to professionally gamble although everyone knows about his powers. This was literally one of the most stupid things I have ever read, and I read a lot so that is saying something. Some of these stories were really disturbing. I didn't expect to encounter gruesome details of murdering children, death by erotic asphyxiation, or childhood sexual abuse. I think it was unneeded and unwanted in this collection and I would read with caution if you aren't into that kind of thing (i.e., "The Hex is In," "Second Sight," etc.)
I know fantasy isn't necessarily the most politically correct genre; but I thought I'd point out some problematic things in this collection. One of the stories ("Call of the Second Wolf") was written in really poor, stereotypical grammar to portray a very stereotypical Russian accent. Don't be Asian, either - this collection has stereotypical older Asian wise men, gangsters, and portrayed Asian women as victims who needed to be saved. Now onto women, this collection doesn't view us nicely. For the most part the women in these series are victims -- and always beautiful (with plastic surgery or not.)
When I review books, I always wonder if all genres should be held to the same standards. I don't think so because I approach each one looking for something different. This is a fantasy collection published by "Fantasy Daw" (a publisher I'm not familiar with.) I think fantasy is one of the hardest genres to write because you have to balance world building, interesting plot, and complex characters in a reasonable length of pages. That can be really tough so when I read short stories in this genre I am probably more forgiving than others. We read these stories for fun, not necessarily for deep meaning. I do, anyway.
Alright, onto the actual book. The quality of short stories in this book varied. There were only a few short stories that really stood out to me as something that went beyond good story telling and showed literary talent ("Witness to the Fall," "The True Secret of Magic, Only $1.98, Write Box 47, Portland, OR" and "Treasure.") Other stories did their job - interesting enough plots (and even when predictable, they were still enjoyable,) - exactly what you'd expect form this type of collection "RPG Reunion," "She's Not There.") Others read like stories merely to advertise the author's characters (and the series attached to these characters.) Most of these came off as cheesy attempts for pulp fiction ("Web Ginn House," "The Hex is In.")
This collection also had one of the strangest, most stupid stories I have ever read - it may even beat Stephen King's "The Lawnmower Man." "The Old Girlfriend of Doom" by Dean Wesley Smith was a story about a race of paranormal beings who live in underground sand castles. When some of the sand over their sacred burial ground is refined into silicone and used in breast implants, they want the implants back -- but can only take them out through the anus! The hero of this story is "poker boy," a man who gets power out of casinos and wearing a leather fedora and duster. Somehow, he's allowed to professionally gamble although everyone knows about his powers. This was literally one of the most stupid things I have ever read, and I read a lot so that is saying something. Some of these stories were really disturbing. I didn't expect to encounter gruesome details of murdering children, death by erotic asphyxiation, or childhood sexual abuse. I think it was unneeded and unwanted in this collection and I would read with caution if you aren't into that kind of thing (i.e., "The Hex is In," "Second Sight," etc.)
I know fantasy isn't necessarily the most politically correct genre; but I thought I'd point out some problematic things in this collection. One of the stories ("Call of the Second Wolf") was written in really poor, stereotypical grammar to portray a very stereotypical Russian accent. Don't be Asian, either - this collection has stereotypical older Asian wise men, gangsters, and portrayed Asian women as victims who needed to be saved. Now onto women, this collection doesn't view us nicely. For the most part the women in these series are victims -- and always beautiful (with plastic surgery or not.)
June 29, 2010
I don't always have a lot of luck with anthologies and I tend to shy away from them for the most part. A friend was raving about how much she enjoyed this book and offered to send it to me when she finished. Jen in Alaska knows how I am about paranormal mysteries and knew I'd like the majority of the stories.
And she was right! I didn't find one weak story in the batch and I discovered some new-to-me authors who have been added to the watch list as well as being reminded of authors I've heard of but not read before now.
I don't know if I had a favorite in the batch, but some did stand out like Devon Monk's Sweet Smell of Cherries and Phaedra Weldon's Web Ginn House.
Five not all anthologies are this good beans....
And she was right! I didn't find one weak story in the batch and I discovered some new-to-me authors who have been added to the watch list as well as being reminded of authors I've heard of but not read before now.
I don't know if I had a favorite in the batch, but some did stand out like Devon Monk's Sweet Smell of Cherries and Phaedra Weldon's Web Ginn House.
Five not all anthologies are this good beans....
April 3, 2009
Woo-hoo for Jason...now I know someone famous (Hey I'm a librarian...authors are our celebrities!)
Okay I finished, and I'm not sure how to evaluate the book as a whole collection. I mean I loved some, I hated some. There were a couple that left me hoping for a full novel, and some that just seemed a bit indulgent and annoying. (Luckily I actually liked my brother's story so I don't have to worry about that awkward moment or making something up!)
Okay I finished, and I'm not sure how to evaluate the book as a whole collection. I mean I loved some, I hated some. There were a couple that left me hoping for a full novel, and some that just seemed a bit indulgent and annoying. (Luckily I actually liked my brother's story so I don't have to worry about that awkward moment or making something up!)
April 20, 2015
I liked the idea behind this book: a set of stories in which magic had been used to commit a crime. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy most of the stories. There were only a few that I really liked. The rest ranged form "didn't like" to "meh".
If there's an author here you enjoy it might be worth reading but otherwise I'd suggest not going out of your way to find this one.
If there's an author here you enjoy it might be worth reading but otherwise I'd suggest not going out of your way to find this one.
July 14, 2023
When magic is used for criminal purposes, all sorts of ethical and logistical questions arise beyond the realm of everyday law and order.
Now, sixteen top tale-tellers offer fascinating new stories of those who commit magic crimes, those who investigate them, and those who prosecute them. From a young woman who uses out-of-body excursions to research paranormal crimes to a bookie who?s been paying for hex protection against magical interference to an artist who does divination through his sketched visions which may lead to a murderer?s undoing, here are powerful tales of magical crimes and punishments.
Heather's Notes
I thought this was going to be an awesome book full of crime and magic. Maybe it was, but the majority of the stories made absolutely no sense, and had no reference. I almost ended up DNF'ing this book, but I persevered and got to Devon Monks story, which is actually the beginning/part?? of a series. The stories after that made much more sense. I don't mind a short story but it needs to have some type of story to be a story. The only reason this book gets 3 stars is because of the stories at the end.
Now, sixteen top tale-tellers offer fascinating new stories of those who commit magic crimes, those who investigate them, and those who prosecute them. From a young woman who uses out-of-body excursions to research paranormal crimes to a bookie who?s been paying for hex protection against magical interference to an artist who does divination through his sketched visions which may lead to a murderer?s undoing, here are powerful tales of magical crimes and punishments.
Heather's Notes
I thought this was going to be an awesome book full of crime and magic. Maybe it was, but the majority of the stories made absolutely no sense, and had no reference. I almost ended up DNF'ing this book, but I persevered and got to Devon Monks story, which is actually the beginning/part?? of a series. The stories after that made much more sense. I don't mind a short story but it needs to have some type of story to be a story. The only reason this book gets 3 stars is because of the stories at the end.
October 30, 2017
Crime Spells is a collection of short stories with a similar theme = magical crimes.
This paperback has been in my car for approximately six months. I would pull it out to read anytime I found myself waiting in a parking lot, etc. It's light-hearted fare that makes it easy to return to after long lapses in-between and still pick up where you left off.
While I enjoyed all the stories, there are only five that really stand out and are deserving of multiple readings.
I'm not going to give away the plot lines to any of these. I just want to point out the stories worth reading. The best story in the collection is "Eye Opening" by Jason Schmetzer.
The other above-average tales are "Second Sight" by Ilsa J Bick; "The Sweet Smell Of Cherries" by Devon Monk; "Faiths Curse" by Randall N. Bills; and "RPG Reunion" by Peter Orullian.
This paperback has been in my car for approximately six months. I would pull it out to read anytime I found myself waiting in a parking lot, etc. It's light-hearted fare that makes it easy to return to after long lapses in-between and still pick up where you left off.
While I enjoyed all the stories, there are only five that really stand out and are deserving of multiple readings.
I'm not going to give away the plot lines to any of these. I just want to point out the stories worth reading. The best story in the collection is "Eye Opening" by Jason Schmetzer.
The other above-average tales are "Second Sight" by Ilsa J Bick; "The Sweet Smell Of Cherries" by Devon Monk; "Faiths Curse" by Randall N. Bills; and "RPG Reunion" by Peter Orullian.
March 2, 2019
I got this for the Devon Monk story. Enjoyed most of the rest of them as well.
March 7, 2012
After slogging through Before I Go to Sleep, this was a welcome relief. Lots of (mostly) well-written short stories — inventive, imaginative, funny, occasionally dark... a little bit of everything, really. Thoroughly enjoyable.
May 14, 2009
Read from 4/30 to 5/12.
May 31, 2011
This book is an awesome collection. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the unusual, the shocking... an extreme escape from your everyday life! Good Read!
August 2, 2011
Crime Spells by Various Authors Paranormal Mystery short stories. It's a very good book, if you like the Sookie Stackhouse or Dresden Files you'll like these.
July 3, 2015
Some of the stories in the book were great. Really creative, well-written. Some were... not. Based on that, it took me a really long time to get through them all.
March 4, 2016
A somewhat uneven collection - but full of stories and authors that were knew to me.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews