Status Updates From The Best American Mystery S...

Hitting Rufus: When an impoverished small town can't stand the man in charge, even a hitman can take a charity case.

Poachers: There’s a silent language deep in Louisiana's swamps: a jawline tilted right and slightly up, the downward curve of a closed mouth, the left shoulder standing higher than the right, the placement of feet at an awkward angle, a restless index finger twitching down, and pupils that slide left -- seen through crescent moon lids; this is an optic tongue to a man’s sins.

And Maybe the Horse Will learn How to Sing: I quote, "I don't know about other folks, but I'd rather shove a fondo fork in my eye than read a research proposal." Now replace "research proposal" with "the title of this story" and that's my review. But that's not entirely fair; I'll give it props for having a sense of humor. Today, laughter exceeds motion.

Redneck by Loren D. Estleman: Adultery + jealous husband ÷ mistaken identity = mystery. So far I am not feeling the "best" that the anthology title suggests."