Sideways In Crime (2008)

A collection should start with a strong story and end with a strong story. There are one or two good stories here, but not the first, a weak effort by Kage Baker called "Running the Snake". Much stronger is the second story by John Meaney called "Via Vortex" about a teleportation system based on immoral decisions. I enjoyed Jack McDevitt's "The Adventure of the Southsea Trunk", about an alternative history where the most famous examples of a writer's work are found years after his death. Kristine Kathryn Rusch's "G-Men" is a chilling tale about a grim world saved from the ruthless power of J. Edgar Hoover. But to end a book with a terribly written story, "Death on the Crosstime Express" by Chris Roberson, is almost criminal. Don't waste your money on this badly composed collection. ( )