Bibliomysteries: Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores, Volume One
by Otto Penzler (Editor)
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Description
An anthology of specially commissioned stories set in literary venues includes contributions by such writers as Loren D. Estleman, Anne Perry, and Laura Lippman.Tags
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Member Reviews
When Halloween Bingo was kicking off, and we had to submit the seven squares we didn't want included on our card, I was a little bit flummoxed, because there were 9 squares on my list. I knew I wouldn't be able to convince Moonlight Reader to just give me three cozy mystery squares instead, so I had to pick the 2 lesser evils. Classic Noir was one of them. I'm generally not a fan of the sub-genre as it's all a bit too 'dame' and 'broad' for me; the slang wears on my nerves after awhile and feels too affected.
But I'd just received Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores; it's the (presumably) first collection of the Bibliomysteries Otto Penzler commissions from authors each year, which he then publishes to show more offer first as gifts to his good customers, then to sell to the general public. One of the stories is It's in the Book; originally started by Mickey Spillane before his death, it was found amongst his papers and Max Allan Collins finished it for Penzler. I don't know if Spillane meant for it to be a short story, but it certainly works beautifully as one.
Hammer is hired, first by the NYPD, then by the mafia. Both want the same book: a ledger allegedly used by a recently passed Don to record every nefarious deed and transaction he ever undertook. Names are named and nobody wants it to see the light of day, although a few would kill to use it themselves.
It was a lot of fun riding along with Hammer as he makes short work of finding the book, and while the noir was thick, it wasn't overdone (perhaps by virtue of being a short story). The ending is purposefully foreshadowed early on, making me think that it was more about the action and savoir-faire than about the conclusion of the 'mystery' itself. Collins did offer up a slight, pretty comical twist at the end, and it had me smiling as I closed the book last night.
I won't rush out to read more noir, but I definitely had a good time with this one! show less
But I'd just received Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores; it's the (presumably) first collection of the Bibliomysteries Otto Penzler commissions from authors each year, which he then publishes to show more offer first as gifts to his good customers, then to sell to the general public. One of the stories is It's in the Book; originally started by Mickey Spillane before his death, it was found amongst his papers and Max Allan Collins finished it for Penzler. I don't know if Spillane meant for it to be a short story, but it certainly works beautifully as one.
Hammer is hired, first by the NYPD, then by the mafia. Both want the same book: a ledger allegedly used by a recently passed Don to record every nefarious deed and transaction he ever undertook. Names are named and nobody wants it to see the light of day, although a few would kill to use it themselves.
It was a lot of fun riding along with Hammer as he makes short work of finding the book, and while the noir was thick, it wasn't overdone (perhaps by virtue of being a short story). The ending is purposefully foreshadowed early on, making me think that it was more about the action and savoir-faire than about the conclusion of the 'mystery' itself. Collins did offer up a slight, pretty comical twist at the end, and it had me smiling as I closed the book last night.
I won't rush out to read more noir, but I definitely had a good time with this one! show less
The title of this book is enough to tempt any bibliophile who enjoys mystery stories. But because the title itself creates expectations, the book has a tougher task to match up to what the reader wants.
Bibliomysteries is an anthology originally published in 2013. The collection has 13 stories by 14 writers and each story has an element of mystery collected with books. The stories are an eclectic mix of various types of mysteries, from cozy to suspense to even other-worldly. Some of the stories hit the mark while others whizz by the target. Of the 13 stories, I really enjoyed 8: the ones written by Jeffrey Deaver, Reed Coleman, Peter Blauner, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry and (Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins). That's 61%, show more or 3 stars, which is what I would have rated the book had I read it.
What makes me give an additional star to the anthology is the phenomenal narrator, Daniel Thomas May. His rendition of the book is absolutely brilliant, with the perfect pitch, pace, and accents to help distinguish across the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version because of this wonderful narrator.
I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less
Bibliomysteries is an anthology originally published in 2013. The collection has 13 stories by 14 writers and each story has an element of mystery collected with books. The stories are an eclectic mix of various types of mysteries, from cozy to suspense to even other-worldly. Some of the stories hit the mark while others whizz by the target. Of the 13 stories, I really enjoyed 8: the ones written by Jeffrey Deaver, Reed Coleman, Peter Blauner, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry and (Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins). That's 61%, show more or 3 stars, which is what I would have rated the book had I read it.
What makes me give an additional star to the anthology is the phenomenal narrator, Daniel Thomas May. His rendition of the book is absolutely brilliant, with the perfect pitch, pace, and accents to help distinguish across the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version because of this wonderful narrator.
I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less
Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores is just what it says it is: 15 short stories, specially commissioned by Otto Penzler of the Mysterious Bookshop in New York, dealing specifically with murders committed in, by, for and/or because of books and bookstores. There’s a wide range of authors here, and like any such anthology each reader will prefer some stories to others. My favourites here include “An Acceptable Sacrifice,” by Jeffery Deaver, a clever tale involving a Mexican businessman who loves books - or is he a drug lord instead?; the chilling “The Book of Ghosts,” by Reed Farrel Coleman, about one aftermath of the Holocaust; Loren D. Estleman’s “Book Club,” in which a book collector show more in small-town Arizona is murdered for a rare book; the whimsical “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman; a touching tale of fathers and sons by David Bell, “Rides a Stranger”; and the brilliant, Edgar Award winning “The Caxton Library and Book Depository,” by John Connolly, which sort of takes an inside-out, upside-down swing at a premise I first read in Jasper Fforde’s “The Eyre Affair.” The whole book is easily worth it for that last story alone, but the others mentioned here are all stand-outs too, and even the ones that I didn’t like were still quite good. Perfect for fans of short mystery fiction and of books (and bookstores!); recommended! show less
Two good things – a mystery and a book – get combined here in fifteen stories involving books and death. Authors include Reed Farrel Coleman, Anne Perry, Nelson DeMille, C. J. Box, William Link, Jeffery Deaver and others. My two favorites were Death Leaves a Bookmark by William Link – a Lt. Columbo story – and The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository by John Connelly. As in any anthology, no matter how great the writers are, some stories will appeal more than others. This book is a worthwhile addition to a mystery reader’s library.
This was a lot more enjoyable than I expected it to be. A perfect book to dip into for light reading.I thought I'd only like one or two stories and the rest would be filler, as anthologies often are, but almost all of the stories were fun and interesting, if not exactly mysterious. Standouts were John Connolly (so good!) and Laura Lippman, both of whom I've not read before. The Anne Perry story was the only one I disliked but that would not come as a surprise to anyone who has read her books. A story that could have been weird and creepy is let down by utterly dull prose. Academic jealousy and secret writing dreams and ambitions are also nicely explored in the two stories by Andrew Taylor and David Bell.
The short mysteries in this collection were specially commissioned by the Mysterious Bookshop. All of the mysteries have something to do with books, bookstores, and/or libraries. Mystery aficionados will recognize most, if not all, of the contributors to the collection. I gravitate more towards cozies, historical mysteries, and the occasional police procedural. This collection is heavier in the private detective and hard-boiled/noir genres. The stories by my two favorite authors among the contributors (C. J. Box and Anne Perry) are quite a bit different from their usual fare. Most of the historical stories have something to do with Nazis and the Third Reich, so much that it seems like overkill. The stories I'll remember most are show more “Pronghorns of the Third Reich” by C. J. Box (inspired by a real photograph), “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman (featuring her series P.I. Tess Monaghan and Baltimore's real-life Book Thing), “It's In the Book” (an unfinished short story by the great Mickey Spillane, completed by Max Allan Collins), and “The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository” by John Connolly, which reminded me that it's been too long since I read my last Thursday Next novel. While it would be a nice gift for book-loving mystery fans, many readers may prefer to borrow this one from their local library.
This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. show less
This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. show less
The title of this book is enough to tempt any bibliophile who enjoys mystery stories. But because the title itself creates expectations, the book has a tougher task to match up to what the reader wants.
Bibliomysteries is an anthology originally published in 2013. The collection has 13 stories by 14 writers and each story has an element of mystery collected with books. The stories are an eclectic mix of various types of mysteries, from cozy to suspense to even other-worldly. Some of the stories hit the mark while others whizz by the target. Of the 13 stories, I really enjoyed 8: the ones written by Jeffrey Deaver, Reed Coleman, Peter Blauner, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry and (Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins). That's 61%, show more or 3 stars, which is what I would have rated the book had I read it.
What makes me give an additional star to the anthology is the phenomenal narrator, Daniel Thomas May. His rendition of the book is absolutely brilliant, with the perfect pitch, pace, and accents to help distinguish across the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version because of this wonderful narrator.
I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less
Bibliomysteries is an anthology originally published in 2013. The collection has 13 stories by 14 writers and each story has an element of mystery collected with books. The stories are an eclectic mix of various types of mysteries, from cozy to suspense to even other-worldly. Some of the stories hit the mark while others whizz by the target. Of the 13 stories, I really enjoyed 8: the ones written by Jeffrey Deaver, Reed Coleman, Peter Blauner, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry and (Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins). That's 61%, show more or 3 stars, which is what I would have rated the book had I read it.
What makes me give an additional star to the anthology is the phenomenal narrator, Daniel Thomas May. His rendition of the book is absolutely brilliant, with the perfect pitch, pace, and accents to help distinguish across the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version because of this wonderful narrator.
I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less
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Author Information
Otto Penzler owns the Mysterious Bookshop in New York & founded the Mysterious Press & Otto Penzler Books. He has written & edited several books, including the Edgar-winning "Encyclopedia of Mystery & Detection". (Bowker Author Biography)
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Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Bibliomysteries (1-15)
Work Relationships
Contains
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Bibliomysteries: Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores, Volume One
- Original title
- Bibliomysteries: Short Tales About Deadly Books
- Alternate titles
- Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores
- Original publication date
- 2013
- Disambiguation notice
- This work, Bibliomysteries: Short Tales About Deadly Books (2013), reissued as Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores and as Bibliomysteries: Crime in the World of Books and Bo... (show all)okstores, Volume One (2017), contains numbers 1-15 of the Bibliomysteries series of short stories published by The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City.
Please distinguish Bibliomysteries, Volume Two: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores (2018), which contains numbers 16-30 of the same series.
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- Reviews
- 14
- Rating
- (3.47)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 8
