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Murder by 13 |
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 Murder by 13Edited by Priscilla English, Lisa Seidman, and Mae Woods Crown Valley Press 176 pages, 1999 ISBN 1890768154 Reviewed by PJ Nunn The LA Sisters in Crime group is a talented bunch. Murder by 13 is their first published collection of mystery shorts, many of them award winners. It's a potpourri of offerings that span the spectrum of the mystery genre. Angels Flight by Merks, has a hard-boiled flavor, with a hint of voodoo thrown in for fun. Everything Is a Matter of Timing by Beers, also has an edge - short and sharp with a twist. Nothing Now Can Ever Come to Any Good by Svitil, takes a more traditional approach at the whodunit, tying up loose ends concisely. LA Justice by Kris Neri, is the introduction of amateur sleuth Tracy Eaton and a lighter mystery that continued in her first full-length novel Revenge of the Gypsy Queen. Angel of Mercy by Rosen, takes a darker turn and demonstrates that a tight, well-developed tale doesn't require a lot of words. House of Dreams by Mouchet, is a great, condensed version mystery with a surprise ending. Very satisfying. Speak No Evil by McGary, is a little more avant-garde, but no less enjoyable. The Shakedown by Gillogly, is short and sweet - justice gets a final say. Traveling On by Alam, has a Bronte flavor. Never Heard the Shot that Killed Him by Hill, is another tense, hardboiled police procedural. Dying to Exhale by Siegel, is the shortest selection, but it packs a powerful punch. Trickery by Smith, takes murder into the Rabbi's office and does it delightfully. If Thine Eye Offend Thee by Roland, rounds out the collection with another hard hitting tale of a citizen taking justice into her own hands. Murder by 13 is an exemplary collection - the best of the best. It offers a wide variety of lengths and styles, but all exhibit polish and skill that exceed what is often found in typical mystery magazine pages. |
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