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lulo49's review against another edition
2.0
Too much blood and gore, not enough engaging story lines and character development.
bunrab's review against another edition
3.0
My biggest complaint is that far too many of these stories are NOT MYSTERIES. They may be noir, they may involve a crime being committed - but it's not a mystery unless there's a mystery to be solved! And many of these stories don't have that element. There are elaborate descriptions of crimes being committed - but no question of who is doing it, and no one outside the crime trying to find out about it. As far as I'm concerned, those crime stories should not be considered mysteries. Unless somehow the definition of the genre has changed to include "any story that mentions any crime whatsoever"???
feainnewedd's review against another edition
4.0
Came across this book by chance in the library, gave it a try, and was thoroughly entertained. I read it between novels as a sort of palate cleanser. This collection has very few stories written by women, though, which is quite disappointing.
vdarcangelo's review against another edition
4.0
Faves:
Brock Adams, "Audacious"
Dennis McFadden, "Diamond Alley" (Go Pirates!)
Lawrence Block, "Clean Slate"
David Corbett and Luis Alberto Urrea, "Who Stole My Monkey?"
Loren D. Estleman, "Sometimes a Hyena"
Ed Gorman, "Flying Solo"
Harry Hunsicker, "West of Nowhere"
Joe R. Landsdale, "The Stars Are Falling"
Andrew Riconda, "Heart Like a Balloon"
Brendan Dubois, "Ride-Along"
Chris F. Holm, "The Hitter"
Brock Adams, "Audacious"
Dennis McFadden, "Diamond Alley" (Go Pirates!)
Lawrence Block, "Clean Slate"
David Corbett and Luis Alberto Urrea, "Who Stole My Monkey?"
Loren D. Estleman, "Sometimes a Hyena"
Ed Gorman, "Flying Solo"
Harry Hunsicker, "West of Nowhere"
Joe R. Landsdale, "The Stars Are Falling"
Andrew Riconda, "Heart Like a Balloon"
Brendan Dubois, "Ride-Along"
Chris F. Holm, "The Hitter"
shelleyrae's review against another edition
5.0
The Best American Mystery Stories are an annual anthology that publishes a selection of tales published in magazines an anthologies during the year. Each year a guest editor is chosen who determines from a list of about 50 submissions, their favourite 20 stories to be included. Harlan Coben is this years editor and as a fan of his books I was interested to read his choices.
The Best American Mystery Stories 2011 has great variety and I was more than impressed with the overall quality. Of the twenty short stories there were only two I didn't much care for. For me the stand out's included Clean Slate by Lawrence Block is the story of a woman damaged by her childhood who has found a way to take revenge, Flying Solo by Ed Gorman involves two elderly men dying of cancer leaving a better world behind them and Chin Yong Yun Takes a Case by SJ Rozan is a case of amateur detection in Chinatown by a minor character in Rozan's Lydia Chin series.
Many of the stories are quite dark and violent as to be expected when the story centers around crime. Some mysteries are solved, others are open ended leaving you to wonder. In others just who is the victim isn't clear. My interest in several authors work was piqued by this collection, others I was already a fan of.
I really enjoyed reading the Contributors Notes where the author provides some background to the development of their story. It's an inside look into inspiration that is rarely seen.
The Best American Mystery Series 2011 is a terrific read and I hope to get my hands on a few of the previous years issues. If you are a crime/mystery fan then you will surely appreciate this outstanding anthology, it's a must read.
The Best American Mystery Stories 2011 has great variety and I was more than impressed with the overall quality. Of the twenty short stories there were only two I didn't much care for. For me the stand out's included Clean Slate by Lawrence Block is the story of a woman damaged by her childhood who has found a way to take revenge, Flying Solo by Ed Gorman involves two elderly men dying of cancer leaving a better world behind them and Chin Yong Yun Takes a Case by SJ Rozan is a case of amateur detection in Chinatown by a minor character in Rozan's Lydia Chin series.
Many of the stories are quite dark and violent as to be expected when the story centers around crime. Some mysteries are solved, others are open ended leaving you to wonder. In others just who is the victim isn't clear. My interest in several authors work was piqued by this collection, others I was already a fan of.
I really enjoyed reading the Contributors Notes where the author provides some background to the development of their story. It's an inside look into inspiration that is rarely seen.
The Best American Mystery Series 2011 is a terrific read and I hope to get my hands on a few of the previous years issues. If you are a crime/mystery fan then you will surely appreciate this outstanding anthology, it's a must read.
davidwright's review against another edition
4.0
A good batch this year - I read these every year to find stories for Thrilling Tales, so I'm reading with a focus on more inherently clear and satisfying stories - and Coben has a fair number of these. I've been wanting to do a Brendan DuBois story in the storytime for some years now, and I think "Ridealong" is finally one that will work w/ the format, as there are some very good twists. Less certain about risking a story co-written by Tom Franklin ("What His Hands had been Waiting For") about two ruthless lawmen patrolling the wastes of a big delta flood who wind up with a dead looter's baby on their hands - it is kind of McCarthy-esque in its funkiness and even some alluded baby cannibalism and people freak out about a babe in jeopardy, BUT it still might work. One great uncanny piece - "Last Cottage," told in the plural first person voice of villagers who are trying to oust a happy family - very odd but I still might try it for TT. And finally one of the Max Alan Collins / Mickey Spillane 'collabos' that is classic Mike Hammer, and that I think I will do, even though it has a perfectly stomach churning sadistic climax. A good bet every year, but this is a pretty strong year.
abanas's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
chelseaslilbooknook's review against another edition
1.0
Couldn't even finish the book. I am not a fan of short stories to begin with but I do like mystery so I figured I'd give it a shot. The stories were average to be kind. Only 2 or 3 out of the many stories held my interest.
heaney4's review against another edition
3.0
Although the forward did address this issue, the majority of stories would not really be considered mysteries. Not sure how they ended up in this anthology. That being said, many of the stories were page turners, my favorites being “Flying Solo”, “Clean Slate”, “Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case” and “A Long Time Dead”. I paid a dollar for this anthology at a used book store. I definitely would have felt cheated if I paid full price for this one.