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A review by shanaqui
Murder By The Book: Mysteries For Bibliophiles by Martin Edwards
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I am usually quite picky about short stories, and thus haven't picked up the short story collections from the British Library Crime Classics series. Buuut I couldn't resist a book of mysteries about books, so I decided to give it a go -- and you know, I think I might try out the other volumes too, at least where the theme piques my interest.
Edwards picked the stories well, and I can't think now of any of them I'd have called a real stinker. Some were cleverer than others, or better-written than others, but overall it was a really enjoyable collection, and a nice way to try out the stories of different crime writers. Not all were new to me, but some were, perhaps writers who specialised in short stories rather than novels? Or perhaps we'll see them in the British Library Crime Classics series in the end.
As ever, it's worth remembering that the stories have not been edited to take out offensive attitudes that wouldn't fly in a modern book.
Edwards picked the stories well, and I can't think now of any of them I'd have called a real stinker. Some were cleverer than others, or better-written than others, but overall it was a really enjoyable collection, and a nice way to try out the stories of different crime writers. Not all were new to me, but some were, perhaps writers who specialised in short stories rather than novels? Or perhaps we'll see them in the British Library Crime Classics series in the end.
As ever, it's worth remembering that the stories have not been edited to take out offensive attitudes that wouldn't fly in a modern book.