Best American mystery stories 2015
(Book)

Mystery maven James Patterson is the enthusiastic editor of this year's premier anthology of mystery short stories. This batch of 20 stories (selected by Patterson from 50 chosen by series editor Otto Penzler) includes some written by familiar names in the genre (Lee Child, JefferyDeaver, and Joyce Carol Oates, plus a collaboration by Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane in which Harry Bosch and Patrick Kenzie join forces) as well as some by relative newcomers. The moods range from near-comic to horrifying. John M. Floyd's Molly's Plan posits bank robbery as a caper, while Janette Turner Hospital's Afterlife of a Stolen Child and Oates' The Home at Craigmillnar view pure evil. Among the most haunting is Tomiko Breland's spare Rosalee Carrasco, in which the behavior of a clique of middle-school mean girls is the catalyst for a tragedy that reverberates for decades. Foreword and introduction by the editors; contributors' notes, including the inspirations for their stories; and a list of the 30 other notable short stories all add to the value of this volume.--Leber, Michele Copyright 2015 Booklist

These short stories lean more toward horror than whodunits, casting long shadows despite their brevity. Editor Patterson singles out stories that have cinematic scope. Jeffery Deaver's "The Adventure of the Laughing Fisherman" gives a tip of the deerstalker to Sherlock Holmes through a protagonist who uses his deductive genius for more sinister ends. In "Molly's Plan," John M. Floyd maps out a nearly impossible bank robbery with a twist ending so ingenious it's tempting to root for the bad guys. The specter of war figures into several tales: a sniper questions his ability to continue in the field; a vet now working in elder care carries out a vendetta; and a woman deranged by war is herself as volatile as an IED. Children are in peril in numerous stories, from abductors, teachers, truly vicious nuns, and sometimes each other. Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane team up in "Red Eye," sending Harry Bosch to Boston, where he and Patrick Kenzie try to find a missing girl whose abductor keeps to a tight schedule. "The Home at Craigmillnar" is Joyce Carol Oates' chilling take on the abuse scandals in Catholic children's homes, serving up rough justice to Mother Superior decades after her reign of terror. Stories set in Haiti and off the Australian coast brighten up the noir, albeit largely in shades of red. Of particular interest for would-be mystery writers: notes at the end of the book feature brief descriptions of each story's inspiration and development, an illuminating peek into the creative process. Richard Lange's "Apocrypha," a bank heist tale primarily set in a tenement hotel, was rescued from a novel the author couldn't develop, and it's a gritty jewel. These edgy tales strike hard and fast but leave vivid memories behind. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Mystery maven James Patterson is the enthusiastic editor of this year's premier anthology of mystery short stories. This batch of 20 stories (selected by Patterson from 50 chosen by series editor Otto Penzler) includes some written by familiar names in the genre (Lee Child, JefferyDeaver, and Joyce Carol Oates, plus a collaboration by Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane in which Harry Bosch and Patrick Kenzie join forces) as well as some by relative newcomers. The moods range from near-comic to horrifying. John M. Floyd's "Molly's Plan" posits bank robbery as a caper, while Janette Turner Hospital's "Afterlife of a Stolen Child" and Oates' "The Home at Craigmillnar" view pure evil. Among the most haunting is Tomiko Breland's spare "Rosalee Carrasco," in which the behavior of a clique of middle-school mean girls is the catalyst for a tragedy that reverberates for decades. Foreword and introduction by the editors; contributors' notes, including the inspirations for their stories; and a list of the 30 other notable short stories all add to the value of this volume. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.