Looking for a Good Mystery Novel? Try a Short Story First!

And the Dying is Easy: All-New Tales of Summertime Suspense edited by Joseph Pittman & Annette Riffle (2001)

Twenty popular mystery writers send their sleuths on summer vacations in which murder and mayhem pay all-too-prominent roles, in an entertaining anthology that features works by Max Allan Collins, Dana Stabenow, Lydia Adamson, Tamar Myers, Judith Van Gieson, and other notables.

Best American Mystery Stories of the Century edited by Tony Hillerman (2000)

A collection of the very best in mystery writing includes contributions by O. Henry, Dashiell Hammett, Ring Lardner, Ernest Hemingway, Ellery Queen, James Thurber, Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Sara Paretsky, John Steinbeck, Mickey Spillane and many others.

Canine Crimes presented by Jeffrey Marks (1998)

An entertaining selection of original mystery tales featuring a host of canine sleuths includes stories by Amanda Cross, Brendan DuBois, Valerie Wolzien, S J Rozan, Anne Perry and others.

Confederacy of Crime edited by Sara Shankman (2002)

In a chilling anthology of never before published stories, twelve popular authors – including Jeffrey Deaver, Bret Lott, Margaret Maron, Joan Hess, Michael Malone, Julie Smith, and Thomas H. Cook, among others – offer a revealing glimpse of crime, mystery, murder, and mayhem, Southern style.

Dangerous Women edited by Otto Penzler (2005)

A collection of short tales about dangerous women, written by top suspense authors, including pieces by Nelson DeMille, J.A. Jance, and Elmore Leonard.

Death Cruise: Crime Stories on the Open Seas edited by Lawrence Block (1999)

This collection of cruising mysteries, written by members of the International Association of Crime Writers, includes stories by Agatha Christie, Nancy Pickard, John Lutz, Piet Teigeler, Barbara Collins, Jan Burke, John Mortimer and others.

Death by Dickens edited by Anne Perry (2004)

A new anthology of original mystery stories celebrates the work of Charles Dickens by bringing in some of his most famous characters, with contributions by Bill Crider, P.N. Elrod, Carole Nelson Douglas, Peter Tremayne, Anne Perry, Gillian Linscott, and others.

Death Dines at 8:30 edited by Claudia Bishop and Nick DiChario (2001)

Sixteen acclaimed mystery writers – including Diane Mott Davidson, Tamar Myers, Edward D. Hoch, Mike Resnick, Valerie Wolzien, Claudia Bishop, and Bill and Judy Crider – serve up a tempting array of suspenseful whodunits, in an anthology that comes complete with a variety of original recipes.

Death Dines In edited by Claudia Bishop and Dean James (2005)

Another delectable assortment of ingenious culinary mystery tales features such works as "License to Koi" by Carole Nelson Douglas, Parnell Hall's "Lethal Luncheon," Lyn Hamilton's "Stark Terror at Tea-Time," and other stories by Anne Perry, Rhys Bowen, Jeremiah Healy, and other notable mystery writers.

Death Do Us Part: New Stories about Love, Lust, and Murder edited by Harlan Coben (2006)

An anthology of eighteen original relationship tales includes Lee Child's "Safe Enough," in which a blue-collar city boy pursues a wealthy suburban wife, with dire consequences; Harlan Coben's "Entrapped," in which a woman's missing husband is replaced by a handsome impostor; and P. J. Parrish's "One Shot," in which a man discovers a long-ago tragedy in his childhood home.

The Detection Collection edited by Simon Brett (2005)

Honoring the seventy-fifth anniversary of The Detection Club, a collection of original short stories by some Britain's finest crime writers features eleven tales by Lindsey Davis, P. D. James, Robert Barnard, Colin Dexter, John Harvey, Reginald Hill, Peter Lovesey, and others.

First Cases: First Appearances of Classic Private Eyes edited by Robert J Randisi (1996)

A unique anthology presents the debuts of fifteen top private investigators, including Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder, Sara Paretsky's' V.I. Warshawski, and Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone.

Historical Whodunits edited by Mike Ashley (1997)

Mysteries with a historical setting by Elizabeth Peters, Ellis Peters, Robert van Gulik, Margaret Frazer, Edward D Hoch, and many others…including Herodotus!

Killer Year: Stories to Die For -- From the Hottest New Crime Writers edited by Lee Child (2008)

Some of the rising stars in the crime, suspense, and mystery genres reveal their talents in an anthology of short stories, each of which is introduced by such mentors as Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, and Lee Child.

Love and Death edited by Carolyn G Hart (2001)

Romance and mystery combine in a Valentine's Day anthology of fourteen original whodunits from Dorothy Cannell, Carolyn Hart, Nancy Pickard, Gar Anthony Haywood, Peter Robinson, Eve Sandstrom, Ed Gorman, Margaret Maron, Jean Hager, Robert J. Randisi, M.D. Lake, Susan Dunlap, Marilyn Wallace, and Kathy Hoban Trocheck.

Love Kills edited by Ed Gorman and Martin H. Greenberg (1997)

The rage of jilted lovers and their acts of hate are captured in this suspenseful collection of chilling tales, including works by Lawrence Block, Donald Westlake, Evan Hunter, Bill Pronzini, Marcia Muller, John Lutz, Joe Gores, and Ruth Rendell.

Master's Choice: Mystery Stories by Today's Top Writers and the Masters Who Inspired Them edited by Lawrence Block (1999)

A collection of crime fiction by leading contemporary authors includes short stories from the acclaimed writers who inspired them and features works by Ian Rankin, Joyce Carol Oates, Mary Higgins Clark, Evan Hunter, and Edgar Allan Poe.

Mom, Apple Pie, and Murder edited by Nancy Pickard (1999)

An entertaining assortment of short fiction for Mother's Day features mystery tales with a maternal twist, from Nancy Pickard, Joan Hess, Lia Matera, Margaret Maron, Susan Dunlap, Ed Gorman, Jeremiah Healy, Gillian Roberts, and other notable authors.

Much Ado about Murder edited by Anne Perry (2002)

A collection of all original tales of mystery, intrigue, and murder inspired by the life, times, and work of William Shakespeare features contributions by Jeffery Deaver, Carole Nelson Douglas, Robert Barnard, P. C. Doherty, Anne Perry, Gillian Linscott, Edward D. Hoch, Peter Treymayne, Simon Brett, and others.

Murder and Mystery in Boston edited by Carol-Lynn Rössel Waugh, Martin H. Greenberg, Frank McSherry (1987)

This collection of murder mysteries, all set in Boston, features works by Robert B. Parker, George V. Higgins, Jacques Futrelle, Charlotte MacLeod, Ed Hoch, and others.

Murderer's Row: Baseball Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler (2001)

Lawrence Block, John Lescroart, and Elmore Leonard share stories about the mysterious deaths of coaches and players, agents and baseball dads in complex situations, and players who exhibit less than gentlemanly behaviors.

Murder in Baker Street : New Tales of Sherlock Holmes edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Jon L. Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower (2001)

Featuring contributions from such renowned crime fiction writers as Anne Perry, Loren Estleman, Gillian Linscott, and Peter Tremayne, a magnificent collection of eleven new adventures of the most celebrated detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes, celebrates the sheer genius, analytical methods, and remarkable manners of this illustrious sleuth.

Murder in the Family by The Adams Round Table (2002)

A dozen of the leading authors of mystery and suspense introduce an entertaining anthology of all-original mystery stories that focus on the hidden secrets and motivations that can bring out the murderous impulses of various members of the family, in works by Mary Higgins Clark, Lawrence Block, Peter Straub, Whitley Strieber, and other notable authors.

Murder in Vegas: New Crime Tales of Gambling and Desperation edited by Michael Connelly (2005)

A collection of twenty-two original short crime and mystery stories includes the tales of a gambler who must win at the roulette table to stay alive and a courier who accepts a package with unexpected consequences, in a volume that includes contributions by such writers as Wendy Hornsby, Michael Collins, and Jeremiah Healy.

Murder, My Dear Watson: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Jon L. Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower (2002)

Eccentric, coldly rational, brilliant, doughty, exacting, lazy -- in full bohemian color the world's most famous literary detective and his loyal companion Dr. John Watson investigate a series of previously unrecorded cases in this new collection of original tales. In the Scottish Highlands and Afghanistan, in the cases of a dying doctor and a mooning sentry, of a black basalt bird and white chalk horse, popular contemporary mystery writers -- among them Sharyn McCrumb, Carolyn Wheat, Anne Perry and Malachi Saxon, Jon L. Breen, Bill Crider, Colin Bruce -- craftily celebrate the mind, methods, and manners of the peerless Sherlock Holmes.

Murder on the Ropes: Original Boxing Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler (2001)

Presents a collection of fourteen boxing mysteries from such authors as Lawrence Block, Joyce Carol Oates, Doug Allyn, and Mike Lupica.

Murderous Schemes: An Anthology of Classic Detective Stories edited by Donald Westlake (1996)

Spanning more than fifty years of detective fiction and a variety of styles from hard-boiled to "cozy," a collection of thirty-two classic crime stories is arranged according to eight common plots of detective fiction.

Mysterious Pleasures: A Celebration of the Crime Writers' Association's 50th Anniversary edited by Martin Edwards (2003)

Ever since its creation, the Crime Writers' Association has championed the very best in murder and mystery. Now, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this esteemed organization, Mysterious Pleasures showcases the short stories of some of its most illustrious members. All the contributors are winners of the CWA's prestigious Diamond or Gold Dagger Awards, or have served as chairman. These are tales that alternately tantalize, intrigue, shock, surprise, and thrill—a myriad of styles united only by genre and by the sheer quality of the writing.

Mystery Midrash: An Anthology of Jewish Mystery & Detective Fiction edited by Lawrence W Raphael (1999)

A collection of crime stories featuring Jewish protagonists, or else Jewish themes. In one, a mother who is an armchair detective solves a murder for her not-so-bright son, a policeman, a second is on the abduction of a rabbi, and in a third a woman is possessed by a spirit. Includes stories by Howard Engel, Stuart M. Kaminsky, James Yaffe, Faye Kellerman, Batya Swift Yasgur, and more.

New Orleans Noir edited by Julie Smith (2007)

This anthology illustrates the diversity of the chosen locale with 18 previously unpublished short stories from authors both well known (Laura Lippman, Barbara Hambly) and emerging (Kalamu Ya Salaam, Jeri Cain Rossi). Appropriately, Smith divides the book into pre- and post-Katrina sections, and many of the more powerful tales describe the disaster's hellish aftermath.

The Night Awakens: A Mystery Writers of America Anthology edited by Mary Higgins Clark (2000)

Mystery with a dash of romance enliven these stories by some of the best writers in the business, including Sarah Shankman, Nancy Pickard, Loren D. Estleman, Sally Gunning, and Jospeh Hansen.

Powers of Detection: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy edited by Dana Stabenow (2004)

An original anthology of short fiction blends the mystery and fantasy genres in a collection of magical mystery from Anne Perry, Charlaine Harris, Simon R. Green, Sharon Shinn, Michael Armstrong, Anne Bishop, Donna Andrews, Dana Stabenow, John Straley, and other notable authors.

The Prosecution Rests: New Stories about Courtrooms, Criminals, and the Law edited by Linda Fairstein (2009)

From the Salem witch trials to Depression-era Chicago, from the exclusive country-clubs of the wealthy to the depths of today's toughest ghettos, this riveting collection traces the triumphs, defeats, and temptations of two opposing sides: those sworn to defend the accused, and those tasked with prosecuting them. They are the stories of lawyers under pressure, of criminals facing the needle, and of the heartbroken families -- of both the victim and the defendant -- who hope for justice from the back of the courtroom, and who sometimes take it into their own hands. This tantalizing collection proves that after the crime is over, the real drama begins. MWA anthology featuring Edward D. Hoch, Jo Dereske, S. J. Rozan, and others.

Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African-American Authors edited by Eleanor Taylor Bland (2004)

Presents a collection of crime and mystery stories by such authors as Chris Benson, Evelyn Coleman, Walter Mosely, Hugh Holton, and Penny Mickelbury.

Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years edited by Michael Kurland (2004)

An anthology of original stories follows the period between 1891 and 1894 during which Sherlock Holmes was presumed dead after a struggle with nemesis James Moriarty and experienced a series of adventures, in a collection that includes contributions by such writers as Peter Beagle, Rhys Bowen, and Bill Pronzini.

Sisters on the Case : Celebrating Twenty Years of Sisters in Crime edited by Sara Paretsky (2007)

Featuring contributions from some of today's best-known women mystery writers including Sue Henry, Barbara D'Amato, Carolyn Hart, and Sara Paretsky, this thrilling collection is filled with fear, murder, suspense, and revenge.

Sleuths of the Century edited by Jon L. Breen and Ed Gorman (2000)

Anthology of classic detective stories by the best writers in the field including Dorothy L Sayers, Rex Stout, John Dickson Carr , Ross Macdonald, Patricia Highsmith, Walter Mosley, and many more.

Tart Noir edited by Stella Duffy & Lauren Henderson (2002)

Presents twenty edgy, exciting tales of outrageous, badly behaved heroines with bad attitudes and questionable morals by Val McDermid, Sparkle Hayter, Liza Cody, Karin Slaughter, Katy Munger, Sujata Massey, Lisa Jewell, Laura Lippman, and other popular British and American mystery writers.

Thou Shalt Not Kill: Biblical Mystery Stories edited by Anne Perry (2005)

Edited by an Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning writer, a collection of crime and mystery tales based on or inspired by ancient biblical tales includes contributions by such top authors as Sharon McCrumb, Carole Nelson Douglas, and Robert Barnard.

Treasury of Cat Mysteries compiled by Martin H Greenberg (1998)

Some of the best feline-starring whodunits comprise this collection of works by such writers as Lillian Jackson Braun, Ruth Rendell, Ed Gorman, Clark Howard, and Carole Nelson Douglas.

Uncertain Endings: The World's Greatest Unsolved Mystery Stories edited by Otto Penzler (2006)

A collection of 19 classic stories including Frank Stockton's "The Lady, or the tiger?" and stories by Roald Dahl, Ray Bradbury, Aldous Huxley, Mark Twain and Stanley Ellin.

Women Before the Bench edited by Carolyn Wheat (2001)

A collection of short legal fiction features all-new stories by some of the top writers in the field, including Perri O'Shaughnessy, Jonnie Jacobs, Taffy Cannon, Michael A. Kahn, Claire Youmans, Rochelle Krich, Carroll Lachnit, Jeremiah Healy, Margaret Maron, and others.

A Woman's Eye edited by Sara Paretsky (1991)

A collection of stories about crime solving women includes works by Amanda Cross, Sue Grafton, Susan Dunlap, Faye Kellerman, Antonia Fraser, and Sara Paretsky.

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