Home American/Cozy Mysteries Author Interviews Awards Best of... British Mysteries Events Gallery Historical Inventory Kids Mysteries Killer Books Legal Thrillers Links Michigan Mysteries Noir Oldies But Goodies P.I. Police Psychological Reference Books Suspense/Thriller True Crime

American/Cozy Mysteries

Essays: § Cozies: An Especially American Art Form § When is a Cozy not a Cozy?
Kenneth Abel § Cold Steel Rain	Alina Adams § Murder on Ice	Donna Andrews § The Penguin Who Knew Too Much	Nevada Barr § High Country
Larry Beinhart § The Librarian	Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns (editors) § A Merry Band of Murderers	Meredith Blevins § The Hummingbird Wizard	Lawrence Block § The Burglar in the Rye
Jan Brogan § A Confidential Source	Judy Clemens § The Day Will Come	Joan Coggin § Who Killed the Curate?	Jeffrey Cohen § As Dog is My Witness § Some Like it Hot-Buttered
Thomas Cook § Into the Web	Gordon Cotler § Artist’s Proof	Casey Daniels § Don of the Dead	Diane Mott Davidson § Dark Tort § Double Shot
Aaron Elkins § Good Blood	Sharon Fiffer § Buried Stuff	Kate Flora § Stalking Death	Christine Goff § A Rant of Ravens
Denise Hamilton § Last Lullaby § Savage Garden § Sugar Skull	David Handler § The Cold Blue Blood	Charlaine Harris § Grave Sight § Grave Surprise § Shakespeare’s Counselor	Rosemary Harris § Pushing Up Daisies
Ellen Hart § An Intimate Ghost § The Iron Girl § Night Vision	Libby Fischer Hellmann § An Image of Death § A Picture of Guilt § A Shot to Die For	Martha C. Lawrence § Ashes of Aries	Marc Lecard § Vinnie's Head
Laura Lippman § To the Power of Three	Mary Logue § Maiden Rock	Margaret Maron § Last Lessons of Summer	Sujata Massey § Girl in a Box
Alexander McCall-Smith § The #1 Ladies Detective Agency	Deborah Morgan § The Marriage Casket § The Weedless Widow	Marcia Muller § Cyanide Wells	Kem Nunn § Tijuana Straits
Nancy Pickard § The Virgin of Small Plains	David Skibbins § Eight of Swords	Jessica Speart § Blue Twilight	Julia Spencer-Fleming § All Mortal Flesh § A Fountain Filled With Blood § I Shall Not Want § In the Bleak Midwinter § Out of the Deep I Cry § To Darkness and to Death
Denise Swanson § Murder of a Sleeping Beauty § Murder of a Barbie and Ken § Murder of a Snake in the Grass	Sarah Stewart Taylor § Judgment of the Grave § Mansions of the Dead § O’ Artful Death § Still as Death	Elaine Viets § Dying to Call You § Just Murdered § Murder with Reservations § Murder Unleashed § Shop Till You Drop

A Merry Band of Murderers, Edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns, Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95.

Even for someone who never reads anthologies (like me) this one has a bit more going for it than the usual. I'm not a big fan of the mystery short story unless they're written by Rex Stout, but taking a look at this book, I can see I've been missing out. Don Bruns, himself a musician and a writer, pulled together a group of writers who also are singers and not only had them write a short story but had them record a song - the CD is included (so the price point is a complete bargain). He has an impressive list of contributors, including Jeffrey Deaver, John Lescroat, Val McDermid, Rhys Bowen and Peter Robinson, and after each story there's an interview with each author, making this book truly unique.

Bruns' own story, "Courage", is violent, intense and memorable - an old man sits on the roof of his house with his dog as his neighborhood floods around him (could he be living in New Orleans? Bruns isn't specific on that point, but it makes the story more timeless). The old man's life has been hell before the flood - his neighbors are a bunch of thugs who steal from him, terrorize his dog, urinate on his house and destroy his wife's prized rose bushes. It's basically every homeowner's nightmare - hang on to your home in a dubious neighborhood for too long and you're trapped, just as the old man is now literally trapped on his roof, one shell in his shotgun, and three thugs eyeing him and his dog from the house next door. I won't give away what happens next - this is, after all, a short story - but I will tell you that you won't forget it after having read it.

Don is one of the more charming newcomers to the mystery community - he's become a fixture at conventions, he's relentlessly cheerful, and he always brings his guitar, ready for anything. Don't miss the pleasure of meeting one of mystery's nicest guys.

Don also writes a series of Carribean mysteries featuring rock and roll journalist Mick Sever. The latest book in the series is South Beach Shakedown. (Robin)

To browse more reviews, use the navigation links at the top of the page.