Small Felonies - Fifty Short Mystery Stories

by Bill Pronzini

This is a collection of fifty short stories by veteran mystery and crime writer Bill Pronzini, best known as fhe creator of 'The Nameless Detective' series. This collection crosses over a broad range of styles and characters, settings and plots, showing the breadth and depth of Pronzini's prodigious talent. Included are murders, swindles, double-crosses, crazed children, and much, much more. Contents Cold Foggy Day / A Dip in the Poole / Something Wrong (A "Nameless Detective" Story) / The Imperfect Crime / Shell Game with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Sweet Fever / Perfect Timing / Dear Poisoner / Thirst / Skeletons / The Same Old Grind / His Name Was Legion / The Dispatching of George Ferris / Little Lamb / Once a Thief (with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Under the Skin / Changes / The Storm Tunnel / Defect / The Clincher / The Facsimile Shop (with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Waiting, Waiting... / Peekaboo / Words Do Not A Book Make / Incident in a Neighborhood Tavern (A "Nameless Detective" Story) / The Terrarium / On Guard! (with Michael Kurland) / Memento Mori / A Little Larceny / Mrs. Rakubian / Toy / House Call (with Jeffrey M. / Wallmann) / Deathwatch / Outrageous / Muggers' Moon / Hero (A Tale of the Old West) / The Man Who Collected "The Shadow" / For Love / Unchained / Tiger, Tiger (with John Lutz) / Here Lies Another Blackmailer / Buttermilk / Retirement / One of Those Days / Don't Spend It All in One Place / Cache and Carry (A "Nameless Detective"/Sharon McCone Story, with Marcia Muller) / The Killing / Black Wind / A Case for Quiet (with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Whodunit

Genres: Short Stories, Mystery, Crime

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 1988

About the author

Mystery Writers of America Awards "Grand Master" 2008
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1999) for Boobytrap
Edgar Awards Best Novel nominee (1998) for A Wasteland of Strangers
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) for Sentinels
Shamus Awards "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) 1987
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1982) for Hoodwink

Married to author Marcia Muller.

Pseudonyms:
Robert Hart Davis (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Jack Foxx
William Jeffrey (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Alex Saxon

Reviews

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of crime-genre mini-stories ("short stories" would be too lengthy, these are described as "mini mysteries" on the cover) by Bill Pronzini, "Small Felonies" is a lot of fun. The concept works well. When I say these are mini-stories, I mean they are actually 3-6 pages each. That makes them pretty shallow and without a lot of character arcs or overly complicated conspiracies but are usually somehow immersive and sometimes tense with twists and turns and double-crosses and surprises. Pronzini is a great writer and can set a meaningful environmental picture in those 3-6 pages, sometimes just with dialogue that doubles to show what his characters are all about.

Fifty (!) stories. There are a few semi-duds, of course; it is hard to write fifty great stories. But I'd say 20 of them are A or A+ and the rest are Cs or better. There are some duplicated ideas and similar plotlines so as I got into the back-third I had a pretty good idea where some were going but they were still fun.

These run a gamut from simple blackmail attempts, jilted love triangles, fun tongue-in-cheek supernatural stories, and burglary investigations to immersive psychological paranoid inquiries, vigilante what-goes-around-comes-arounds, regretful reminiscing, murder whodunits, mob street crimes, generational revenge psycho histories, and haunted mansion stories.

Verdict: A good collection of fun, clever, immersive crime and mystery short stories.

Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: some PG, most PG-13, a few R

[Debra Jeakins · Rating 5 out of 5]

SMALL FELONIES BY BILL BRONZINI & NARRATED BY AZE FELLNER,is comprised of fifty short stories ranging from creepy to the Nameless Detective, SMALL FELONIES show the versatility of Mr Pronzini. Like most of his books, SMALL FELONIES short stories start out routine and up until then end when the reader gets a bit of a surprise.

I have fallen in love with Bill Pronzini's stories and SMALL FELONIES is no different. With the narration by Aze Fellner you get a great listen for a great author.


I recieved this audiobook free in exchange for an honest review.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5.stars. Very accomplished, as you would imagine they should be, but a little bit samey.

[Richard Peck · Rating 3 out of 5]

A companion piece of sorts to "Graveyard Plots," this book deals more with straightforward mystery and crime stories. Also includes some "Nameless Detective" stories. Also recommended.

[Macel Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill Pronzini is a genius! Will try to read all of his collections of short shorts.

[Steve Portigal]

DNF. After about 10 I felt like I got the point and was no longer enjoying these very short short stories

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few of these are repetitive, but Prozini largely manages to keep ahead of the reader's expectations by rearranging a few different setups.