Wild Crimes: Stories of Mystery in the Wild

Cecil Younger #6.5 - My Heart Went Boom

by Dana Stabenow (Editor/Contributor), Margaret Coel (Collaborator), Dana Stabelow (Collaborator)

From Edgar Award winner Dana Stabenow comes an all-new mystery anthology featuring wild men, wilder women, and the wildest crimes imaginable... Go where the wild things are--whether on unruly and lawless urban streets, a secluded stretch of uncivilized and barbarous woods, or in the frozen mountains of Colorado. Anything can happen to anyone--anywhere--when the nature of man turns wild.

Genres: Mystery, Anthologies, Short Stories

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 7, 2004

About the author

Dana Stabenow was born in Anchorage and raised on 75-foot fish tender in the Gulf of Alaska. She knew there was a warmer, drier job out there somewhere.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accidentally wiped out my review of this anthology. I may try to write it again at some point.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just been marvellously entertained by this book of short crime stories.
The editor is Dana Stabenow, who lives in Alaska and writes about a female Alaskan PI among other works. We get a story about Kate Shugak late in the book. There is also one by John Straley who wrote The Woman Who Married A Bear, about his PI Cecil Younger.

Laurie R King writes an unusual tale - I have not read crime set in Papua New Guinea before. It's not much of a crime-solving story but well describes the location and peoples encountered by a modern missionary.

Other tales are set in Alaska or in small towns, among wild countrysides and with the occasional hint of a ghost story. Women leads, various races and developmentally challenged people are all featured.

The pace is fast, the characters lively, the scenery dramatic. A great read, especially if you are traveling and need a dip-into book.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished a 927 page detective mystery and moving on to a book full of wild crime short stories was somewhat refreshing and yet unnerving at the same time. Many of the stories were set in Alaska (the last frontier?). Some of the authors I've read most or all of their longer works. Enjoyable and amazingly detailed for little snippets of stories.

[Ayny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Decent variety in authors. The stories ... Some flaky, others stereotypical. The book was just what it says it is - Short stories Mysteries.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Included in short stories and essays book.

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of short mystery stories by different authors. Really enjoyable. Nice variety. Nice way to learn about authors you want to now go find their books.

[mimilbrown · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very well written for a collection of short stories. I'm just not a fan of short stories. There is never the build up in the beginning and the ends of the stories always leaving you wanting....leave you with questions. However that is the "short story style" & if that's ur thing then you might enjoy this one

[Jess Kittelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find it hard to rate books like this with several short stories by different authors with different writing styles. Some stories are good and others not so much. I find the stories that are good also end odd because just when it gets good it's over and on to the next one.

[Mary Newcomb]

Short stories are great! I love the depth and breadth that one book of them can hold, this book is no exception. With a theme of being set in a wild place there is a lot here to enjoy, savor and ponder.

[Deborah D.]

I read the Kate Shugak (Dana Stabenow) story and I tried 1 or 2 others.
That is why I checked it out - I am a little obsessive about finishing a series that is as interesting and enjoyable as the Kate Shugak series is.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read the one story in the collection.

[Linda Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy short stories and this collection features some fine crime writers deftly handling the short story form. Many set in Alaska and other "untamed" parts of the world.