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Vintage Crime: from the Crime Writers' Association
Vintage Crimes will be a CWA anthology with a difference, celebrating members’ work over the years. The book will gather stories from the mid-1950s until the twenty-first century by great names of the past, great names of the present together with a few hidden treasures by less familiar writers. The first CWA anthology, Butcher’s Dozen, appeared in 1956, and was co-edited by Julian Symons, Michael Gilbert, and Josephine Bell. The anthology has been edited by Martin Edwards since 1996, and has yielded many award-winning and nominated stories in the UK and overseas.
This new edition includes an array of incredible and award-winning Robert Barnard, Simon Brett, Liza Cody, Mat Coward, John Dickson Carr, Marjorie Eccles, Martin Edwards, Kate Ellis, Anthea Fraser, Celia Fremlin, Frances Fyfield, Michael Gilbert, Paula Gosling, Lesley Grant-Adamson, HRF Keating, Bill Knox, Peter Lovesey, Mick Herron, Michael Z. Lewin, Susan Moody, Julian Symons and Andrew Taylor.
This new edition includes an array of incredible and award-winning Robert Barnard, Simon Brett, Liza Cody, Mat Coward, John Dickson Carr, Marjorie Eccles, Martin Edwards, Kate Ellis, Anthea Fraser, Celia Fremlin, Frances Fyfield, Michael Gilbert, Paula Gosling, Lesley Grant-Adamson, HRF Keating, Bill Knox, Peter Lovesey, Mick Herron, Michael Z. Lewin, Susan Moody, Julian Symons and Andrew Taylor.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 11, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 31, 2020
4.5
Vintage Crime is a collection of diverse mystery/crime stories by members of The Crime Writers Association edited by Martin Edwards.
The Nuggy Bar, Sins of Scarlet, Top Deck and All She Wrote were my favorites.
Vintage Crime is a collection of diverse mystery/crime stories by members of The Crime Writers Association edited by Martin Edwards.
The Nuggy Bar, Sins of Scarlet, Top Deck and All She Wrote were my favorites.
March 21, 2020
I’m the first person reviewing this book on GR and I really do wish I had nicer things to say about it. Or not even that…nice isn’t the problem here. It’s all very nice. British nice, in fact. Every author featured in this collection is British by birth of choice. But niceness isn’t the quality I look for in my crime fiction. Quite the opposite, in fact, Give me some demented dark psychological nightmares to machete through. These are more along the lines of mild brainteasers to gently untangle. Not even that challenging, really, sometimes the twist endings are just so…slight. So I don’t know, this will probably work for some readers, I’m sure of it. Readers who like the golden age mysteries, or cozies, or those easily offended or scared or disturbed. And the writing is uniformly decent throughout. So the quality is there. It’s just about the degree of excitement this might inspire…how thrilling you want your mystery thrillers to be. Maybe this is entirely my fault for not estimating accurately my reading mood. Maybe some vintages don’t age like the others. And mind you, the stories in this book are not all old they range from 1940s to 1990s or so, it’s just they all have that same quality of old timey mysteries. Some of the stories were pretty good, but none really wowed somehow. In fact, it is somewhat telling that the only story that actually engaged was told from a quadrupedal perspective. Maybe this was more of a collection to dip in and out of instead of reading the entire thing. Not sure. It didn’t read especially quickly. Just can’t help thinking that if this book were to become a person, it would have been someone best described as milquetoast. But seriously, don’t let one reader’s somewhat extreme tastes in genre literature discourage you from checking out some old fashioned vintage mysteries. By all means. The cover is great too. Thanks Netgalley.
March 27, 2020
This is a mixed bag of mysteries, written by past and present members of the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA). The stories cover more than half a century, from the 1940's to the present day. Only the 2nd anthology in the CWA's history (the first was "Butcher's Dozen : An Anthology", published in 1956) it comprises a total of 22 tales by writers famous and not so famous.
The earliest story is by the American author John Dickson Carr and features Colonel March of Scotland Yard's Department of Queer Complaints. This is a wonderfully weird mystery which involves Colonel March (made famous by Boris Karloff; in the 1950's TV series Colonel March of Scotland Yard) solving the identity of exactly who made some footprints in the snow. There's humour from Simon Brett in the form of "The Nuggy Bar" which mixes murder with the launch of a snack of that name. One of my favourite new authors, Mick Herron (author of the "Slow Horses" series) contributes the thriller based "All She Wrote", while Michael Z. Lewin has a character called Rover solving a murder mystery.
It's very difficult not to give anything away when reviewing short stories, so I'll end this review by saying that some of the stories worked for me and some didn't. That said, it's worth reading, if only to see how crime writing has developed over the past 75 years.
Another plus was that it made me want to find out more about some of the authors whose works I haven't yet read.
My thanks to Flame Tree Publishing and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
The earliest story is by the American author John Dickson Carr and features Colonel March of Scotland Yard's Department of Queer Complaints. This is a wonderfully weird mystery which involves Colonel March (made famous by Boris Karloff; in the 1950's TV series Colonel March of Scotland Yard) solving the identity of exactly who made some footprints in the snow. There's humour from Simon Brett in the form of "The Nuggy Bar" which mixes murder with the launch of a snack of that name. One of my favourite new authors, Mick Herron (author of the "Slow Horses" series) contributes the thriller based "All She Wrote", while Michael Z. Lewin has a character called Rover solving a murder mystery.
It's very difficult not to give anything away when reviewing short stories, so I'll end this review by saying that some of the stories worked for me and some didn't. That said, it's worth reading, if only to see how crime writing has developed over the past 75 years.
Another plus was that it made me want to find out more about some of the authors whose works I haven't yet read.
My thanks to Flame Tree Publishing and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
September 6, 2020
I love a mystery story anthology! So many different stories -- different authors -- varied characters! Vintage Crime caught my eye at first because I absolutely LOVE the front cover! And then I peeked at the story list....a variety of who-dunnits from the 1950s to present written by some familiar names and several new-to-me authors! I knew a CWA anthology would be filled with outstanding writing!
And I wasn't disappointed!
Because Covid19 has absolutely kicked my job (social services) into high gear, my reading time is precious at the moment. Normally, I savor mystery anthologies -- I read one story at a time, think over my opinions, look up the author for a bit of research, add other books/stories from the author to my TBR list....and then move on to the next. But because I was reading a review copy, I felt a bit rushed. I loved each story but didn't have the time to really savor and research. I solved this problem by ordering a lovely hardback copy all my own just before I started writing this review....MINE!! And I can read it as slowly as I choose the second time.....Can't wait!
I thought and thought and tried to pick a favorite story. Impossible. I enjoyed them all! And I'm not saying one word about what they were about...best to read mystery stories with no prior information. But I can say this -- I liked every author in this collection. Once I get my own copy, I have the feeling I'm going to be adding a lot of other books and stories to my already ponderous TBR list. I love how this collection spans several decades. It really brought home how mystery writing has evolved and changed since the 1950s!
Lovely, lovely collection! Definitely has a home on my keeper shelf!
**I read a review copy of this story collection from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. I will say this -- I review many books for Flame Tree Press and have never been disappointed. Not one time! That opinion is also 100% my own!**
And I wasn't disappointed!
Because Covid19 has absolutely kicked my job (social services) into high gear, my reading time is precious at the moment. Normally, I savor mystery anthologies -- I read one story at a time, think over my opinions, look up the author for a bit of research, add other books/stories from the author to my TBR list....and then move on to the next. But because I was reading a review copy, I felt a bit rushed. I loved each story but didn't have the time to really savor and research. I solved this problem by ordering a lovely hardback copy all my own just before I started writing this review....MINE!! And I can read it as slowly as I choose the second time.....Can't wait!
I thought and thought and tried to pick a favorite story. Impossible. I enjoyed them all! And I'm not saying one word about what they were about...best to read mystery stories with no prior information. But I can say this -- I liked every author in this collection. Once I get my own copy, I have the feeling I'm going to be adding a lot of other books and stories to my already ponderous TBR list. I love how this collection spans several decades. It really brought home how mystery writing has evolved and changed since the 1950s!
Lovely, lovely collection! Definitely has a home on my keeper shelf!
**I read a review copy of this story collection from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. I will say this -- I review many books for Flame Tree Press and have never been disappointed. Not one time! That opinion is also 100% my own!**
August 17, 2020
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If you are a fan of crime fiction, you must read this book. Most of the stories listed are gripping and very entertaining. I read them all and have categorized them as per the below:
My Top Three:
Below are my top three stories that made the book so memorable!
Footprint in the Sky: AMAZING! The best one in the collection. A perfect blend of suspense and crime as Dorothy wonders if she murdered someone while sleepwalking.
Top Deck: I loved Keith and his curiosity to know if his boss murdered someone or not. The twist is something I did not expect.
Moving on - One of my favorites. You don't know who is the crazy one between Martin and Gerard. They both act suspiciously over Anna's death and had me guessing.
What I Loved
The below stories were also delightful and I loved reading them.
Strolling in the Square One Day: Quarles is interesting in the story. I enjoyed the way he he tries to get the photos from the blackmailer and how he tries to solve the case.
The Service Flat: A gripping tale of a woman who feels that someone is using her flat when she is not at home. The story is short and suspenseful where you don’t know if Marion is crazy or if something sinister is happening in her flat.
The Nuggy Bar – A very simple story, but so nice in the way the author narrates it. I loved the details, research and the project planning that Hector implements for the perfect murder.
The Woman who Loved Elizabeth David – Another standout suspense crime tale. One of the creepiest scenes in this book where the protagonist hides rats to get her revenge.
In those Days – A very disturbing tale about a women who writes a letter to a man detailing the events to his sister’s death. I loved the way the author tells the story via letters.
Turning Point - An adultery themed crime tale. I enjoyed this mainly due to the Mel's feelings for Philip.
The Hand that feeds me – This was beautiful and different as told from a dog’s perspective! A very interesting collection to the anthology.
What I Liked
While the below stories are not as great as the ones listed above, they are still very entertaining.
The woman who had everything – A very entertaining black comedy that is different from the others.
The Perfect Alibi – A fun story with twists and turns, but I found the sergeant and the rookie annoying.
Nowhere to be found – An interesting tale that starts off well. However, the ending felt weak.
Money is Honey – Great start to the anthology. Although the reveal appears suddenly, I wanted to find out what happened to Mr. Mallet.
Cuckoo in the Wood – The shortest story in the anthology. It is a nice story but too short to be memorable.
Melusine - A classic crime tale of jealousy and possessiveness. This was very entertaining.
All She Wrote - A nice end to the book, and a twist that made the story memorable.
What I wanted to like, but couldn't
I am sure there are readers who found the following stories fascinating. However, they were either lengthy, convoluted or confusing for my taste. These were “ The Egyptian Garden ”, “ Sins of Scarlet ”, “ Interior, With Corpse ”, “ Cold and Deep ” and “ Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author ” (which was unfortunate because I loved the references to India, but couldn’t grasp the plot)
Overall, this collection offers an eclectic range of crime novels from various decades and has something for everyone.
June 27, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for an e-galley of this collection.
This anthology edited by Martin Edwards comes down to a so-so three star rating from me because there were quite a few stories included that either didn't appeal to me at all or were total skips. I cannot seem to get through an entire H.R.F. Keating Inspector Ghote story to save my life and the one here (Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author) didn't break my record. Total skip because it just didn't appeal to me. There was one other story, The Perfect Alibi by Paula Gosling that I skipped to the end of. The remaining twenty stories were a mixture of light to moderate enjoyment with no stand-out story. I have to confess to being surprised. I read pretty much any collection Martin Edwards edits and have usually had great success with the anthologies he puts together. This one didn't do much for me so maybe this one is just a one-off and all will be well with the next collection.
This anthology edited by Martin Edwards comes down to a so-so three star rating from me because there were quite a few stories included that either didn't appeal to me at all or were total skips. I cannot seem to get through an entire H.R.F. Keating Inspector Ghote story to save my life and the one here (Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author) didn't break my record. Total skip because it just didn't appeal to me. There was one other story, The Perfect Alibi by Paula Gosling that I skipped to the end of. The remaining twenty stories were a mixture of light to moderate enjoyment with no stand-out story. I have to confess to being surprised. I read pretty much any collection Martin Edwards edits and have usually had great success with the anthologies he puts together. This one didn't do much for me so maybe this one is just a one-off and all will be well with the next collection.
August 27, 2020
Each story is a hidden gem and edited by Martin Edwards. Some are vintage others are more contemporary but they will stay in your bookshelf because good works of writing always do. I discovered new Authors, and others I had read, but the stories were new to me. I had a hard time putting this down but you will love the variety. Highly recommended...five stars...
My thanks to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press
My thanks to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press
July 29, 2020
Vintage Crime is an anthology of twenty-two short stories from the Crime Writers’ Association. They vary in age, length and content, a bit like the authors. The earliest published is from 1940; the most recent, 2008. The earlier stories are, understandably, more deductive in nature, relying less on trace evidence that later stories.
A variety of plots and formats are featured, including: a condolence letter to the surviving brother of a murdered woman; a PI who discovers treason; a Bombay detective lumbered with an irritating, inquisitive British novelist; a man, picked out of a line-up, who has too many alibis; and roadworks uncovering a thirty-year-old murder.
Especially clever or well plotted are: Simon Brett’s The Nuggy Bar, in which a widower’s plans to acquire his step-daughter’s fortune using a cleaning product development and launch manual; The Hand That Feeds Me by Michael Z. Lewin, in which a dog ensures three murderers will be held responsible; The Woman Who Loved Elizabeth David by Andrew Taylor, in which a new widow takes action when she discovers signs of marital infidelity.
Other excellent offerings are: Interior with Corpse by Peter Lovesey, where a Scene-of-Crime painting points to a fifty-year-old murder; Top Deck by Kate Ellis, whose young man aspiring to police work will be forced to face up; in All She Wrote, Mick Herron gives the report of a novice spy on a first assignment, with a nasty final twist.
Overall, the collection is a mixed bag: most stories are quite good; some are exceptional; as would be expected with a crime collection, there are plenty of twists and red herrings, and some outstanding detective work. Twenty-two little doses of crime fiction bound to appeal to fans of the genre.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Flame Tree Press.
A variety of plots and formats are featured, including: a condolence letter to the surviving brother of a murdered woman; a PI who discovers treason; a Bombay detective lumbered with an irritating, inquisitive British novelist; a man, picked out of a line-up, who has too many alibis; and roadworks uncovering a thirty-year-old murder.
Especially clever or well plotted are: Simon Brett’s The Nuggy Bar, in which a widower’s plans to acquire his step-daughter’s fortune using a cleaning product development and launch manual; The Hand That Feeds Me by Michael Z. Lewin, in which a dog ensures three murderers will be held responsible; The Woman Who Loved Elizabeth David by Andrew Taylor, in which a new widow takes action when she discovers signs of marital infidelity.
Other excellent offerings are: Interior with Corpse by Peter Lovesey, where a Scene-of-Crime painting points to a fifty-year-old murder; Top Deck by Kate Ellis, whose young man aspiring to police work will be forced to face up; in All She Wrote, Mick Herron gives the report of a novice spy on a first assignment, with a nasty final twist.
Overall, the collection is a mixed bag: most stories are quite good; some are exceptional; as would be expected with a crime collection, there are plenty of twists and red herrings, and some outstanding detective work. Twenty-two little doses of crime fiction bound to appeal to fans of the genre.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Flame Tree Press.
March 24, 2020
This is a mixed bag of mysteries, written by past and present members of the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA). The stories cover more than half a century, from the 1940's to the present day. Only the 2nd anthology in the CWA's history (the first was "Butcher's Dozen : An Anthology", published in 1956) it comprises a total of 22 tales by writers famous and not so famous.
The earliest story is by the American author John Dickson Carr and features Colonel March of Scotland Yard's Department of Queer Complaints. This is a wonderfully weird mystery which involves Colonel March (made famous by Boris Karloff; in the 1950's TV series Colonel March of Scotland Yard) solving the identity of exactly who made some footprints in the snow. There's humour from Simon Brett in the form of "The Nuggy Bar" which mixes murder with the launch of a snack of that name. One of my favourite new authors, Mick Herron (author of the "Slow Horses" series) contributes the thriller based "All She Wrote", while Michael Z. Lewin has a character called Rover solving a murder mystery.
It's very difficult not to give anything away when reviewing short stories, so I'll end this review by saying that some of the stories worked for me and some didn't. That said, it's worth reading, if only to see how crime writing has developed over the past 75 years.
Another plus was that it made me want to find out more about some of the authors whose works I haven't yet read.
My thanks to Flame Tree Publishing and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
The earliest story is by the American author John Dickson Carr and features Colonel March of Scotland Yard's Department of Queer Complaints. This is a wonderfully weird mystery which involves Colonel March (made famous by Boris Karloff; in the 1950's TV series Colonel March of Scotland Yard) solving the identity of exactly who made some footprints in the snow. There's humour from Simon Brett in the form of "The Nuggy Bar" which mixes murder with the launch of a snack of that name. One of my favourite new authors, Mick Herron (author of the "Slow Horses" series) contributes the thriller based "All She Wrote", while Michael Z. Lewin has a character called Rover solving a murder mystery.
It's very difficult not to give anything away when reviewing short stories, so I'll end this review by saying that some of the stories worked for me and some didn't. That said, it's worth reading, if only to see how crime writing has developed over the past 75 years.
Another plus was that it made me want to find out more about some of the authors whose works I haven't yet read.
My thanks to Flame Tree Publishing and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
June 19, 2020
Vintage Crime is a mixed bag of stories from different eras which gives an interesting slant on style of mystery crime writing and the changes that have happened within this genre. Martin Edwards has lovingly put together a collection that shows the ebbs and flows.
All the short stories are very well written and some will excel for each reader more than others and this is more down to personal tastes. All the stories within are exceptional and it was interesting to see the change in context, writing style and over all procedures taking place whilst solving crimes. Personally, I did enjoy the older stories but as for style, I tended to warm more towards the stories that were written around the 40’s and after.
Overall, there are a lot of gems to cherish and it is good that some of these stories are being published again as many, I assume, probably have been lost or not seen the light of day unless you are a hardened fan to crime fiction. Each story is the right length to enjoy in one sitting and does drive you forward to read the next one in line.
Excellently put together, and overall an enjoyable reader that shows many different styles which keeps the genre well and truly alive.
All the short stories are very well written and some will excel for each reader more than others and this is more down to personal tastes. All the stories within are exceptional and it was interesting to see the change in context, writing style and over all procedures taking place whilst solving crimes. Personally, I did enjoy the older stories but as for style, I tended to warm more towards the stories that were written around the 40’s and after.
Overall, there are a lot of gems to cherish and it is good that some of these stories are being published again as many, I assume, probably have been lost or not seen the light of day unless you are a hardened fan to crime fiction. Each story is the right length to enjoy in one sitting and does drive you forward to read the next one in line.
Excellently put together, and overall an enjoyable reader that shows many different styles which keeps the genre well and truly alive.
August 19, 2020
This is a collection of short stories by members of The Crime Writers Association, past and present.
Each of the tales are unique, but all have a vintage feel. (Some are vintage!).
This is a great book to be able to dip in and out of, when you have a spare half hour or so.
Lots of murders, mysteries and general mayhem, very entertaining throughout. Anyone who enjoys classic and vintage crime stories will love this.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of Vintage Crime. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Each of the tales are unique, but all have a vintage feel. (Some are vintage!).
This is a great book to be able to dip in and out of, when you have a spare half hour or so.
Lots of murders, mysteries and general mayhem, very entertaining throughout. Anyone who enjoys classic and vintage crime stories will love this.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of Vintage Crime. This is my honest and unbiased review.
June 18, 2021
Excellent choices of stories. It would be hard to choose a favorite but The Woman who Had Everything made me discover Celia Fremlin who I want to explore some more and Top Deck by Kate Ellis has a good twist… there’s really a lot of good twists in these stories, ones that I did not see coming. I think it’s easier to pick the stories I didn’t like because there is only one or two than the brilliant ones… it’s a great anthology.
August 15, 2020
As with most collections, there are some stories which are going to hit their mark and others which make you scratch your head, and this one is no exception.
The oldest story in the book is from 1964, the newest, 2008, so it is fair to say that they have been gathered far and wide. The temptation, with a collection labelled 'vintage', is to assume outdated and possibly old fashioned, and, certainly, I found some of the terms and attitudes expressed by the writers as such.
Covering cold cases, lover's tiffs which end in murder, crimes of opportunity,revenge and greed, this is a good collection although I have to say that diversity amongst the writers is lacking. This is in the respect of being representative (possibly)of the CWA, and being overtly 'white' in nature, and predominantly English.
There are gems which stuck out, such as Mick Herron's 'All She Wrote',Celia Fremlin's 'The Woman Who Had Everything' and Kate Ellis' 'Top Deck'.
The rest of the collection, which has all been published elsewhere, fit together quite neatly, but those three in particular made a lasting impression.
Out of 22 stories, 9 are written by women, and each author has a helpful biography at the back of the collection to direct the curious reader to other works.
Not all the names may be immediately familiar to the reader, so this is a good opportunity to have, if you will, a tasting plate of tales from which to go forth and look for other writers and novels to explore.
All in all it is a good , solid collection and I spent an enjoyable time dipping in and out of it.
The oldest story in the book is from 1964, the newest, 2008, so it is fair to say that they have been gathered far and wide. The temptation, with a collection labelled 'vintage', is to assume outdated and possibly old fashioned, and, certainly, I found some of the terms and attitudes expressed by the writers as such.
Covering cold cases, lover's tiffs which end in murder, crimes of opportunity,revenge and greed, this is a good collection although I have to say that diversity amongst the writers is lacking. This is in the respect of being representative (possibly)of the CWA, and being overtly 'white' in nature, and predominantly English.
There are gems which stuck out, such as Mick Herron's 'All She Wrote',Celia Fremlin's 'The Woman Who Had Everything' and Kate Ellis' 'Top Deck'.
The rest of the collection, which has all been published elsewhere, fit together quite neatly, but those three in particular made a lasting impression.
Out of 22 stories, 9 are written by women, and each author has a helpful biography at the back of the collection to direct the curious reader to other works.
Not all the names may be immediately familiar to the reader, so this is a good opportunity to have, if you will, a tasting plate of tales from which to go forth and look for other writers and novels to explore.
All in all it is a good , solid collection and I spent an enjoyable time dipping in and out of it.
October 25, 2020
I read this collection more than a month ago and spent all that time postponing my review. I wanted to talk about the individual stories in the book for two reasons. My reactions to many varied and making sure all the separate author names are catalogued for my own reference in the future.
First off, I should mention the title is a bit of a misnomer. The stories begin way back in time but end up in our own generation. Although those stories were equally good, they were mildly jarring. I only intend to write a line or two per story, and since there are quite a few of them, it might seem to be a tedious post. One way of enjoying/reading it could be to look out for author names familiar to you.
Money is Honey by Michael Gilbert – 1956
I have read and liked a full work by this author previously
Short tale with not much of a mystery but entertaining characters and an ominous atmosphere
Family feud with feigned illnesses and real deaths
I was not satisfied with the ending
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Strolling in the Square one day by Julian Symons
Unexpected direction of the narrative
Once again I was not sure of the ending
Begins and ends with a discussion around a photo and the implications surrounding it
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The service flat by Bill Knox – 1966
The plot is simple, we are faced with an empty flat and possible intruders
I thought I was following the breadcrumbs right but never saw the final twist coming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Footprint in the sky by John Dickson Carr – 1968
I have read a few other works by the author
The ominous atmosphere is set from the very beginning.
The problem itself was simple ( it felt like the most obvious suspect) but the odd clue was a little surprising
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Woman who had everything by Celia Fremlin – 1984
With every story of hers I encounter I realise how much I like the women the author writes, they are so real
Here also we have a desperate woman who has a lot of shades to her
Well written and I never saw the ending/twist(s) coming.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
The nuggy bar by Simon Brett 1985
This is a sad story with an untrustworthy narrator
There are funny bits to how things turned out for the aforementioned narrator during the planning stage
Well written but I was annoyed by the final outcome.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author –1985
I found certain quirks in the narration entertaining but on the whole it was an okay read
The plot did not lend itself to be self deduced since information was only revealed in bits
I found it really odd that the author had never visited the country he based his series in till almost the very end!
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The Perfect Alibi by Paula Gosling – 1991
A superior officer is entertaining his colleague with reminisces about a diamond robbery
I can see the shift in narrative styles and the twist caught me off guard!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Cuckoo in the wood by Lesley Grant- Adamson – 1992
This is a sad story which was well written
I did not like where the narrative led and the images it left behind
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
In those Days by Lisa Cody
The setup and the writing was well done
I think I understood what the implied solution was but I want to talk to someone who has read it and can point out the revelation moment to me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Turning Point by Anthea Fisher – 1993
The twist was the saving grace of the story. I never saw it coming.
A lonely housewife decides to take a vacation and ends up having to think on her feet
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The hand that feeds me by Michael Z. Lewin
Did not realise who the narrator was till a few paragraphs in, this being the unique part of the story
It is not a mystery per se, and therefore, I was not so caught up in it
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Cold and Deep by Frances Fyfield – 1994
The atmosphere was set well but the flow of the story seemed obvious.
The writing was well done.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Moving On by Susan Moody – 1996
Convoluted situation with two friends and their spouses’ lives intertwining to disastrous consequences
Well done but sad and it left the possibilities mildly ambiguous.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
The woman who loved Elizabeth David by Andrew Taylor – 1998
Yet another sad story about a wronged woman that did not have me very excited
The twist saved some of it but overall not one of my favourites
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Nowhere to be found by Mat Coward – 1999
Ending was left hanging and made me jus plain sad for the turn of events
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Interior, With Corpse by Peter Lovesey – 2000
Pretty unique setup ( at least of the ones I have read)
Never saw the end coming when the narrative begins with a scarily accurate painting of a corpse
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Egyptian Garden by Marjorie Ecks – 2002
Although there is death in it, it is not a mystery
The stifling atmosphere added some feeling but it was all about family dynamics
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Melusine by Martin Edward – 2003
Not my kind of story
I did not see the twist coming but did not help me like the story either
We have another couple of friends who weigh in the others’ lives
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Top Deck by Kate Ellis – 2005
Simple story that did not go the way I thought it would, given that it begins with a man who suspects that we witnessed a murder
Interesting in its own way
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Sins of Scarlet by Robert Barnard – 2005
I found this a little weird and was not very drawn in by the possibilities
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
All she wrote by Mick Herron – 2006
Once again I get the feeling that I do not ‘get’ the current thriller/mystery genre
Did not enjoy the turn of events, it seemed a very obvious progression
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Since I liked the older ones more than the newer ones, my total tally does come to be 3 stars on the whole.
First off, I should mention the title is a bit of a misnomer. The stories begin way back in time but end up in our own generation. Although those stories were equally good, they were mildly jarring. I only intend to write a line or two per story, and since there are quite a few of them, it might seem to be a tedious post. One way of enjoying/reading it could be to look out for author names familiar to you.
Money is Honey by Michael Gilbert – 1956
I have read and liked a full work by this author previously
Short tale with not much of a mystery but entertaining characters and an ominous atmosphere
Family feud with feigned illnesses and real deaths
I was not satisfied with the ending
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Strolling in the Square one day by Julian Symons
Unexpected direction of the narrative
Once again I was not sure of the ending
Begins and ends with a discussion around a photo and the implications surrounding it
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The service flat by Bill Knox – 1966
The plot is simple, we are faced with an empty flat and possible intruders
I thought I was following the breadcrumbs right but never saw the final twist coming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Footprint in the sky by John Dickson Carr – 1968
I have read a few other works by the author
The ominous atmosphere is set from the very beginning.
The problem itself was simple ( it felt like the most obvious suspect) but the odd clue was a little surprising
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Woman who had everything by Celia Fremlin – 1984
With every story of hers I encounter I realise how much I like the women the author writes, they are so real
Here also we have a desperate woman who has a lot of shades to her
Well written and I never saw the ending/twist(s) coming.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
The nuggy bar by Simon Brett 1985
This is a sad story with an untrustworthy narrator
There are funny bits to how things turned out for the aforementioned narrator during the planning stage
Well written but I was annoyed by the final outcome.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author –1985
I found certain quirks in the narration entertaining but on the whole it was an okay read
The plot did not lend itself to be self deduced since information was only revealed in bits
I found it really odd that the author had never visited the country he based his series in till almost the very end!
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The Perfect Alibi by Paula Gosling – 1991
A superior officer is entertaining his colleague with reminisces about a diamond robbery
I can see the shift in narrative styles and the twist caught me off guard!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Cuckoo in the wood by Lesley Grant- Adamson – 1992
This is a sad story which was well written
I did not like where the narrative led and the images it left behind
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
In those Days by Lisa Cody
The setup and the writing was well done
I think I understood what the implied solution was but I want to talk to someone who has read it and can point out the revelation moment to me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Turning Point by Anthea Fisher – 1993
The twist was the saving grace of the story. I never saw it coming.
A lonely housewife decides to take a vacation and ends up having to think on her feet
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The hand that feeds me by Michael Z. Lewin
Did not realise who the narrator was till a few paragraphs in, this being the unique part of the story
It is not a mystery per se, and therefore, I was not so caught up in it
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Cold and Deep by Frances Fyfield – 1994
The atmosphere was set well but the flow of the story seemed obvious.
The writing was well done.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Moving On by Susan Moody – 1996
Convoluted situation with two friends and their spouses’ lives intertwining to disastrous consequences
Well done but sad and it left the possibilities mildly ambiguous.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
The woman who loved Elizabeth David by Andrew Taylor – 1998
Yet another sad story about a wronged woman that did not have me very excited
The twist saved some of it but overall not one of my favourites
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Nowhere to be found by Mat Coward – 1999
Ending was left hanging and made me jus plain sad for the turn of events
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Interior, With Corpse by Peter Lovesey – 2000
Pretty unique setup ( at least of the ones I have read)
Never saw the end coming when the narrative begins with a scarily accurate painting of a corpse
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Egyptian Garden by Marjorie Ecks – 2002
Although there is death in it, it is not a mystery
The stifling atmosphere added some feeling but it was all about family dynamics
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Melusine by Martin Edward – 2003
Not my kind of story
I did not see the twist coming but did not help me like the story either
We have another couple of friends who weigh in the others’ lives
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Top Deck by Kate Ellis – 2005
Simple story that did not go the way I thought it would, given that it begins with a man who suspects that we witnessed a murder
Interesting in its own way
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Sins of Scarlet by Robert Barnard – 2005
I found this a little weird and was not very drawn in by the possibilities
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
All she wrote by Mick Herron – 2006
Once again I get the feeling that I do not ‘get’ the current thriller/mystery genre
Did not enjoy the turn of events, it seemed a very obvious progression
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Since I liked the older ones more than the newer ones, my total tally does come to be 3 stars on the whole.
August 19, 2020
This is a collection of short stories by members of The Crime Writers Association, past and present.
Each of the tales are unique, but all have a vintage feel. (Some are vintage!).
This is a great book to be able to dip in and out of, when you have a spare half hour or so.
Lots of murders, mysteries and general mayhem, very entertaining throughout. Anyone who enjoys classic and vintage crime stories will love this.
Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Vintage Crime. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Each of the tales are unique, but all have a vintage feel. (Some are vintage!).
This is a great book to be able to dip in and out of, when you have a spare half hour or so.
Lots of murders, mysteries and general mayhem, very entertaining throughout. Anyone who enjoys classic and vintage crime stories will love this.
Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Vintage Crime. This is my honest and unbiased review.
August 21, 2020
This book contains no less than twenty two short stories “Hand - Picked from the Mystery Archives” by Martin Edwards from the archives of the Crime Writers’ Association going back to 1953. In his brief introduction, Edwards points out that the earliest story in the collection is from John Dickson Carr which was reprinted from a 1940 publication, and which I had already read elsewhere. The stories are undated which is unhelpful, but it is made up for by the quality and variety of the contributions which includes stories from such well known writers as Simon Brett, Kate Ellis and Peter Lovesey.
There are some very memorable stories here - as murderers confess, animals leave the solution on show, detectives follow their instincts. There are many stories here to entertain, inform and more, as some murderers just allow things to happen whereas other crimes are meticulously planned. Most, if not all of the stories, reflect careful plotting, while some of the characters really come alive in the hands of practised and skilful writers. In any collection like this, there will be some stories that a reader enjoys more than others, but this is a collection which is strong in all respects. It is not necessarily the oldest stories which are the most enjoyable, or the most recent which reflect one’s own experience. As with any crime story, or short story of any kind, the plot needs to be almost timeless, as could happen beyond a particular set of circumstances. The great advantages of a collection like this is to discover new stories, new authors without committing to a full novel by an author who may be new to a reader. This was my experience with “Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author” by H.T.F Keating, which manages to demonstrate gentle comedy, a different setting of India, and an excellent plot all in the space of a few pages. Celia Fremlin looks at different sorts of courage, while Frances Fyfield looks at the pressures that an individual can exert on a family in “Cold and Deep”. The famous chef Elizabeth David becomes the unwitting centre of attention in a poisonous story from Andrew Taylor, while a wistful story of past memories of life in Egypt dominate a contribution from Marjorie Eccles. Martin Edwards’ own “Melusine”, inspired by a legend, takes the context of a horrible situation to look at what happens when secrets are exposed. Kate Ellis’ “Top Deck” is an award winning story which takes a small experience and looks at its effect.
This is a book with a story for every mood, every perception of crime, understandable or baffling, turning on small circumstances or major events. I found it a very readable book, with the ability to change moods from story to story. When life is challenging and possibly concentrating on a full novel is difficult, an anthology like this is very attractive as demanding less sustained attention. I did not have to retain clues and motives, circumstances and red herrings over a complete book; it satisfies the need for completion within a short time. I recommend this book as presenting many opportunities for satisfying, distracting reading, with an excellent mixture of stories for every taste and mood.
There are some very memorable stories here - as murderers confess, animals leave the solution on show, detectives follow their instincts. There are many stories here to entertain, inform and more, as some murderers just allow things to happen whereas other crimes are meticulously planned. Most, if not all of the stories, reflect careful plotting, while some of the characters really come alive in the hands of practised and skilful writers. In any collection like this, there will be some stories that a reader enjoys more than others, but this is a collection which is strong in all respects. It is not necessarily the oldest stories which are the most enjoyable, or the most recent which reflect one’s own experience. As with any crime story, or short story of any kind, the plot needs to be almost timeless, as could happen beyond a particular set of circumstances. The great advantages of a collection like this is to discover new stories, new authors without committing to a full novel by an author who may be new to a reader. This was my experience with “Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author” by H.T.F Keating, which manages to demonstrate gentle comedy, a different setting of India, and an excellent plot all in the space of a few pages. Celia Fremlin looks at different sorts of courage, while Frances Fyfield looks at the pressures that an individual can exert on a family in “Cold and Deep”. The famous chef Elizabeth David becomes the unwitting centre of attention in a poisonous story from Andrew Taylor, while a wistful story of past memories of life in Egypt dominate a contribution from Marjorie Eccles. Martin Edwards’ own “Melusine”, inspired by a legend, takes the context of a horrible situation to look at what happens when secrets are exposed. Kate Ellis’ “Top Deck” is an award winning story which takes a small experience and looks at its effect.
This is a book with a story for every mood, every perception of crime, understandable or baffling, turning on small circumstances or major events. I found it a very readable book, with the ability to change moods from story to story. When life is challenging and possibly concentrating on a full novel is difficult, an anthology like this is very attractive as demanding less sustained attention. I did not have to retain clues and motives, circumstances and red herrings over a complete book; it satisfies the need for completion within a short time. I recommend this book as presenting many opportunities for satisfying, distracting reading, with an excellent mixture of stories for every taste and mood.
August 1, 2020
It took me ages to read this collection, I think for one negative and one positive reason (and, thankfully, the negative has probably already been rectified by the publisher during the publication process - I was reading an ARC via NetGalley).
I tend to read short stories in between novels - often characters from a really good book stay with me, and I don't want to take them with me into my next read. Well-written short stories have to be attention grabbing, because they don't have the time of a full novel to be "slow-burners." They also have to have snappy endings so that they are memorable. So they are *great* ways to cleanse the mind. Because of this, my preferred way is to store them on my (ancient) kindle and dip in and out until eventually I have read the whole collection. Unfortunately, the ARC configuration didn't work for the contents listing on my kindle, so I had to do a lot of scrolling, which made me deprioritise reading stories from this collection. (Note: it was fine on the kindle app on my iPad, which is why I'm sure it's not an issue that will carry over into the final, published version).
The more positive reason it took me so long to read this collection is that they contain a wide range of authors - so, as you can imagine, I blasted through the well-known ones quite quickly and then took longer over the lesser-known ones. This was *great* as it allowed me to really appreciate them when I did.
Of course, when I say "well-known," I suppose what I really mean is "authors who are well-known *to me*," and my biggest "discovery" was actually Liza Cody, who, of course, is a multi-award winner from the CWA, and whose work I *had* seen without realising, although on the TV. Now I am looking forward to actually reading the Anna Lee series of books - Wikipedia says that the programmes were based "loosely" on Cody's books. In any case, I really enjoyed her writing style and wry humour in 'In Those Days,' and it made me want to read more.
Other stories I loved were 'The Egyptian Garden' by Marjorie Eccles, 'Interior with Corpse' by Peter Lovesey and 'Top Deck' by Kate Ellis. It's hard to write about short stories individually without giving spoilers, so I'll just say that why I liked these so much were that I felt straight into the world they wanted to create, which is both a necessity and an incredibly difficult feat to achieve in short form.
As an anthology, this really can't be faulted. I love Martin Edwards's work as an editor, and this is another prime example of how good he is. As always, I feel better educated about the genre after finishing reading (finally, with the prompting of publication date approaching and events being advertised on Twitter)!
I tend to read short stories in between novels - often characters from a really good book stay with me, and I don't want to take them with me into my next read. Well-written short stories have to be attention grabbing, because they don't have the time of a full novel to be "slow-burners." They also have to have snappy endings so that they are memorable. So they are *great* ways to cleanse the mind. Because of this, my preferred way is to store them on my (ancient) kindle and dip in and out until eventually I have read the whole collection. Unfortunately, the ARC configuration didn't work for the contents listing on my kindle, so I had to do a lot of scrolling, which made me deprioritise reading stories from this collection. (Note: it was fine on the kindle app on my iPad, which is why I'm sure it's not an issue that will carry over into the final, published version).
The more positive reason it took me so long to read this collection is that they contain a wide range of authors - so, as you can imagine, I blasted through the well-known ones quite quickly and then took longer over the lesser-known ones. This was *great* as it allowed me to really appreciate them when I did.
Of course, when I say "well-known," I suppose what I really mean is "authors who are well-known *to me*," and my biggest "discovery" was actually Liza Cody, who, of course, is a multi-award winner from the CWA, and whose work I *had* seen without realising, although on the TV. Now I am looking forward to actually reading the Anna Lee series of books - Wikipedia says that the programmes were based "loosely" on Cody's books. In any case, I really enjoyed her writing style and wry humour in 'In Those Days,' and it made me want to read more.
Other stories I loved were 'The Egyptian Garden' by Marjorie Eccles, 'Interior with Corpse' by Peter Lovesey and 'Top Deck' by Kate Ellis. It's hard to write about short stories individually without giving spoilers, so I'll just say that why I liked these so much were that I felt straight into the world they wanted to create, which is both a necessity and an incredibly difficult feat to achieve in short form.
As an anthology, this really can't be faulted. I love Martin Edwards's work as an editor, and this is another prime example of how good he is. As always, I feel better educated about the genre after finishing reading (finally, with the prompting of publication date approaching and events being advertised on Twitter)!
July 27, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Vintage Crime is a new anthology of vintage crime fiction from the Crime Writers Association edited by Martin Edwards. Due out 27th Aug 2020 from Flame Tree Press, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The CWA has produced numerous collections of members' works in the past, and this one is no exception. The difference here is that the works are chosen from the association's founding in 1953 to more or less the present day. The earliest story is copyright 1940 (John Dickson Carr's Footprints in the Sky), the newest 2008 (All She Wrote by Nick Harron). The authors represented are a mixed lot, many are instantly recognizable to everyone, some less familiar (and a few with whom I was previously completely unfamiliar).
One reason I prefer collections and anthologies is that short fiction is really challenging. It's spare and the author doesn't have a wealth of wordage to develop characters or the plotting. Well written short fiction is a delight. I also love anthologies because if one story doesn't really grab me, there's another story just a few pages away. Attributions and publication info are included at the end of the book along with short contributor bios.
For me, one of the biggest draws of these anthologies is the erudite and always interesting introductions by editor Martin Edwards. Mr. Edwards has a prodigious knowledge of the genre and writes engagingly and well.
Well written, this entry and the CWA anthologies as a whole are well worth seeking out. This would make a superlative selection for readers of the genre as well as an introduction to classic crime fiction from mid-20th century onward. I love that these collections have some very well known names from the genre alongside lesser known but worthy authors.
This would also make a fine selection for commute reading or short interludes.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Vintage Crime is a new anthology of vintage crime fiction from the Crime Writers Association edited by Martin Edwards. Due out 27th Aug 2020 from Flame Tree Press, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The CWA has produced numerous collections of members' works in the past, and this one is no exception. The difference here is that the works are chosen from the association's founding in 1953 to more or less the present day. The earliest story is copyright 1940 (John Dickson Carr's Footprints in the Sky), the newest 2008 (All She Wrote by Nick Harron). The authors represented are a mixed lot, many are instantly recognizable to everyone, some less familiar (and a few with whom I was previously completely unfamiliar).
One reason I prefer collections and anthologies is that short fiction is really challenging. It's spare and the author doesn't have a wealth of wordage to develop characters or the plotting. Well written short fiction is a delight. I also love anthologies because if one story doesn't really grab me, there's another story just a few pages away. Attributions and publication info are included at the end of the book along with short contributor bios.
For me, one of the biggest draws of these anthologies is the erudite and always interesting introductions by editor Martin Edwards. Mr. Edwards has a prodigious knowledge of the genre and writes engagingly and well.
Well written, this entry and the CWA anthologies as a whole are well worth seeking out. This would make a superlative selection for readers of the genre as well as an introduction to classic crime fiction from mid-20th century onward. I love that these collections have some very well known names from the genre alongside lesser known but worthy authors.
This would also make a fine selection for commute reading or short interludes.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 22, 2020
There is no good reason why I shouldn’t like this CWA collection of short stories, Vintage Crime, edited by Martin Edwards. I am a fan of many of the authors, Mr. Edwards also presents the British Crime Classics series which has been absolutely wonderful, and I’ve enjoyed many other anthologies in the past. But somehow, this collection doesn’t do it for me.
We do have a large selection of stories: a murder victim who was pretending to have a stroke, blackmailing photographer who caught something more than he bargained for, woman who’s convinced someone’s using her apartment when she’s away, a sleepwalking woman who might have murdered her neighbor, an ignored wife who repeatedly attempts suicide, a meticulous planner who needs to kill his step-daughter, an annoying British author hounding an Indian police detective, an old detective telling a tale to his rookie partner about line-ups, a spurned lover in a small village with a secret, a clueless lady writing about a photographer who has seen too much, a woman away for the weekend running into an old flame, an interesting take on solving the murder of a homeless man, a Christmas family gathering that exposes a secret, an author being hounded by an old friend who suspects his guilt about the past, a woman getting revenge with rat poison, an old friend who leaves his wife and disappears forever, an artist whose last painting shows a murder, an elderly woman revisits her Egyptian past, a man suspects his wife and friend are cheating on him during a livestock outbreak in rural England, a young man witnessing a possible murder from the top deck of a bus, a cardinal who will stop at nothing to become pope, an agent who has to go too far in assuring the overthrow of the government.
So why wasn’t I thrilled? I guess even though the stories are all over the place, they all seem to be bleak and joyless. People killing, people cheating, mistaken identities, misdirection and misunderstandings, and most of the ending twists just leave you further depressed. I guess that’s the bottom line – for the most part, these stories left me sad and dejected.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Flame Tree Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
We do have a large selection of stories: a murder victim who was pretending to have a stroke, blackmailing photographer who caught something more than he bargained for, woman who’s convinced someone’s using her apartment when she’s away, a sleepwalking woman who might have murdered her neighbor, an ignored wife who repeatedly attempts suicide, a meticulous planner who needs to kill his step-daughter, an annoying British author hounding an Indian police detective, an old detective telling a tale to his rookie partner about line-ups, a spurned lover in a small village with a secret, a clueless lady writing about a photographer who has seen too much, a woman away for the weekend running into an old flame, an interesting take on solving the murder of a homeless man, a Christmas family gathering that exposes a secret, an author being hounded by an old friend who suspects his guilt about the past, a woman getting revenge with rat poison, an old friend who leaves his wife and disappears forever, an artist whose last painting shows a murder, an elderly woman revisits her Egyptian past, a man suspects his wife and friend are cheating on him during a livestock outbreak in rural England, a young man witnessing a possible murder from the top deck of a bus, a cardinal who will stop at nothing to become pope, an agent who has to go too far in assuring the overthrow of the government.
So why wasn’t I thrilled? I guess even though the stories are all over the place, they all seem to be bleak and joyless. People killing, people cheating, mistaken identities, misdirection and misunderstandings, and most of the ending twists just leave you further depressed. I guess that’s the bottom line – for the most part, these stories left me sad and dejected.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Flame Tree Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
August 11, 2020
Vintage Crime, edited by novelist Martin Edwards, raids the Crime Writers Association (CWA) archives to bring together some of the best short stories written in the genre, since the organisation was founded in 1953. Edwards, CWA archivist and former chair, has selected work which shows the evolution of crime-fiction writing over almost seventy years. And there’s a lot to choose from: the archives are rich as the CWA has always been a great advocate of the short story.
As both crime-fiction and short story fans, we love books like Vintage Crime, and this anthology doesn’t disappoint, providing the audience with an eclectic mix of crime-fiction writing. As with any collection, there are going to be tales of more interest, others less so; however, this is an interesting collection of gems, blending older and more contemporary crime fiction. And, while it includes some very well-known names, it’s also a great introduction to the work of some writers who might be less familiar to modern audiences.
Among our favourites, without giving away any spoilers, are Bill Knox’s rather Hitchcockian ‘The service flat’, Paula Gosling’s ‘The perfect Alibi’ and Michael Z. Lewin’s very clever ‘The hand that feeds me’, but there are so many more to choose from. Twenty-two very fine stories in fact.
An entertaining anthology, full of many bite-size joys, Vintage Crime comes highly recommended.
Writers included: Robert Barnard, Simon Brett, Liza Cody, Mat Coward, John Dickson Carr, Marjorie Eccles, Martin Edwards, Kate Ellis, Anthea Fraser, Celia Fremlin, Frances Fyfield, Michael Gilbert, Paula Gosling, Lesley Grant-Adamson, HRF Keating, Bill Knox, Peter Lovesey, Mick Herron, Michael Z. Lewin, Susan Moody, Julian Symons and Andrew Taylor.
See: https://www.theliteraryshed.co.uk/rea...
This review was originally published as part of the virtual book tour. Thanks to the publisher for supplying a book proof. All opinions are our own. All rights reserved.
August 10, 2020
As soon as I saw Andrew Taylor's name on the list I just knew I had to read this anthology. His short story The Woman Who Loved Elizabeth David is as good as I would expect from one of my favourite all time writers. Because he is quite local to me I get all excited when he mentions Cheltenham and The Everyman Theatre!
However my favourite story has to be The Nuggy Bar by Simon Brett. I love the pedantry of the main character as he plots to kill his step-daughter in order to claim her inheritance after her mum dies. He treats her murder like managing and marketing a new product at work, but with added dark humour and repetition eg GLISS HANDY MOPPITS (IDEAL FOR THE KITCHEN, NURSERY OR HANDBAG) which is repeated in full over and over. It reminds me of a short story I wrote about 10 years ago called Double Bill (I'm not boasting here though it is available on Kindle!!) - it just uses the same device of repeating things for effect. I kept thinking 'did I write this?' Ha ha I wish.
Some of the stories such as Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author by HRF Keating are quite strange. It was written in 1985. I would have guessed it was much earlier. But I do like the one about the painting of a murder - Interior with Corpse by Peter Lovesey - and the references to Walter Sickert who was once thought to be Jack the Ripper as he painted exact scenes from the gory murders of prostitutes. I also loved Top Deck by Kate Ellis in which budding policeman Keith thinks he sees a murder from the top deck of the bus. Cold and Deep by Frances Fyfield is very sinister, while Melusine by Martin Edwards gripped me to the end, but was also very unnerving and the descriptions of the foot and mouth incident brought back horrible memories and scenes of burning dead cows on TV.
These are just a few of the 22 stories. They are not necessarily the best. Just my own personal favourites (or not in the case of Inspector Ghote ...). Many are very different from the murder mysteries and psychological thrillers we are so obsessed with today and move at a slower pace. No instant gratification in the fifties and sixties. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Sleep well and don't have nightmares!
Many thanks to @annecater for letting me be part of #RandomThingsTours and to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However my favourite story has to be The Nuggy Bar by Simon Brett. I love the pedantry of the main character as he plots to kill his step-daughter in order to claim her inheritance after her mum dies. He treats her murder like managing and marketing a new product at work, but with added dark humour and repetition eg GLISS HANDY MOPPITS (IDEAL FOR THE KITCHEN, NURSERY OR HANDBAG) which is repeated in full over and over. It reminds me of a short story I wrote about 10 years ago called Double Bill (I'm not boasting here though it is available on Kindle!!) - it just uses the same device of repeating things for effect. I kept thinking 'did I write this?' Ha ha I wish.
Some of the stories such as Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author by HRF Keating are quite strange. It was written in 1985. I would have guessed it was much earlier. But I do like the one about the painting of a murder - Interior with Corpse by Peter Lovesey - and the references to Walter Sickert who was once thought to be Jack the Ripper as he painted exact scenes from the gory murders of prostitutes. I also loved Top Deck by Kate Ellis in which budding policeman Keith thinks he sees a murder from the top deck of the bus. Cold and Deep by Frances Fyfield is very sinister, while Melusine by Martin Edwards gripped me to the end, but was also very unnerving and the descriptions of the foot and mouth incident brought back horrible memories and scenes of burning dead cows on TV.
These are just a few of the 22 stories. They are not necessarily the best. Just my own personal favourites (or not in the case of Inspector Ghote ...). Many are very different from the murder mysteries and psychological thrillers we are so obsessed with today and move at a slower pace. No instant gratification in the fifties and sixties. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Sleep well and don't have nightmares!
Many thanks to @annecater for letting me be part of #RandomThingsTours and to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2020
Vintage Crime is an eclectic collection of 22 short stories celebrating some of the most illustrious names in crime fiction who were members of the Crime Writers Association from the 1950s until the twenty-first century. A collection that spans decades and that beautifully illustrates the genre’s range and variety, there is something for everyone to enjoy in Vintage Crime.
From stories about domestic strife to tales of dark desire and grief and despair, Vintage Crime features writers from the last century who were immensely popular, but who fell out of favour due to changing reading fashions and new trends, such as Michael Gilbert, John Dickson Carr and Julian Symons. Reading their stories clearly showed just how the genre has changed and how they set the groundwork for many of the conventions and rules that have become so synonymous with the crime genre.
However, for me, my favourite stories were the ones by modern writers. I’ve long enjoyed Simon Brett’s traditional British mysteries, such as the Charles Paris series and the Fethering Mysteries. When I found out that he was a contributor to this collection, I found myself turning to his story The Nuggy Bar first and absolutely loving it. It had all the humour, red herrings, surprises and wit which are perennially present in his most popular series. I also really enjoyed Martin Edwards’ unsettling and intriguing Melusine and will be looking out for more titles by Andrew Taylor after being totally gripped by his contribution, The Woman Who Loved Elizabeth David.
Vintage Crime is a brilliant collection that is perfect for crime fiction fans who want to discover new favourites, revisit old luminaries of the genre and see how the genre has evolved through the years while continuing to remain truthful to its established traditions. But be warned: you will be so gripped by some of these stories that you will find yourself adding more authors to your ever-growing auto-buy list.
From stories about domestic strife to tales of dark desire and grief and despair, Vintage Crime features writers from the last century who were immensely popular, but who fell out of favour due to changing reading fashions and new trends, such as Michael Gilbert, John Dickson Carr and Julian Symons. Reading their stories clearly showed just how the genre has changed and how they set the groundwork for many of the conventions and rules that have become so synonymous with the crime genre.
However, for me, my favourite stories were the ones by modern writers. I’ve long enjoyed Simon Brett’s traditional British mysteries, such as the Charles Paris series and the Fethering Mysteries. When I found out that he was a contributor to this collection, I found myself turning to his story The Nuggy Bar first and absolutely loving it. It had all the humour, red herrings, surprises and wit which are perennially present in his most popular series. I also really enjoyed Martin Edwards’ unsettling and intriguing Melusine and will be looking out for more titles by Andrew Taylor after being totally gripped by his contribution, The Woman Who Loved Elizabeth David.
Vintage Crime is a brilliant collection that is perfect for crime fiction fans who want to discover new favourites, revisit old luminaries of the genre and see how the genre has evolved through the years while continuing to remain truthful to its established traditions. But be warned: you will be so gripped by some of these stories that you will find yourself adding more authors to your ever-growing auto-buy list.
August 18, 2020
First of all I'm going to say that I have absolutely loved this collection. Depending on your age your idea of "vintage" may vary, for me I was thinking up to the 1950s. This book in fact contains stories from 1940 to 2008.
My favourite was "The Nuggy Bar" by Simon Brett written in 1982. I had no clue from the title what it would entail. It was an ironic tale and reminded me so much of the Ellery Queen stories I enjoyed as a teenager, already being vintage by the time I read them. A clever story not only in the way it was written but in the use of an unusual mechanism of the character using his "top salesman" techniques to plan a murder!
I also enjoyed the stories set in the earlier part of the last century, especially for their simplicity of setting by modern day standards. No computers, apps or mobile phones, the pace of those stories felt so timeless and soothing even if murder was involved. Another favourite was The Perfect Albi where a seasoned American cop takes a rookie under his wing. The storytelling was just perfect and I felt myself settling into reading it as if the cop had been right there with me, telling me the story face to face.
Beautifully edited by Martin Edwards who also has a story in the book he has written. At the back of the book is a biography of the writers together with the a sources section giving the dates of when the stories were written. There is no indication as you read the stories when they are set or written and I found I liked that aspect of the collection.
Each story is just the right length for you to be able to dip in and out of the book between reading other books, or just to satisfy a reading urge when time is short. I will certainly be revisiting this book over and over again.
My favourite was "The Nuggy Bar" by Simon Brett written in 1982. I had no clue from the title what it would entail. It was an ironic tale and reminded me so much of the Ellery Queen stories I enjoyed as a teenager, already being vintage by the time I read them. A clever story not only in the way it was written but in the use of an unusual mechanism of the character using his "top salesman" techniques to plan a murder!
I also enjoyed the stories set in the earlier part of the last century, especially for their simplicity of setting by modern day standards. No computers, apps or mobile phones, the pace of those stories felt so timeless and soothing even if murder was involved. Another favourite was The Perfect Albi where a seasoned American cop takes a rookie under his wing. The storytelling was just perfect and I felt myself settling into reading it as if the cop had been right there with me, telling me the story face to face.
Beautifully edited by Martin Edwards who also has a story in the book he has written. At the back of the book is a biography of the writers together with the a sources section giving the dates of when the stories were written. There is no indication as you read the stories when they are set or written and I found I liked that aspect of the collection.
Each story is just the right length for you to be able to dip in and out of the book between reading other books, or just to satisfy a reading urge when time is short. I will certainly be revisiting this book over and over again.
September 1, 2020
This book suited me just fine at the moment. Struggling to 'get into' a novel and for it to hold my attention, this set of short stories, and some are very short, that I could dip in and out of, as and when I felt like it, was perfect. There is such an array of different stories here too.
What I liked about this anthology was how it took stories from authors right across the years. Now I love some vintage classic crime, but there are also some really enjoyable short stories from contemporary authors such as Mick Herron, Kate Ellis and Simon Brett, which really makes this book one for every crime fiction lover.
Stories from spies in Trafalgar Square to foot and mouth English countryside. From London to Liverpool and England to Egypt. It was great to pick a story not knowing where it was going to take you.
Although the dates of the stories can be found in the sources section at the back of the book, and the stories follow each other in date order, I liked that they were not dated in the contents section, so that I wasn't totally aware of the 'when' that I was about to read.
A great mix from some award winning writers. I received a copy of this book from the publisher to read and review
What I liked about this anthology was how it took stories from authors right across the years. Now I love some vintage classic crime, but there are also some really enjoyable short stories from contemporary authors such as Mick Herron, Kate Ellis and Simon Brett, which really makes this book one for every crime fiction lover.
Stories from spies in Trafalgar Square to foot and mouth English countryside. From London to Liverpool and England to Egypt. It was great to pick a story not knowing where it was going to take you.
Although the dates of the stories can be found in the sources section at the back of the book, and the stories follow each other in date order, I liked that they were not dated in the contents section, so that I wasn't totally aware of the 'when' that I was about to read.
A great mix from some award winning writers. I received a copy of this book from the publisher to read and review
August 14, 2020
This is an anthology of short stories by authors who are members of the Crime Writers’ Association and published by Flame Tree Press. Unusually for anthologies, this is a celebration of crime writing down the ages and so the stories are taken from across a span of time, from classic to more contemporary.
The stories vary in length too and cover the full gamut of genre – spy thriller, through noir, to locked door mystery – and place, from London to Egypt. There are some distinctly weirder stories too. All in all, there’s a good range here, and this is a great read that you can dip into and out of.
This is a great selection of stories, well selected and put together. They’re included in date order (earliest to latest) but the reader has to refer to the notes at the back to know this. I quite liked that because it meant you came to the stories without any preconceptions (unless you flicked to the back to check first, of course).
A great read and highly recommended.
The stories vary in length too and cover the full gamut of genre – spy thriller, through noir, to locked door mystery – and place, from London to Egypt. There are some distinctly weirder stories too. All in all, there’s a good range here, and this is a great read that you can dip into and out of.
This is a great selection of stories, well selected and put together. They’re included in date order (earliest to latest) but the reader has to refer to the notes at the back to know this. I quite liked that because it meant you came to the stories without any preconceptions (unless you flicked to the back to check first, of course).
A great read and highly recommended.
July 27, 2020
I feel the same everytime I read a collection of short story books. I usually have some stories I like and some not so much. These are stories made me think of watching cold case shows with my mom. They are very classic crimes. Stories about killing family members for money in a will, black mail for money and more. Everyone is always looking for something and are willing to kill for it. While I enjoyed some of these stories, I don’t think they fit into the stories I like to read more. I think this collection will be prefect for a true crime lover and reader. 2/5 ⭐️ stars from me but i think it’s because I have more of a taste for the new psychology thrillers in the crime genre. Someone else could pick this up and love it immensely but it just wasn’t for me.
May 15, 2020
A nice mixed bag of stories - not overly long - from some well-known and not so well-known names in crime fiction. We have stories covering practical jokes gone awry, sleepwalking, dreams, espionage, love and betrayal, greed and jealousy, accidental death and out-and-out murder. Quite a few have that twist at the end that readers will enjoy, and not all our protagonists are deserving of our empathy. With some distinctive noirish tones, I enjoyed all twenty-two stories, and appreciated the mini author biographies at the end. Martin Edwards does it again - collating a diverse range of tales for this murderous anthology.
June 7, 2020
Vintage Crime is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of short murder mystery stories, from varied authors throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. All of the stories were new to me and there weren’t any duds among them, which is really unusual for this type of anthology.
Each story gave a vivid sense of time and place and it was fun to start each new tale wondering where and when you’d end up. Particularly memorable stories were set in Beatles-era Liverpool, pre-war Egypt and foot-and-mouth afflicted rural England in 2001.
A recommended read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.
Each story gave a vivid sense of time and place and it was fun to start each new tale wondering where and when you’d end up. Particularly memorable stories were set in Beatles-era Liverpool, pre-war Egypt and foot-and-mouth afflicted rural England in 2001.
A recommended read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.
July 1, 2020
Usually I love this type of book, the chance to read short crime stories rather than a long, sometimes complicated full length thriller. This time however, it was a bit of a struggle with only one or two of the entries holding my attention.
In some of the stories the language grates a little but, other than that, there weren't any obvious problems with the writing it just felt as if I was missing something with this book. Hopefully others will enjoy it but, unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review but can't personally recommend it.
In some of the stories the language grates a little but, other than that, there weren't any obvious problems with the writing it just felt as if I was missing something with this book. Hopefully others will enjoy it but, unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review but can't personally recommend it.
August 21, 2020
Spanning over fifty years, this collection of crime stories s exceptional. Each one seems to have been specially chosen and delights the reader. This anthology is perfect for dipping into, one or two with a coffee or several at bedtime, the choice is yours. One thing is for sure, these stories will stay with the reader and continue to delight for some considerable time to come. The variety is such that no matter your favourite crime genre; just deserts, a sting in the tail, a shock ending, there is something for everyone. Unusually for an anthology, there wasn't one story that disappointed. A great collection.
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