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The best mysteries of Isaac Asimov
Although not an author whom average readers would associate with mysteries, Asimov has actually written several good ones. This collection contains 31 short pieces that are among his personal favorites. Two sections contain his series stories, the ``Black Widower'' and the ``Union Club'' mysteries. Brief introductions to each section and story will serve to acquaint readers with the general background of the series. A third section contains miscellaneous mysteries. All are clear and entertaining. This is a book to be read on ``a little here, a little there'' basis. The stories are short, and prolonged reading results in a series of mental stops and starts that are wearying. Also, the stories are written according to a set formula. However, read on the installment plan, the book is worth the effort. If the recent spate of series in juvenile publishing is any guide, this collection should please adolescents, including reluctant readers.
- School Library Journal
- School Library Journal
345 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1986
9 people are currently reading
376 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,337 books27.6k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 8, 2021
Mysteries have been part of my life for a long time. A big part of the fun of whodunits such as Monk or Nancy Drew is trying to figure out who the culprit is before the detective does. I've even seen and heard of computer and video games that let you be the sleuth.
However, these mysteries are not that great. While well-written, they're so short that it's easy to miss important details, and many of them involve someone mentioning an off-the-wall fact that is more esoteric than the average Jeopardy clue.
Don't get me wrong: Asimov's science fiction is excellent, and these mysteries are at least decent; still, armchair detectives would be better off reading something by Franklin W. Dixon, Carolyn Keene, Agatha Christie, or Lee Goldberg instead.
However, these mysteries are not that great. While well-written, they're so short that it's easy to miss important details, and many of them involve someone mentioning an off-the-wall fact that is more esoteric than the average Jeopardy clue.
Don't get me wrong: Asimov's science fiction is excellent, and these mysteries are at least decent; still, armchair detectives would be better off reading something by Franklin W. Dixon, Carolyn Keene, Agatha Christie, or Lee Goldberg instead.
October 22, 2014
The fascination I feel for mysteries is something I have never been able to fully and effectively articulate. The thrill used to be in being hurled headlong into a crime and the slow unfurling of facts and the apprehension of the suspect in any form be it Scooby Doo or Sherlock Holmes in my initial days. Then at a slightly later period in time it was the interest in the unorthodox and eccentric traits of the investigators that were of interest. The more I read mysteries, it became clear to me that this premise was what attracted me most. The fact that there is almost always a clear,logical explanation behind a crime and this proves to be ultimately its undoing were what mattered.
Isaac Asimov and his brand of mysteries are ones that I have been acquainted with for a while now. His credentials as a writer of sci-fi and non fiction are impeccable and yet as a mystery writer he might not prove to be everyone's favorite. There are a few reasons for these, three of which I could observe. The first and most interesting feature about the stories is that there is no violence in them. Any sense of violence is always referred to in past tense. It does not surprise me much for you cannot expect a bloody business from the man who wrote Violence is the last resort of the incompetent. Asimov coincidentally has competence galore as a writer ! Secondly, if you delve deeper into the structure of these tales, they are all puzzles. Much more than the hunt for clues or the ambiance, the results of almost all of them hangs on an intellectual exercise on part of the investigators. Finally, Asimov's tales are built in such a way that almost all of the plot is resolved in dialog and not in action. The fact that he writes simple prose with an overabundance of clarity makes them delightful reads.
The tales featuring the black widower community are superior to the other stories in the book. Intellectually,structurally and character wise the black widowers are one notch above the other tales. There is however one contention I had with these tales in the fact the female characters are few and far between. Asimov himself confesses to the fact that his early writing did not include too many women characters of prominence. This does not imply that he is a male chauvinist but there is a curious vacuum in the absence of female characters.
Recommended if you are a lover of the classic mystery genre.
Isaac Asimov and his brand of mysteries are ones that I have been acquainted with for a while now. His credentials as a writer of sci-fi and non fiction are impeccable and yet as a mystery writer he might not prove to be everyone's favorite. There are a few reasons for these, three of which I could observe. The first and most interesting feature about the stories is that there is no violence in them. Any sense of violence is always referred to in past tense. It does not surprise me much for you cannot expect a bloody business from the man who wrote Violence is the last resort of the incompetent. Asimov coincidentally has competence galore as a writer ! Secondly, if you delve deeper into the structure of these tales, they are all puzzles. Much more than the hunt for clues or the ambiance, the results of almost all of them hangs on an intellectual exercise on part of the investigators. Finally, Asimov's tales are built in such a way that almost all of the plot is resolved in dialog and not in action. The fact that he writes simple prose with an overabundance of clarity makes them delightful reads.
The tales featuring the black widower community are superior to the other stories in the book. Intellectually,structurally and character wise the black widowers are one notch above the other tales. There is however one contention I had with these tales in the fact the female characters are few and far between. Asimov himself confesses to the fact that his early writing did not include too many women characters of prominence. This does not imply that he is a male chauvinist but there is a curious vacuum in the absence of female characters.
Recommended if you are a lover of the classic mystery genre.
July 1, 2014
Asimov never ceases to entertain me although at times the sheer weight of his work can be a little intimidating. However this book is a great collection of short stories all based around his mystery stories rather than the other (numerous genres) he has written in.
I was lucky enough to find this edition of the book on my travels early on in to my exploration of Asimov and as such I was able to enjoy his style of mystery writing without being influenced by others - including his own work. However it set me on the course to hunt down the books of the Black Widower series and his Union Club mystery book.
The stories may seem a little trite in the style of say Agatha Christie (you know that certain key information is hidden or obscured so only the sleuth of the story can figure it out) but the charm is still there - the wit and style which makes Asimov's work so identifiable and enjoyable.
I was lucky enough to find this edition of the book on my travels early on in to my exploration of Asimov and as such I was able to enjoy his style of mystery writing without being influenced by others - including his own work. However it set me on the course to hunt down the books of the Black Widower series and his Union Club mystery book.
The stories may seem a little trite in the style of say Agatha Christie (you know that certain key information is hidden or obscured so only the sleuth of the story can figure it out) but the charm is still there - the wit and style which makes Asimov's work so identifiable and enjoyable.
December 12, 2011
"The power of deductive reasoning is your key to solving these suspenseful, brain-twisting tales of intrigue. Isaac Asimov presents here his finest, favorite works ..."
I've always adored Isaac Asimov -- his sense of humor, his intelligence, his far-ranging curiosity. But this book of short mystery stories was too much of a muchness for my taste. It became boring & formulaic about half way through.
I've always adored Isaac Asimov -- his sense of humor, his intelligence, his far-ranging curiosity. But this book of short mystery stories was too much of a muchness for my taste. It became boring & formulaic about half way through.
May 2, 2018
I'm not much for mysteries and these are too gimmicky for my taste, as well as suffering from Asimov's usual cardboard characters.
November 13, 2025
An entertaining collection of short story mysteries by Issac Asimov which includes the Black Widower Mysteries, the Union Club Mysteries and an assortment of Miscellaneous Mysteries. Asimov chose his favorite stories and added a short commentary before each one. He gives a brief explanation of why he added the piece or what inspired him to write it. The stories range from the 1960s to 1980s and are more like puzzles to be solve rather than crimes to be solved. The Black Widowers stories are the best known and are solidly good puzzles even if some of them are now dated. The Union Club Mysteries are the weakest and read more like spy tv shows in the 1960s. There's a variety of stories in the last section. There's one Wendell Urth mystery which is heavy on the science terminology and two Larry stories that are aimed at young readers. The last story, Nothing Might Happen, is a particularly good story and the only one that has a traditional mystery vibe to it. Overall, recommended for readers who are looking for mystery puzzles without mayhem and murder.
"Asimov. Friend of mine. Science fiction writer and pathologically conceited. He carries a copy of the Encyclopedia to parties and says,'Talking of concrete, the Columbia Encyclopedia has an excellent article on it only 249 pages after their article on me. Let me show you.' Then he shows them the article on himself."
"Asimov. Friend of mine. Science fiction writer and pathologically conceited. He carries a copy of the Encyclopedia to parties and says,'Talking of concrete, the Columbia Encyclopedia has an excellent article on it only 249 pages after their article on me. Let me show you.' Then he shows them the article on himself."
Want to read
December 10, 2022Placeholder - need to find this book.
Black Widowers
"The Obvious Factor"
"The Pointing Finger"
"Out of Sight"
"Yankee Doodle Went to Town"
"Quicker Than the Eye"
"The Three Numbers"
"The One and Only East"
"The Cross of Lorraine"
"The Next Day"
"What Time Is It?"
"Middle Name"
"Sixty Million Trillion Combinations"
"The Good Samaritan"
"Can You Prove It?"
"The Redhead"
Union Club
"He Wasn't There"
"Hide and Seek"
"Dollars and Cents"
"The Sign"
"Getting the Combination"
"The Library Book"
"Never Out of Sight"
"The Magic Umbrella"
"The Speck"
Other
"The Key"
"A Problem of Numbers"
"The Little Things"
"Halloween"
"The Thirteenth Day of Christmas"
"The Key Word"
"Nothing Might Happen"
Black Widowers
"The Obvious Factor"
"The Pointing Finger"
"Out of Sight"
"Yankee Doodle Went to Town"
"Quicker Than the Eye"
"The Three Numbers"
"The One and Only East"
"The Cross of Lorraine"
"The Next Day"
"What Time Is It?"
"Middle Name"
"Sixty Million Trillion Combinations"
"The Good Samaritan"
"Can You Prove It?"
"The Redhead"
Union Club
"He Wasn't There"
"Hide and Seek"
"Dollars and Cents"
"The Sign"
"Getting the Combination"
"The Library Book"
"Never Out of Sight"
"The Magic Umbrella"
"The Speck"
Other
"The Key"
"A Problem of Numbers"
"The Little Things"
"Halloween"
"The Thirteenth Day of Christmas"
"The Key Word"
"Nothing Might Happen"
September 13, 2022
I might be one of the last mystery story fans who weren't aware that Isaac Asimov wrote mysteries in addition to science fiction and other genres. It was a happy surprise to come upon The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
If you're looking for juicy murder mysteries or even traditional crime stories, you'll be disappointed in these short stories. If you enjoy trying to figure out the solution, you're in for a treat. As Asimov himself explains in this collection's introduction, he is fascinated with the puzzles that mystery stories present, but not in murder or violence.
This collection features stories chosen by the author himself as some of his best. Before each story, Asimov explains why that particular one was chosen.
If you're looking for juicy murder mysteries or even traditional crime stories, you'll be disappointed in these short stories. If you enjoy trying to figure out the solution, you're in for a treat. As Asimov himself explains in this collection's introduction, he is fascinated with the puzzles that mystery stories present, but not in murder or violence.
This collection features stories chosen by the author himself as some of his best. Before each story, Asimov explains why that particular one was chosen.
June 29, 2017
As much as i love mysteries and as much as i feel these were very well written, these particular stories aren't my favorite type of mystery. Mostly of the stories involves a group of people getting together to tell tales of mystery and by the end someone putting it together to solve in an intelligent and sometimes surprising fashion. I am more of a fan of the down and dirty PI who gets in the mud and gets his hands dirty. Authors like Chandler and Hammett. The book drags a little too much as you go from story to story because of the repetitive nature of the characters actions.
April 24, 2021
This is a collection of Asimov’s favorite mysteries; most of them feature his famed Black Widow club, a group of egotistical highly educated men who meet monthly and solve all manner of puzzles and problems with the help of Henry, the waiter. There is almost no profanity here, absolutely no violence or gore, and lots of fun as you learn how Henry ultimately solves the mysteries.
I frankly wish someone other than Avers had narrated them, but things are how they are. You‘ll spend about 14 hours on this at regular speed.
I frankly wish someone other than Avers had narrated them, but things are how they are. You‘ll spend about 14 hours on this at regular speed.
August 30, 2021
I found this in my library and read it or reread it. I may have read it many years ago. Absolutely have no idea how to rate this book. My ambivalence comes from the fact that I enjoyed a few of the stories, but others were superficial or unrealistic and usually both. Perhaps the stories were better as magazine articles but the collection not worthy of a book: repetitious and gadgetry.
I love much of what I have read of Asimov. This is an exception.
I love much of what I have read of Asimov. This is an exception.
March 30, 2019
The mysteries, especially the Black Widower series, are quite enjoyable and make for an excellent armchair detective read. There are, however, several solutions that do not translate well to the present day, but that is only to be expected.
December 2, 2025
Short stories, great for reading when you are buried in work. The Black Widowers are the latest addition to my favourite mystery solving groups that includes The Famous Five, The Three Investigators and The Secret Seven.
June 27, 2017
In summary, it is good, but all stories somewhat follow similar pattern. I like Asomov writing style and his knowledge.
January 24, 2018
The real mystery is how stories that short managed to be so windy.
June 28, 2019
Great stories!
April 25, 2022
These mysteries were not the best.
February 1, 2024
Nice collection with a variety of fun approaches to mystery. Easy to read with a light tone.
December 1, 2012
After reading the science-fiction mystery The End of Eternity, I learned that the late polymath author was in fact a fan and author of mystery stories, and thought I might look into what he’d managed in the genre. Not bad at all, basically, though the stories in this collection of the author’s own favorites among his work point up some questions about what may be common assumptions of what constitutes the “mystery” genre.
There are almost no murders, other crimes, or police in any of the short stories, nearly all of them being what I might instead describe as abstracted “puzzle” stories. The “Black Widowers Club” stories which account for the majority of the entries, in fact, strip out narrative drama almost entirely by presenting the facts of a given puzzle over largely ritualized dinner conversation scenes, before the waiter Henry inevitably explains how the pieces fit in place. These were my least favorite--obviously in contrast to the author’s view--but still readable and on the whole the collection was a very pleasant diversion.
There are almost no murders, other crimes, or police in any of the short stories, nearly all of them being what I might instead describe as abstracted “puzzle” stories. The “Black Widowers Club” stories which account for the majority of the entries, in fact, strip out narrative drama almost entirely by presenting the facts of a given puzzle over largely ritualized dinner conversation scenes, before the waiter Henry inevitably explains how the pieces fit in place. These were my least favorite--obviously in contrast to the author’s view--but still readable and on the whole the collection was a very pleasant diversion.
September 20, 2016
I hadn't read any of his mysteries before, so this was a fun treat. This volume has a handful of each of his well-known series:
*Black Widower mysteries (guys in a mens' club having dinner and discussing a mystery and failing to solve it until the butler wanders in and tells them the answer)
*Union Club mysteries (different guys in a different mens' club having drinks and yammering until they rouse a retired spy who is reminded of a story...)
...and a few what-have-yous. They don't fail to delight, and are 100% Asimov in style. Like familiar long-running TV shows, each variety has its own formula, style, and gimmick.
This gets four stars for being entirely fun, but it's probably more like two or three if one is hoping for stories with clever deductions and satisfying twists. They are very short, which provides the illusion one can just read carefully to find the odd, corroborating detail. But really each relies on some sort of Asimovian free association to derive the solution, which usually felt sort of random. It never stopped me from wanting to read the next one.
*Black Widower mysteries (guys in a mens' club having dinner and discussing a mystery and failing to solve it until the butler wanders in and tells them the answer)
*Union Club mysteries (different guys in a different mens' club having drinks and yammering until they rouse a retired spy who is reminded of a story...)
...and a few what-have-yous. They don't fail to delight, and are 100% Asimov in style. Like familiar long-running TV shows, each variety has its own formula, style, and gimmick.
This gets four stars for being entirely fun, but it's probably more like two or three if one is hoping for stories with clever deductions and satisfying twists. They are very short, which provides the illusion one can just read carefully to find the odd, corroborating detail. But really each relies on some sort of Asimovian free association to derive the solution, which usually felt sort of random. It never stopped me from wanting to read the next one.
May 7, 2009
The Black Widower stories always reminded me of Sherlock Holmes, which I love, but with less running around. Half of this collection is Black Widower and half are Union Club mysteries which I never liked quite as well. Here's what the author says about his mystery stories:
"Almost every mystery story I write belongs to the 'armchair detective' variety. Our hero listens to a puzzling story of some kind that seems to have no solution and, taking into account only what he is told, comes up with the answer in so cogent a fashion that every other character in the story (and the reader, too) is at once convinced of its legitimacy....
My stories are, in short, not exercises in violence, not thrillers, not psychological suspense stories. They are, generally speaking, puzzles, and rather intellectual ones."
"Almost every mystery story I write belongs to the 'armchair detective' variety. Our hero listens to a puzzling story of some kind that seems to have no solution and, taking into account only what he is told, comes up with the answer in so cogent a fashion that every other character in the story (and the reader, too) is at once convinced of its legitimacy....
My stories are, in short, not exercises in violence, not thrillers, not psychological suspense stories. They are, generally speaking, puzzles, and rather intellectual ones."
Want to read
April 5, 2025Read so far:
Part 1. Black widower mysteries:
The obvious factor--
The pointing finger--
Out of sight--
Yankee Doodle went to town--
Quicker than the eye--
The three numbers--
The one and only east--3
The Cross of Lorraine--3
The next day--
What time is it?--
Middle name--
Sixty million trillion combinations--
The good samaritan--
Can you prove it?--
The redhead --
***
The man who never told a lie--3
Part 2. Union Club mysteries:
He wasn't there--
Hide and seek--
Dollars and cents--
The sign--
Getting the combination--
The library book--
Never out of sight--
The magic umbrella--
The speck --
***
Lost dog
The stamp
Part 3. Miscellaneous mysteries:
The key--
A problem of numbers--
*The little things--
Halloween--
The thirteenth day of Christmas--2
The key word--
Nothing might happen--
***
All in the way you read it--3
Part 1. Black widower mysteries:
The obvious factor--
The pointing finger--
Out of sight--
Yankee Doodle went to town--
Quicker than the eye--
The three numbers--
The one and only east--3
The Cross of Lorraine--3
The next day--
What time is it?--
Middle name--
Sixty million trillion combinations--
The good samaritan--
Can you prove it?--
The redhead --
***
The man who never told a lie--3
Part 2. Union Club mysteries:
He wasn't there--
Hide and seek--
Dollars and cents--
The sign--
Getting the combination--
The library book--
Never out of sight--
The magic umbrella--
The speck --
***
Lost dog
The stamp
Part 3. Miscellaneous mysteries:
The key--
A problem of numbers--
*The little things--
Halloween--
The thirteenth day of Christmas--2
The key word--
Nothing might happen--
***
All in the way you read it--3
August 20, 2016
I have to agree with Asimov's position that mystery writers can do better than just murder all day every day. Even without constant deaths, Asimov's mysteries are engaging, creative, and well-executed. This prime collection of his favorites includes introductions before each mystery explaining why he included it, giving the reader something to look forward to every time. My personal favorites: from the selection of Black Widower mysteries, "Yankee Doodle Went to Town"; from the Union Club mysteries, "Getting the Combination", and from the third set of assorted mysteries, "The Key".
September 18, 2012
Really good book. I love the Black Widower tales better than the Union Club tales, because I like the back and forth between the characters. The Union Club is just a set up for a tale told by one guy. Of the misc stories, the only one I'd already read was "The Key," but it still a good tale to read a second time. Henry Rules.
April 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this compilation, particularly the Black Widower stories. Some I was able to figure out prior to the ending and others not , but I always found them quite clever. I was not as fond of part 2 as I was of parts 1 and. 3, but though not to my personal taste, they were still quality material. Overall , I would rate this book a 4.5...
October 12, 2010
Far superior to most of his science fiction, Asimov's spare writing style finds a natural home with these ingenious, puzzle-based mysteries. Short puzzles, very cleverly constructed, and a load of fun.
September 23, 2011
Asimov is a better science fiction writer than a mystery writer.
February 4, 2025
Rating updated 4/2/2025
Read
August 12, 2012How have I never heard of this guy before? I loved the mini mysteries.
July 9, 2013
Amazing mysteries! I love Asimov's writing style!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews