Murder and Obsession

by Otto Penzler and Yves Sarda

Book Overview

Kent Anderson * Edna Buchanan * Amanda Cross * James Crumley * Philip Friedman * James W. Hall * Ed McBain * Michael Malone * Joyce Carol Oates * Shel Silverstein * Eric van Lustbader Her toenails... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385318006
• ISBN13: 9780385318006
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 406 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Terrific short stories by talented writers

I could not put this book down. Every story was good. The stories emphasize original twists on traditional obsession themes. Some are humorous. Others are shocking. Others are low-key and subservise. This is a well-written and intelligent collection.

Compelling Chronicles of Compulsion and Crime

This review is for the second volume of the audiocassette edition. Volume 2 contains seven stories by a constellation of literary luminaries: Elmore Leonard, Eric Van Lustbader, Michael Malone, Ed McBaine, Joyce Carol Oates, Anne Perry, and Shel Silverstein."Sparks" details the smoldering particulars of an insurance investigator's inquiry into the burning of a beautiful woman's house. Three stars."Slow Burn" is a police procedural weighted down by the protagonist's Freudian baggage. It gives a disturbing look at child molestation, sexual exploitation, mental illness, and revenge. Two stars."Invitation to the Ball" presents a mystery in three parts. The protagonist, obsessed with a painting of a beautiful lady, seeks to determine whether she murdered her husband almost a century ago. He meets and woos a descendant of the lady. For all his interest in the ancestor, he shows remarkably little interest in the mystery presented by the descendant. The third mystery is a modern murder that ties in neatly with the other two. Five stars."Barking at Butterflies" tells the story of a man with a rival for his wife's affection. He fantasizes about taking murderous action towards the rival. Then . . . . Four stars."Heroes" began as a war story but resolved itself into quite a nice little mystery; not so much a who-done-it as a what-did-he-do. A good exploration of perception and reality as it relates to heroism. Five stars.In "The Guilty Party," an eccentric judge applies the wisdom of Solomon to cases which come before him. Four stars.

Strong stories by talented writers

Authors are: Kent Anderson, Edna Buchanan, Amanda Cross, James Crumley, Philip Friedman, Elizabeth George, James W. Hall, Dennis Lehane, Elmore Leonard, Eric Van Lustbader, Michael Malone, Ed McBain, Joyce Carol Oates, Anne Perry and Shel Silverstein.As in any anthology, each writer has her or his own style. This anthology came across as hard-boiled and straightforward. The first story by Kent Anderson is about a cop uses drugs and loves to make bust. It's a harsh introduction and a touch of reality into this anthology. Anne Perry steps out of the Victorian age for a moment and writes one about an obsessive solider in W.W.I in her title Heroes. Edna Buchanan in The Red Shoes, writes about a man who trades his alcohol obsession for shoes, with a dangerous out come. These are definitely some stories you will remember.If you like your stories strong and straightforward without mincing words, dirty or other wise, this is the mystery for you. Hardboiled fanatics will love this one.

Good collection of mystery stories

For fans of good mystery writing, this book is a welcome addition to your library. There are a few stories in it that did not pull me in as much as others, but it still was an enjoyable read. With 15 stories of murder, intrigue, obsession and betrayal by various authors, this book should appeal to everyone who likes a good mystery.