Anthologies are a good way to get a taste for a number of different writers. In this anthology from Mystery Writers of American, I was familiar with some of the authors like Dean Koontz, but others were new to me. I found at least one that I will look for again in longer works.
The theme of the stories is the idea that a stranger brings an element of danger and mystery simply because he or she is an unknown quantity. The stories ran the gamut of types from someone moving in next door to a victim showing up in an emergency room. My favorite, however, was by Lisa Unger. I liked the setting and was drawn to the main character. Some of the other stories were too creepy for my taste.
Short stories can be a difficult medium. Most were very well crafted, but several seemed better suited to a longer format and in a couple the ending seemed rushed. However, the total collection is well worth reading. One nice thing about an anthology is that if you don’t like one story, there are others to move on to.
I recommend this collection if you’re a mystery fan. It’s particularly good if you’re looking for new authors to follow.
I received this book from Harlequin for this review.
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