The Best British Mysteries 2005 by
Maxim Jakubowski
pbk out July 05
(Allison Busby)
at £7.99
'Savour this cornucopia of sins' urges editor Jakubowski – and it's an offer that few
crime fans, surely, will feel able to refuse, for the second volume in a series of the
Best of British short mystery fiction is as good as its predecessor. I should declare that
I edited anthologies in which several of the stories first appeared, but suffice it to say
that the contributions by the likes of Ian Rankin ('Tell Me Who To Kill') and Reg Hill
('The Game of Dog') among others are outstanding when judged by the most severe
and objective of standards. As well as picking out the obvious suspects, Jakubowski
has done a good job in trawling for stories by less well-known writers and also those
not usually associated with crime fiction. Francis King is an example of a
distinguished man of letters who has flirted on occasion with the genre; he is
represented here by 'The Sitting Tenant'. There are entries culled from an excellent
magazine, 'Crime Wave', which deserves the support of all who love to see cutting
edge fiction flourish. Mat Coward, a specialist in the short story, contributes a story
that was first heard on BBC Radio Four, while H.R.F. Keating's story was first seen
in a gift booklet in America. No ifs, no buts. This is a splendid collection.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
The Best British Mysteries 2005 by
Maxim Jakubowski
