Reviews

A strong collection!! Diverse, both in terms of topics covered & story types; note to revisit "No Man's Land," "God Bless America," "Remediation," "Long Live the Girl Detective," "Turning Heart," and "Lycia," though there wasn't a story in this collection I didn't like.

hpuphd's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

May or may not be the twenty best stories, but they certainly seem to be the most off-beat and unconventional. More than half I greatly enjoyed. The stories by Dennis Lahane and Lauren Groff stood out (to me) the most for their high quality.

notesfromthebookdrop's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

3.5

readingonfordearlife's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

pdxpiney's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

lizabethstucker's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

A collection of twenty short stories first published in America during 2021. This is a Netgalley ARC, courtesy of HarperCollins. The anticipated release date of November 1, 2022.

A wonderful, engrossing, and intriguing collection of stories, many of which could've been easily been adapted for the old television series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" with the lack of definitive endings. I would definitely recommend putting this on your TBR (To Be Read) list if you are a fan of short story collections and/or a mystery aficionado. I truly enjoyed myself.

My favorite story was probably "Lucky Thirteen", earning a 5 star review. The twists were unexpected and, although I probably shouldn't say this, somewhat satisfying. I can't say more without spoiling your experience.

Contents:

"La Chingana" by Hector Acosta
"Lucky Thirteen" by Tracy Clark
"An ache So Divine" by S. A. Cosby
"Detainment" by Alex Espinoza
"Here's to New Friends" by Jacqueline Freimor
"A Career Spent Disappointing People" by Tod Goldberg
"The Very Last Time" by Juliet Grames
"The Wind" by Lauren Groff
"No Man's Land" by James D. F. Hannah
"Return to Sender" by Gar Anthony Haywood
"Harriot Point" by Leslie Jones
"Stingers" by LaToya Jovena
"God Bless America" by Elaine Kagan
"A Bostonian (in Cambridge)" by Dennis Lehane
"Remediation" by Kristen Lepionka
"Long Live the Girl Detective" by Megan Pillow
"Mata Hambre" by Raquel V. Reyes
"Thank You for Your Service" by Matthew Wilson
"Turning Heart" by David Heska Wanbli Werden
"Lycia" by Brendan Williams Child

More...