This is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read, in my life. To endure so much at once and to have your faith tested time after time...... and always come out on top. This is a fictional story, but it's realistic. I can relate to both Dylan and Maggie in so many ways. Their story made me sit back and look at my own life and my struggles and my relationships. What I can work on and what I need to let go of. This is a reminder for me that He is always there. Everyone has struggles in their life, that is life. This was an eye opener for me for sure. A reminder that it's okay to be broken, even more than once. A reminder of something I say all the time to my kiddos... "Everything happens for a reason. Even if we don't understand it or it". Don't lose sight of Him, he will always get you through the most toughest of times. favorites5 s Deena Adams326 80

I enjoyed this debut novel by Charles Martin. Since it's over twenty-five years old, some of the writing style isn't up to date with today's publishing standards, but Martin's word smithing talent still shines through. A tragic story with a hope-filled ending, just what I enjoy reading. I'm looking forward to the sequel, Maggie, to find out how the main character continues to grow.2021 contemporary emotional ...more5 s Arlene587 8

One of Martin's best. They are actually two books in one. The first is Maggie and the second is The Dead Don't Dance. Love, love it. Looking for more books by this author.3 s TracyAuthor 1 book4

I really enjoy Charles Martin and his books. They are stories of love and relationships, and the hurting that happens in all of them. The love story of Dylan and Maggie is beautiful. I felt they were my friends, along with Amanda and Amos. Martin's writing is engaging and I couldn't put this book down. I would have given this book 5 stars, but I did not the ending. I was part of this story and I felt it just ended....I wanted more. This book is The Dead Don't Dance and the sequel Maggie, together in one read.2 s Patricia Brandt9

Let me start by saying that I enjoy Charles Martin's books. I just have one issue with the last two that I have read. I think that he needs some input from medical professionals. In this book I was distressed to see his explanation for the stillbirth and Maggie's complications. There is absolutely no reason that the physician would have been unaware of the babies size and weight and the difficulties that would cause. This would have called for a c-section. This of course would have finished off the story but there are other medical issues that could have been used that would have been more plausible. The book that I read before this one (Long Time Gone) also had some significant medical inaccuracies. I guess that being a 50+ year nurse has left me a little jaded. I can't watch shows ER without hollering at the TV either.1 Nancy WalkerAuthor 3 books6

Another excellent Charles Martin book. This is a story about a couple in love, a birth, an isolated cabin, a tombstone, mountains, a river, bitter cold, sweating, near-death experiences, two best friends; a teacher/farmer and a sheriff, Ebony, and ivory, Packed with suspense, romance, tears, joy, fear, anger, redemption - a rollercoaster of nearly every human emotion. A page-turner. I highly recommend this book.1 Kevin Harris50 5

You need to read Charles Martin. He writes great stories that blend faith, friendship, love and commitment. I am not a big fiction reader, but have read all of Charles' stuff beginning last year. 1 Robyn Spencer45 1 follower

*I flagged this for a very minor spoiler* Maybe 2.5 stars. This is 2 books published together. I wanted to them. I d the story lines. The second book was a little over the top as far as believability but it was ok. The writing, in my opinion, is incredibly frustrating. I hate it when an author is fixated on a particular word or phrase and it gets repeated too much. That speaks of poor editing, and it happens several times. Once in each book, the main character’s wife is in danger of losing her life, and he thinks “You’re not sticking that in my wife” (or maybe you’re not putting that in my wife - I don’t remember for sure). Seriously - the dude’s wife is going to die without medical intervention, and he’s upset over the use of a catheter tube?? It’s stupid. My biggest complaint about these books probably sounds petty, but the author is *obsessed* with the topic of urination. It drove me crazy. My opinion may very well be wrong here, but it seems typical of books this. It is published by Thomas Nelson, which is a “Christian” publishing company. So, this story is about a married couple, so there are plenty of mentions of their marital relations, but nothing graphic. It seems the author makes up for this not being able (allowed, I assume - they must have standards to keep their customers happy) to be more edgy by constantly mentioning that a character is urinating. Or needs to. Or did. Or whatever. It’s really ridiculous. I’ve read potty training books that mention it less. Guess what - everybody has to go. We get it. We don’t need to know a character’s bathroom habits every day of his life. It’s brought up so often, it feels juvenile. With 75% less of that, more believable situations, and less flowery language, this book would have been much much better. It’s annoying because I the characters and I wanted to know their story. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review danny mullins39

Dylan and Maggie as far as I can tell are a Caucasian couple who live in a community of African Americans along with one other Scottish man with a whole lot of money and only the couple for friends. The author seemingly drags in other characters as he writes without giving much thought to how they actually fit in the story. And by the way, too much action in the simple life of a country couple. I honestly thought this book would never end and what else could happen to the couple. I did not the coon dog hunt, brutally hard to read. I skipped over the bloody part. I personally donÂ’t think coon hunting is a true sport. ItÂ’s more murder of innocent animals and low self-esteemed men with a need for any blood except their own. This story could have been good, but it was the author didnÂ’t know when to stop his words and the story just goes on and on he was caught up in a lie. I never did understand why their home was burned too. There was not a good lead way into the room in the barn. It was hard to follow as to exactly where the couple was sometimes (barn loft or burned out home) . This may have been because I had lost interest in the on and on kidnapping and loses in the story. Yet, even with all of his writings there are still lose strings through out the story.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Lana647

I'm only 100 pages into the book, and I'm already giving this a 5 star rating. I've never given a rating before finishing a book before. But this is just so good! It's poignant and tender and heartbreaking. These characters are so well written they practically leap off the page into real life. I can't wait to read the rest!

Update: I've finished the book, and it's still a 5 star review for me. This is actually 2 books in one. The first, The Dead Don't Dance, tells the heartbreaking story of a young couple who learn early in their marriage what "in sickness and in health" means. The second, Maggie, explores what "for better or for worse" entails. While there are some unpolished details, the prose is beautiful in its simplicity. I thought the action of the second book was a little contrived and somewhat of a departure from the slower pace of the first book, but it was still an enjoyable read.

This book delves into faith, love, friendship, and community. I highly recommend it! There are a couple of minor foul words (crap) used in the sense of a very large pig with an attitude problem. The other curse word is edited out (d__n). I appreciate the wholesomeness of this. There are also a couple of references to sex between a married couple who have a wonderful, strong and healthy relationship, but it is very chaste.

I look forward to reading more of Charles Martin's work soon. Kids RN425 2

Exhausting and exhilarating

These two stories are hard to read because of all the pain and sacrifice contained within. Once read, however, the reader is filled with hope and gratitude that the author shared his uncommon gift with us. I am not a religious person and I expected to be turned off by the thread of faith throughout the stories, but I was not. The faith of the characters was beautiful and woven as simply part of their lives, not as a testament to their superiority. Maggie and Dylan are phenomenal characters, but there is also a supporting cast of people who amaze on a regular basis. The very best of them is the eccentric Bryce, who is scary and mysterious, but shows us his humanity in a very satisfying and loving way. This book will make you laugh and cry and count your blessings, no matter how you feel about God. This is a great read to be treasured for a long time. Margie272 1 follower

a rollercoaster

So much happens in these two books, the Dead donÂ’t dance, and Maggie. A heartfelt story of a man and his wife struggling to have a baby. ThereÂ’s some great characters, Amos, the neighbor and best friend, and crazy Bryce, the veteran with demons of his own, but also a heart of gold. Just when you think things are going well, whammy - thereÂ’s a setback. I loved DylanÂ’s interaction with his students at the community college. My only criticism is that, at times, it was too predictable. ThereÂ’s a lot of things about life for a southern man - trucks, John Wayne movies, guns, southern boils, and coon hunting. Amos and Dylan also reminisce about childhood experiences, rafting down the river Huck Finn and playing cowboys and Indians. As a woman I found it hard to connect to these stories and actually put off by some of them. Sharon Alexander299 2

Decent Reaf

I fell in love with Bryce. He was a great character and I.would to have been his friend. Dylan is quite an anomily. He is strong, good, honest and trusting. He is also patient to a fault, and what men dream of becoming. In other words, he isn't quite real... But you want him to be. And the wife...Maggie...was irritating. She was portrayed as loveable and kind, but in reality, she was not. She was hopeless and selfish and broken, and it took a very long time for her to become real. I got tired of her behavior long before she came to herself. Even then, it was not her decision to have faith. So was the story good? Yes. Was it his best work? No. Would I.recommend it? Yes, but don't start here. Holly292 1 follower

Just read it. This is actually 2 of MartinÂ’s books in one and IÂ’m glad I read them back to back, but MAN it put me through an emotional wringer. Maggie and Dylan live on a farm in rural South Carolina and dream of being parents. Tragedy comes and the story is a picture of DylanÂ’s refusal to give up on his wife. I love the relationship they have with their neighbors and the way they constantly show up for one another. I really love the relationship Dylan has with his students in the first book and would have loved to have seen more of that in the second, but with everything else going on in the second book it may have taken away from the plot. Regardless, I just loved this book! Jackie661 25

"Down Where My Love Lives" includes The Complete Novels of "The Dead Don't Dance" and "Maggie", by author Charles Martin.

Heart-wrenching story of a young couple who radiated love and were intent on starting their family. Through so much trauma and life hitting them square in their face, what kept them sane and moving forward in hope, only God knows.

Wonderfully written, well developed characters, unusual settings brought this novel to my top list of best reads this year.

I intend to read Charles Martin's other novels. Highly recommended! Ruth788 1 follower

Life and love portrayed in this book (actually two books) will rip your heart in two and piece you back together. Not sappy, not pretend, not tv pretty, but the real deal -- between best friends, between husband and wife, and between these two and their close-knit community. There a bit of religion in there but I wouldn't call it preachy or pushy, just pivotal to the overall story. The whole thing just seemed so possible. I'm so glad Mr. Martin didn't give up on his dream of writing books; today's crazy world need all love and friendship it can get and his books give us some of both. Connie S. Jones584 3

Down Where My Love Lives / Maggie

Charles Martin can write. I've read 3 of his books and everyone of them leaves me wishing the story wasn't ending. Dylan and Maggie's story is a wonderful adventure of a very strong love between a man and his wife. Actually it's a love between friends and neighbor's as well. With a faithful animal or two thrown in to the mix of great characters. Sometimes we all have to climb a lot of hills to end up in the comforts of the valley. The story made me smile, laugh, and cry. Thank you Charles Martin for the journey. Jennifer Barten396 1 follower

I am so glad this isn't my first book by Charles Martin. If it had, it might have been my only.
This wasn't his best book by any means.
He is way too wordy and there was a lot of characters that are in the book for just a little while, making it a long read that drags.
I also really majority of his storylines but the second book in this is so over the top. I just kept rolling my eyes at how much kept happening to them.
I did the main characters and character development but that didn't make up for the rest.own Loretta Campbell7

Down Where My Love Lives Review

This is another one of Charles Martin 's books that I've read the second time. Someday I'll probably read it again. His books are that good. He does have a way with words . ;-) I love the emotion, the drama, and passion of his stories. I think about them awhile after I finish reading them.

I would recommend this book to any adult reader, male or female who loves to read a good story. It might make you think you've only half experienced your life, maybe been coasting on idle too long.



Cyndee Aerts61 1 follower

Good first novel

I started with THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US, so it's obvious that Martin has matured as an author. This is a good first one, though the characters sometimes seem one dimensional. Things are a bit contrived (Pastor John, etc) but the threads of Maggie and Dylan are real and intense.

I'll keep reading Martin's books. I his style.

SEND DOWN THE RAIN was wonderful. Kristi Fleming224 31

3.5 rounded up to 4**** "Down Where My Love Lives" is Charles Martin's debut novel. Honestly, as I was reading I thought this must be one of his earlier books because his style is not as developed as it is today. That being said, the story is very good with so much emotion and his characters are so well developed you feel they are friends and family. A very fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed. This novel is broken down into two novels 1. The Dead Don't Dance and 2. Maggie. Don't make the mistake I did and purchase all three! EEK! Joyce Bell21

This is an amazing and beautiful book!! (It is actually two books). Charles Martin 's books never fail. It is a story of love, faith and friendship. It makes you laugh and cry. Maggie and Dylan go thru many horrible things in the book, but they are always there for each other. They have several friends who also having bad things happening, but they all care and help each other. I have read many of Charles Martin's books and they all are wonderful. Lois J. Clark1 review

A must read. This was a book of love, a book of life, death, understanding,

This was a book of love a book of life death understanding, not understanding but mostly a book about God and love. Seldom do we get a book which shows the deep love two people can have for one another and both of joy and sorrow we can bring with God visible throughout the book. I smiled. I cried. And I did not want to put it down. Thank you Rachel638

Just so sad. I have a hard time reading books this- because honestly real life presents enough opportunities for me to walk through real stories this, and for my heart to break for those who are suffering.
So, I can take books these in small doses. It is well written, thoughtful, and hope is woven throughout. There is a lot to love here. 2018 Judy G Spivey366 6

Captivating, holding you in the story until the e d.

A love story that will draw you in and wrap its arms around you. Thank you to my friend who recommended Charles Martin's books. Weaves you into the story, fishing South Carolina couple and a journey of Lo e pain a d redemption. Margaret Jones89

Just so you know this is two books - "the Dead Don't Dance" and "Maggie" about the same characters. It is one of Martin's earliest books. It is good for an early book but I have enjoyed his more recent works better. I think the stories could have been written with fewer pages. I loved the setting and it is mostly a love story with some beautiful characters. Diana Bird4

Charles Martin is Trying to Kill Me

I just don’t know how many times I can survive having my heart ripped out, given back to me, only to have it wrenched from me again—and I keep coming back for more, hanging on every word and marveling at every word. I can’t read his books fast enough. Susan D Jones13

Charles Martin never disappoints

This was another excellent wholesome novel by this author that made me laugh, cry, and fall in love with the characters. His writing reflects good moral behavior and proves good writing doesnÂ’t put have to be full of foul language and explicit sex to convey deep feelings! T787

Unbelievable! I have to say that Charles Martin is one of my all time favorite authors. His books move me every time. Dylan and Maggie's love story is an emotional roller coaster but beautifully written and hard to put down. Lydia Kass1,603 15

You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Despite its hardcover price, this is one of the better anthologies that I’ve read and well worth the money. The stories are outstanding and varied, and there’s a clear connection between them, as described in the prologue “The Bastard Stepchild,” written by George R. R. Martin. The bastard stepchild to which he refers is Urban Fantasy, an amalgam of the horror and mystery genres, and each of the stories features a mystery and detective of some sort. The anthology includes a total of sixteen stories, plus the prologue by George R. R. Martin. Originally I had planned on only mentioned a few of my favorite stories, but the excellent writing made it difficult to limit this review to only some of the entries. Here a few comments about each of the stories.

1. “Death by Dahlia” by Charlaine Harris We first met vampire Dahlia Lynly Chivers in the story “Tacky” in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding, and she’s long been a favorite of mine. In “Death by Dahlia” the vampires have a new sheriff in control of their nest and they’re celebrating his installation with a huge party. When one of the human blood donors is murdered, Dahlia steps in to investigate. I’m not a fan of Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse books, but I always enjoy her Dahlia stories set in that world, and this one is no exception. It’s one of the more light-hearted offerings in the collection and is lots of fun. 3.5 out of 5


2. “The Bleeding Shadow” by Joe R. Lansdale This story has a film noir feel to it, and I loved it. The gritty private detective is asked by a hot dame to look into her brother’s disappearance when a record with some demonic sounding blues arrives at her house with frightening consequences. 3.5 out of 5


3. “Hungry Heart” by Simon R. Green Another lighthearted addition to the anthology, Green’s contribution features detective John Taylor from Green’s Nightside series. A young witch hires Taylor to recover her heart from her former mentor, but it turns out that the box holding her heart is of interest to many parties. The clever ending and Taylor’s humor throughout made this story a blast. 4 out of 5


4. “Styx and Stones” by Steven Saylor This story is part of Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa series that stars Gordianus the Finder, and while it’s the first of his work I’ve read, it certainly won’t be the last. In this prequel to the series, we witness Gordianus as a teenager visiting the Seven Wonders of the World. When he and his companion Antipater arrive in Babylon, Gordianus is intrigued by the haunting of a nearby temple. While my four years of high school Latin aren’t enough to attest to the historical accuracy of the story, it’s a lot of fun and one of my favorites of the collection. 4 out of 5


5. “Pain and Suffering” by S. M. Stirling This story had a more paranormal feel to it than many of the others. Cop Eric Salvador finds his nightmares of his time in Afghanistan taking a strange turn when he and his partner investigate a bizarre arson and missing persons case. I enjoyed the story, but the ending felt abrupt and a bit open-ended, making me wonder if this is part of a series I’m not familiar with, although the short intro to the story didn’t indicate that it was. 3.5 out of 5


6. “It’s Still the Same Old Story” by Carrie Vaughn Set in the world of Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series, this story features vampire Rick, who responds to a phone call from an old friend, only to find her murdered. There isn’t much of a mystery, as Rick knows from the beginning who’s responsible for his friend’s death, but the flashbacks to when they met and how the mystery unfolds make this an enjoyable read. 3 out of 5


7. “The Lady is a Screamer” by Conn Iggulden Narrator Jack Garner is a charmer of a conman, working as a ghostbuster after years of taking advantage of grieving families by pretending to be a psychic. While he doesn’t seem all that able at the beginning, by the end you’ll be rooting for this ne’er do well. This was one of my favorites, no doubt because of the hero’s ability to win the reader over. 4 out of 5


8. “Hellbender” by Laurie R. King I enjoyed this entry by King that features a private detective who’s more than human. He’s approached by a woman to investigate the disappearance of her brother and seven other missing people. His digging into the mystery attracts some frightening attention, uncovering some disturbing interest into “scientific” developments. I d how the story and truth about the hero unfolded, plus the twist about the government at the end made me laugh. 4.5 out of 5


9. “Shadow Thieves” by Glen Cook This is part of Cook’s Garret, P.I. series and almost lost me only a few pages in. Garret is approached by several different parties to recover a powerful artifact, but it’s very unclear who is trustworthy and who’s the rightful owner. The world building was intriguing, but the rough beginning and my lack of connection to the characters made this the weakest of the collection for me. I suspect that if I’d read other books in the series, however, I might feel differently. 3 out of 5


10. “No Mystery, No Miracle” by Melinda M. Snodgrass Set during the days of the Great Depression, Snodgrass plays with several mythologies and religions while creating a fascinating story. The hero, Cross, is posing as a hobo to look into some suspicious hobo markings that resemble signs from old gods. His investigation has him acting to ensure FDR’s presidential nomination in mysterious ways. This story has some of the tightest writing in the collection. 4.5 out of 5


11. “The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery” by M. L. N. Hanover Cops call in an exorcist when they discover the body of a young woman apparently sacrificed in some sort of occult ritual. The man arrested for the crime claims to be possessed by a demon, but the real mystery stems from his reaction when confronted by the exorcist. Very intriguing story and I d the resolution that still left some mysteries unexplained. 4 out of 5


12. “The Curious Affair of the Deodand” by Lisa Tuttle Set in the nineteenth century, Miss Lane is a gentlewoman seeking employment who finds herself acting as an assistant to a young detective. A man approaches them on his fiancée’s behalf, asking that they investigate her former fiancé’s death. The story began well, and I was intrigued by the female heroine’s role as Watson, but the ending left me a bit cold. Not badly written, but a little lacking in action or suspense. 3 out of 5


13. “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies” by Diana Gabaldon I haven’t read any of Gabaldon’s books, which no doubt affected my enjoyment of this story since Lord John is a recurring character in her Outlander series and has his own series. I actually stopped reading and had to pick the story up again later, because it didn’t capture my interest. However, if you’re a fan of her series, you’ll no doubt enjoy reading about Lord John’s adventures in the West Indies, and the various creepy crawlies on the island were almost more frightening the actual zombies. 3 out of 5


14. “Beware the Snake” by John Maddox Roberts Part of the author’s SPQR series of mysteries set in Ancient Rome, this story was a hoot. Decius Caecilius is asked by Caesar to investigate a missing swamp adder, a sacred being to some powerful allies of Rome. Decius’ dry humor makes light of the mystery, but the ending is a lot of fun, even though the story went by too quickly. As with “Styx and Stones”, I can’t attest to the historical accuracy of the story, but it was so enjoyable I’ll definitely be reading more of this author. 4 out of 5


15. “In Red, with Pearls” by Patricia Briggs This story is set in the world of Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series and features werewolf Warren, who is a favorite of mine. When his lover Kyle is attacked by a zombie, Warren steps in to investigate. I loved seeing Warren and Kyle together, and this was a tightly written story that draws you in at once. While I figured out the villain fairly quickly, there were several surprises. This is another winner from Briggs and a must for Mercy Thompson fans. 4 out of 5


16. “The Adakian Eagle” by Bradley Denton The choice to end the collection with Denton’s story was a wise one, as it is outstanding. Set on the Aleutian Islands during World War II and featuring a young private and an older detective (whom you will recognize once you’re well into the story), this mystery will keep you turning the pages. The discovery of a tortured eagle on the island leads to an investigation that exposes all the pitfalls of following orders without question. I loved the setting and the gritty tone of this story. 5 out of 5
mystery reviewed urban-fantasy19 s Heather C1,480 217

In Red, With Pearls by Patricia Briggs ? ? ? ? ?

I really enjoyed this! I loved getting Warren's voice and thoughts and would love to know more about him and Kyle; Mercy's POV is just not enough. But I will take any insight into their relationship that I can get. 

Anyway, it was a sweet short story all about Warren and Kyle with a paranormal mystery. Unfortunately, I was still a little confused about how Warren figured it all out in the end. anthology cloud14 s Lena1,170 318

The Bastard Stepchild (Introduction) by George R. R. Martin ?????
“Maybe a few elves are still around, but if so, they’re ly hooked on horse or coke or stronger, stranger drugs, or maybe they’re elf hookers being pimped out by a werewolf. Those bloody lycanthropes are everywhere, though it’s the vampires who really run the town...”
Let daddy tell you all about urban fiction...


Death by Dalia by Charlaine Harris ????½
I love Dahlia stories. This episode sees Dahlia solving a murder at a party for the new Sheriff.


Hellbender by Laurie R. King ????½
In a world where Salamander people have mostly blended in with humans one private detective did not how easily a fellow Sallow found him out. But he will help her anyway, help his kind, because blending in shouldnÂ’t mean forgetting who you are.


Beware the Snake by John Maddox Roberts ?????
A short story from a series about a Roman senator who investigates crimes. I enjoyed it.


The Lady is a Screamer by Conn Iggulden ?????
A ghost hunter finds out that ghosts are real, makes some friends, and fights evil.


Lord John and the Plague of Zombies by Diana Gabaldon ???½?
This is a spin-off gay soldier/sleuth character from the Outlander series. Lord John is sent to Jamaica to put down a slave revolt. I might read more of his story even though I have no interest in Outlander.

The Bleeding Shadow by Joe R. Lansdale ???½?
A Lovecraftian story of a musician making a deal with the devil.

It's Still the Same Old Story by Carrie Vaughn ???½?
The old lover of a vampire is murdered. I would have rated this higher but there was an annoying human cop failing to realize that the vampire was just humoring her.

Hungry Heart by Simon R. Green ???½?
A private detective helps a witch, he knows is lying, find her heart. ItÂ’s a little complicated, a little out there and unpleasant.

Styx and Stones by Steven Sailor ?????
A Roman times murder mystery set in the ruins of Babylon.

Pain and Suffering by S.M. Stirling ?????
Down the rabbit hole in New Mexico with homeland insecurity and paranormal murders. It was a lot for a short story. I didnÂ’t feel it.

No Mystery, No Miracle by Melinda M. Snodgrass ?????
This was some kind of interdimensional demon(?) story about a good demon fighting bad demons. Possibly.

The Curious Affair of the Deodand by Lisa Tuttle ?????
A Sherlock Holmes inspired story with some girl power and ghosts.

In Red, with Pearls by Patricia Briggs ?????
I have d both Warren and Kyle in the past but in this story Warren was an asshole, an overbearing manipulative asshole. I was rooting for the witches!

The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery by M.L.N. Hanover ?½???
I believe this was a demon story but it failed to hold my attention.

The Adakian Eagle by Bradley Denton ?????
What a turkey if an ending. It starts with a tortured bald eagles, continued with sad war stories, depressing hallucinations, and a vague ending.

Shadow Thieves by Glen Cook DNF
High fantasy does not blend well with short stories; too many characters, too much world building, just too much.

I listened to 16/17 stories that averaged out to 3.2 stars.
anthology audio vampire9 s Nikyta1,423 263

I don't care what anyone says but Kyle and Warren really are mates! I love these two so much and always yearned for a story of their own. So, I'm glad they finally have one! Even if it's short.

I loved both Kyle and Warren and it was fun getting the story from Warren's POV so we got to see his thoughts and his adventures. I really wish there had been more to the story, though, because I don't think I could ever get enough of these two. They are just perfect for each other!

I very much enjoyed the story and I loved the mystery (I didn't have an idea of who actually sent the zombie out but was suspicious of the person behind it). However, I wish there had been more of Warren and Kyle's relationship. We get little snippets of them together but I would have d to get deeper into their feelings and seeing more of them together. The ending was so sweet!

Otherwise, I loved the story and really hope there's more to come!

Merged review:

*This rating and review is only for In Red, With Pearls by Patricia Briggs. I may continue to read the anthology in the future but I have not decided.

I don't care what anyone says but Kyle and Warren really are mates! I love these two so much and always yearned for a story of their own. So, I'm glad they finally have one! Even if it's short.

I loved both Kyle and Warren and it was fun getting the story from Warren's POV so we got to see his thoughts and his adventures. I really wish there had been more to the story, though, because I don't think I could ever get enough of these two. They are just perfect for each other!

I very much enjoyed the story and I loved the mystery (I didn't have an idea of who actually sent the zombie out but was suspicious of the person behind it). However, I wish there had been more of Warren and Kyle's relationship. We get little snippets of them together but I would have d to get deeper into their feelings and seeing more of them together. The ending was so sweet!

Otherwise, I loved the story and really hope there's more to come!anthologies bubbles-safe contemporary-fantasy ...more9 s Ami5,949 491

This Review is ONLY FOR Patricia Brigg's "In Red, With Pearls"

I have to borrow this one, if only to read Patricia Brigg's short. Why? BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT WARREN AND KYLE from the Mercedes Thompson's series!!!

As a lover of M/M romance genre, I welcome Warren (the third of Adam Carpenter's werewolf pack) and his mate, Kyle, taking over the spotlight for once. Written from Warren's first person narration, it gives a glimpse of their relationship, including how Kyle accepts Warren's predatory nature. In this story, Warren -- who also works on his mate's office as an investigator -- is investigating why the person responsible for sending a zombie to kill Kyle. Helped by a witch by the name of Nadia, the answer takes a twist that I don't really see coming. It's an enjoyable story. I wish Ms. Briggs will consider making a full length spin-off of Warren and Kyle. It's great to see a gay couple in mainstream books :)urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic9 s Kat1,823 103

Basic premise: Urban fantasy stories that center around mysteries/detectives.

I hate George RR Martin on a personal level at this point. His SOIAF series has pissed me off to the point that I have been unable to continue reading it. So here I have a volume of stories set in my favorite genre, edited by GRRM. There's a fantastic introduction to the book, defining UF and the connections it has to the mystery genre. Then he proceeds to give me an overly-large volume of mostly "meh"-level stories, some of which are only VERY loosely tied to the UF genre. And on top of it all, there's no Harry Dresden story in an anthology seemingly tailored to the concept of Dresden. Grrrrr....

Generally speaking, UF stories take place in the modern (or very near modern) day. WWII? Ok, I can deal with that. Ancient Rome?? Ancient Babylon??? WTF???? Some of these stories didn't even have an actual fantasy element to them, just a "possible" fantasy element that got disproven, making the stories NOT UF at all, but regular mysteries, if set in odd time periods.

I'm hacked off. I renewed this book from the library twice in order to finish the bloody thing and still paid a late fine. It's only real saving grace in my mind is the Patricia Briggs offering, which features Warren instead of Mercy. The Charlaine Harris story was ok, but I don't find Dahlia to be a particularly interesting/sympathetic character, so I can't get into the few stories I've seen about her.

Stupid GRRM. I'm going to go read something by an author who's dead already so I won't feel the urge to go out and murder someone anymore.

2012 fantasy short-stories ...more8 s Sarah3,342 1,237

I have to confess I've only read one of the stories in this anthology so my rating is purely for In Red, With Pearls by Patricia Briggs.

I can't tell you how excited I was to see a story told from Warren's POV. Warren and Kyle have always been two of my favourite side characters in the Mercy Thompson series, I love their relationship and the fact that Warren holds his own against the very prejudiced members of Adam's pack (I'm not counting Adam in that group - I also happen to love that he is so supportive of Warren and Kyle's relationship!) always makes me smile.

So take two fabulous characters, throw in a supernatural mystery for them to solve and of course you have a winning story. My only complaint was that I wanted it to be longer! I would LOVE a full length book about these two, in fact while I'm wishing I'd also one about Ben, and a whole spin off series starring Bran LOL.books-i-own-print for-review-read read-in-20145 s Cathy 1,956 51

The introduction by Martin was good, he really captured something about what I so much about urban fantasy. He said it's the combination of mystery and horror that makes UF unpredictable and therefore keeps the readers turning the page to find out what happens next, where in traditional mystery, you know that it's probably the psycho who did it, or in horror it's probably the vampire. UF opens the door for a whole new mix of elements and outcomes and the creativity that it allows is a big part of what keeps me tuning in.

Format-wise, I really d having the author bios before the stories. Most anthologies, if they have them at all, have them after the stories or at the end of the book, and I end up flipping around a lot because I reading the information first. I knowing who the authors are, if the story is a part of a series, etc. Plus, let's face it, anthologies exist to sell books, so why be coy with the information, put it out there so I can find it easily, don't make me hunt it down. I d not having to go to my computer to look everyone up.

As for editorial variety, part way through the book I was pretty impressed with the choices, but by the end I was really frustrated. There was way too much historical fiction. I'm just not a fan and when almost half of the book is historical it's just too much. Just because it's different time periods doesn't make it variety, not if you aren't a fan of the concept. I didn't even read Roberts' and Denton's stories because by then I was just tired of the style, I'd reached my fill of trying new authors who's topics aren't what interests me anyway. With the expressed topic being anything PI and fantastic, I'd have d to see more science fiction (2 stories) or even traditional fantasy (only 1), even though that isn't my favorite genre. Just more variety. It would have been a four-star book if I hadn't gotten too bored to read the last few historical stories.

Harris - It was typical Harris, she's written about this character in a few anthologies now and it isn't getting any more interesting. She just shoehorned her into the theme by having her investigate a crime. Harris sells books so she gets included in anthologies. It wasn't the worst story ever, but it wasn't special in any way.

Lansdale - This one had a lot of atmosphere, a good story. The first historical story in the book, it took place in the 1954.

Green - A typical John Taylor/Nightside story, it certainly fit the theme. The end was a bit abrupt.

Saylor - Normally I love history and facts worked into in my stories, but this was a series of lectures disguised as a story, disappointing considering how popular his books are. I don't know if it's because he's trying to squeeze so much into a short story or if his style changed for this prequel series, but it was really bad, more encyclopedia articles than story. It took place somewhere between 92-90 B.C.

Stirling - A very good story, solid writing, plot, all around very good. It made me want to read his books even though alternate history isn't normally my thing. (It wasn't history, it was actually one of only two sci-fi stories in the book.)

Vaughn - A decent story. I Rick, but it wasn't really a mystery or PI story, it was just revealing things that he already knew. As you can see, this is a problem with authors who try to shoehorn existing characters and series into a themed book.

Iggulden - I didn't really see how this one fit the theme either, but it was a good story.

King - A terrific story, and the most successful in the anthology in making me want to order her books ASAP. Even though this was a sort of sci-fi story and her most famous books are a modern Sherlock Holmes homage, no connection, but storytelling is storytelling.

Cook - Another anthology success because I had the totally wrong impression about the kind of writer Cook is, I thought he wrote thrillers and was avoiding his books. This story was a bit frantic, perhaps because he was trying to introduce so much of what he's written about for 13 books into one short story. Often the more successful series authors do better focusing in on a supporting character for short stories in anthologies (see Briggs' story), but I d the humor and variety of characters and will definitely be trying the series out. This was also the only traditional fantasy story in the book.

Snodgrass - A very fun story, she's a terrific writer, again anthology-in-action worked and I added some of her books to my high priority to-read list (the books that seem to be following this story with the paladin story line). I really d his fear and vulnerability, it was such a different take on this very familiar character. The story takes place in 1932.

Hanover - This was a different anthology-in-action case, because I had a kind of bad impression of this author from the I'd read of his new UF series. (Hanover is really a pen name for Daniel Abraham.) I've thought about trying the series a few times but I keep passing it up. But I d this story. The end was a bit odd and I'm not sure I agree with how it was handled, but I did the story and it's making me reconsider the series.

Tuttle - A good story, creepy and smart. Probably takes place in the early 1900s.

Gabaldon - It was very long. She's a good writer, but by this point I was getting tired of historical fiction and I only skimmed it. It's a good find for fans though, it's a substantial story. Takes place in Jamaica during the slave rebellions.

Roberts - Again, I was tired of historical fiction by now so I didn't even try it. This is in ancient Rome.

Briggs - An excellent story. This is the way to use characters from on ongoing series, focus in on a few supporting characters and let the narrow focus keep the scope from becoming too overwhelming for the short length of the story. This story should work equally well for fans of the series or new readers.

Denton - One last historical story, I just couldn't face it. This one was soldiers during WWII.anthology fantasy mystery ...more4 s An EyeYii3,633 62

17 supposedly detective tales are mostly gruesome, spooky, scary, rather than intriguing lively puzzle-solvers, from elsewhere 5* authors. In degenerating order:

If, me, TV "True Blood" sometimes pulls late night hours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jRIUn..., Charlaine Harris, "Death by Dahlia" has a petite powerhouse vampire fond of naked romping and solving murder. "Beware the Snake" by John Maddox Roberts has Roman Decius Caecilius, brother-in-law of Emporer Cesar, solve a missing temple venomous reptile and poisoned priest. Lisa Tuttle starts with clever Victorians, Miss Lane and Mr Jesperson, Watson and Sherlock, then degenerates to possessed artifacts "The Curious Affair of the Deodand".

Gabaldon's Lord John in Jamaica, and Denton's Papa Hemingway in a remote WW2 Inuit outpost are islands, not "urban" as the cover claims. Laurie King's salamander-humans and Igguldon's anti-Holocaust spirit promote tolerance better than same-sex lecture-layer from Patricia Briggs.

Such nagging by selection has worn out my interest in Dozois (co-)edited books, shame when authors have much potential. Check my Fan shelf where I list one each from a favorite author or series. http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

Short stories are how I find shiver-licious new writers. I'm considering separating off a Collections shelf. Any suggestions for a shorter name? Sets? Shorts? x-rate4 s Jenny (Reading Envy)3,876 3,481

I let my blog readers select a new-to-me genre to read, and this is one of the two books I'll be reading that fall under "urban fantasy." George R. R. Martin promises in his introduction that urban fantasy is no longer an elf on a motorcycle wandering the streets of Toronto solving crimes.

Really, though, most of these stories connect to series the authors write. Without that background, they often lack enough context to figure out where you are without knowing the characters and world they inhabit. From reading other people's , many people are buying this anthology because of one story they wanted to read. Most people seem to be buying it for "In Red, with Pearls" by Patricia Briggs, but see, I don't know who Kyle is.

Most of these stories have detectives in a noir-fantasy universe, with a lot of stereotypes. There isn't a lot of great writing here.

The one exception is Joe Lansdale's "The Bleeding Shadow," where a record possesses the power to unleash the evil in the air around us, but still make you want to play it. Wow, creepy stuff, and the reader on this one elevated the story.

I'm not sure I'd recommend this to anyone who isn't already a fan of these authors and their series. It isn't a good introduction to the urban fantasy subgenre, which is what I intended to use it for. It is a very narrow slice of that subgenre, and not all of it is great. audiobook own read20124 s Lisa Wolf1,687 283

I bought this collection of urban fantasy short stories specifically to get my hands on the new novella by Diana Gabaldon, "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies". For anyone devoted to the works of Diana Gabaldon, this is yet another fun addition to the Lord John series -- not exactly essential, but another chance to see Lord John apply his upper-crust British military efficiency to the solving of a seemingly supernatural mystery. Gabaldon knows how to please her fans. LJ&tPoZ includes just enough of all the elements that make her readers salivate, including a reference to our favorite red-headed Scot, Lord John's attraction to every well-formed male in his vicinity, and this time around, a cameo appearance of an important (though, at least for me, much despised) character from the Outlander series.

I'm sure the rest of the stories in this collection are quite good as well, and I'll get around to them eventually. For readers me, the Lord John piece is reason enough to pick this one up.short-stories urban-fantasy4 s Kathy Davie4,766 714

There are 16 short stories with a common theme of mystery and private detectives, whether the individual story is of fantasy or reality, well, that's up to the individual author.

I suspect Martin and Dozois are including Martin's introduction, "The Bastard Stepchild" as part of the story count. I do suggest reading it as it sheds light on the theme of the stories to come.

Series:
"Death by Dahlia" (Sookieverse)
"Hungry Heart" (Nightside, 1.5)
"Styx and Stones" (Roma Sub Rosa, 0.5a)
"Pain and Suffering" (Shadowspawn, 2.5)
"It's Still the Same Old Story" (Kitty Norville, xx.5)
"Shadow Thieves" (Garret, P.I., xx.5)
"No Mystery, No Miracle" (Edge, 2.5??)
"Lord John and the Plague of Zombies (Lord John Grey, 3.5)
"Beware the Snake" (SPQR, XII.V)
"In Red, with Pearls" (Mercy Thompson, 6.5)

The Stories
Charlaine Harris' "Death by Dahlia" loosely follows the hierarchical concept for vampires introduced in the Sookie Stackhouse series with a brief cameo from Diantha, but that's as close as it comes to a Sookie Stackhouse short.

You'll enjoy the story more if you aren't wondering where Eric, Pam, or Sookie areÂ… An unexpected death while celebrating the new sheriff in town forces Dahlia to quickly investigate.

Joe R. Lansdale's "The Bleeding Shadow" is an amazing story combining horror with mystery when Alma May gets worried about her jazz-playing brother and asks an old friend to investigate. It's set in a 1930-ish Texas. Excellent and CREEPY!!

Simon R. Green's "Hungry Heart" finds John Taylor hired to find a witch's heart that she claims has been stolen. Hey, it's the Nightside, everybody lies. Another pip from Green.

Steven Saylor's "Styx and Stones" just goes to show that tourism and vandalism are universal when Antipater and Gordianus visit Babylon to see what's left of the famous Hanging Gardens only to encounter a lemur, a ghost, who kills...bwah-ha-haÂ… I must pick the first in this series, Roman Blood , unless I can find the prequel, Seven Wonders .

S.M. Stirling's "Pain and Suffering" finds Eric Salvador, a Santa Fe police detective, investigating an arson case with his partner, Cesar Martinez. An interesting blend of detection and horror with characters I found intriguing.

I thought Stirling had created an excellent first step in what could be a terrifying war, and I want to read more of the Shadowspan series. Then I discovered this is actually 2.5 in the chronology. I definitely have to get serious about reading Stirling!

NOTE: Now that I've read Shadowspawn 1 & 2, I've discovered that this simply takes bits and pieces from 1 & 2, focusing on the detectives investigating the fire trap Adrienne set in Ellen's apartment.

Carrie Vaughn's "It's Still the Same Old Story" is a tale about Rick and a woman he met sixty-some years ago. A woman he could have loved and chose to protect. It's a snapshot into Rick's long life with insight into how he thinks, how he loves. And I just wanna cry...

Conn Iggulden's "The Lady is a Screamer" is actually pretty funny about this con artist who suddenly discovers he's not. I enjoyed reading about the "partners" he picked up along the way and how very useful they were...

Laurie R. King's "Hellbender" is a story of bigotry and one in which the government actually lives up to its promise, much to the missings' dismay. A small group of people are targeted and only one person is still free to point out the connection. A good one, if a bit vague on some points.

Glen Cook's "Shadow Thieves" is my very least favorite, mostly due to being so incomprehensible. Cook dropped us in and didn't worry whether we swam or sank. Nothing about how the world, all we learn about the characters is as a play in progress---and his characters make no sense either. If this is typical of his writing, I ain't reading any more.


Melinda M. Snodgrass' "No Mystery, No Miracle" is fascinating. It's another of those drop-us-in sort of stories, but Snodgrass provides a background---I suspect it's the start of the Dust Bowl years---and motives we can immediately understand, even if the characters are not human. She certainly does a unique twist on religious figures! I couldn't help but laugh at? with? Cross as he fervently stated that he did believe. I want to read more about these characters if only to confirm my guess!

M.L.N. Hanover's "The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery" is in one word---eeek! It starts out seeming enlightened with the police chief okaying an exorcist. A nice, somewhat innocuous guy. But it descends quickly at the end, leaving me with questions. Not very nice questions. Hanover seems such a mild writer...don't you believe it!

Lisa Tuttle's "The Curious Affair of the Deodand" was quite clever and a more modern version of a Sherlock Holmes-type detective with his female Watson. I must look Tuttle up and pick up some of her books.

Diana Gabaldon's "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies" touches down in Jamaica about the time that Jamie and Claire are there, and I kept turning the pages, expecting to encounter them. Mrs. Abernathy is still alive at Rose Hall and has just killed her husband, so maybe I'm still a bit early?? Then again, maybe she's not the woman I'm thinking of as Claire described this iteration of Gellis as incredibly fat which Gabaldon does not say in this short story.

Anyway, it was good with a breath of fresh air in terms of Lord John being a decent sort and not the typical English jerk of the times. He's Lieutenant Colonel Grey now, and I enjoyed "getting to know" Major Fettes and Captain Cherry while Lord John is very careful in determining the truth and playing fair.

John Maddox Roberts' "Beware the Snake" and I ain't sure which "snake" he's referring to in this title---the one that slithers on the ground or the one who walks upright. I very much d Decius Caecilius and his sense of humor. It was fun to read an ancient Roman mystery with DC's contemporary-sounding snark! Cynicism and stupidity are certainly timeless and universal. Julius Caeser needs DC to investigate the theft of a revered snake, and you will crack up at DC's questions and musings about the whole affair. I loved how well he pulled us into the scene. I've already put my order in for The King's Gambit .

Patricia Briggs' "In Red, with Pearls" is a side story off the Mercy Thompson series and focuses on Warren and Kyle Brooks. Warren has recently come to work at Kyle's law firm as a private detective. And a good thing too when someone sends an assassin with nothing more to lose.

Bradley Denton's "The Adakian Eagle" was excellent, although he drove me a bit nuts with wondering who Pop was until he put me out of my misery. An intriguing little story in which we pop into the middle of events and done very well with a distinct beginning, middle, and end---although not in the order one would expect!

The Cover
The cover is definitely urban with the alley and garage door tucked into the corner of high-rise buildings, vents, and puddles. The fantasy is evoked with the pillar of smoke rising up behind the miniskirted woman in her high-heeled pumps and leather jacket standing in partnership with the on-alert male in jeans, boots, and his own motorcycle jacket, gun dangling at his side.

The title is a reference to Martin's statement referring to urban fantasy as "the offspring of two older genres": horror and mystery, the noir type of mystery and Chandler's statement regarding "down these mean streets", and that is where we go, exploring Down These Strange Streets.urban-fantasy3 s MeredithAuthor 1 book14

The bastard stepchild, by George R.R. Martin -- This is an essay that opens the book. Other than what seemed to be a delight in light profanity for its own sake, I found the essay interesting and thoughtful. It really sets the stage for the stories that follow and why they are part of this collection. It was the first time I'd ever read anything my George R.R. Martin, and I know understand why he's so popular. He's got a great turn of phrase that helps you understand what he's driving at. I did find it interesting for as often as he references Harry Dresden, there wasn't a Dresden story in the mix.

Death by Dahlia, by Charlaine Harris -- I've only read Sookie stories via short stories in anthologies. I may need to dig into the series one of these days. Dahlia, whom I remember from another short is fun to follow. The mystery is just the right size with what feels a nice peek into the inner workings of vampire culture.

The Bleeding Shadow, by Joe R. Lansdale -- Classic noir, set in a post-WWII black community. Rick, an unofficial P.I. since law and culture forbid him from being a legit P.I., is asked a favor of an old flame. It involves the blues and a twist on the classic crossroads demon.

Hungry heart, by Simon R. Green -- Very much in keeping with his Nightside series. Felt a pared down version of on of his stories. Alright, but perhaps more enjoyable to someone first being introduced to the Nightside. (Though if I have to hear about his "inner eye, his secret eye, his private eye" one more time, I may hurt someone.)

Styx and stones, by Steven Saylor -- Interesting concept of characters from the Roman empire. Apparently this was a story about a 'chlidhood' adventure of a character who is an adult in the regular series.

Pain and suffering / by S.M. Stirling -- Took me a while to figure out that the nightmares were more so prescience that flashback. Good dark, ominous feel.

It's still the same old story by Carrie Vaughn -- A story that explores the decades long friendship (with benefits?) between a vampire named Rick and the fully human Helen.

The Lady is a Screamer by Conn Iggulden -- Well crafted unable narrator. He's honest about who he is and what he's done with very little apology. Toward the end we get something grittier and deeper that's satisfying.

Hellbender / Laurie R. King -- Interesting exploration of prejudice, group rejection and acceptance of identity, de-humanization, and triumph of the human spirit, all based on the what if human DNA and salamander DNA were successfully mixed.

Shadow thieves / by Glen Cook -- Seriously could not make heads or tales of what was going on. Way too many characters to have a clear sense of any of them. Way too much explanation stuffed into a short space. Plus, the voices the narrator was doing were wicked annoying. Finally fast-forwarded through to the next story.

No Mystery, No Miracle / by Melinda M. Snodgrass -- Set in the Depression era, a Mr. Cross

The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery / by M.L.N. Hanover -- Well crafted, with a slow build. Quality X-Files- ending. Particularly d insider's comment by the protagonists to his captain toward the end, "Doing the work of angels." :: shiver::

The Curious Affair of the Deodand by Lisa Tuttle -- Very much a nod to the Sherlockian tradition, even set in the Victorian England with a reference to the "Sherlock stories". I d the strength of the female lead and the skill of the female narrator with providing her a slight Scottish accent. It also made me realize how few of the stories had female leads or primary characters in this collection.

Lord John and the Plague of Zombies by Diana Gabaldon -- Again, a story with a whole lot more canon, yet incredibly accessible. Appreciated how Grey's sexuality mattered, in small ways came into play, yet just as Lawrence in the Temerier series, his professionalism as an English officer came before everything else.

Beware the Snake / by John Maddox Roberts -- Part of the PQRS(?) series, apparently. Set in the time of the Roman empire, with a character who is a nod to Sherlock Holmes in deductive reasoning, but with a lighter hand and humor mixed in. Curious to seek out more.

In red, with pearls / by Patricia Briggs -- I enjoyed this story. Curious about the greater canon. I d the blend of plot and relationship.

The Adakian Eagle by Bradley Denton -- The protagonist was pitch perfect - young, naive yet painfully burdened with an ugly secret. Pops was great as well. Great twist at the end and the narrator did a great voice for them. Pops had that perfect military gruff voice. anthology audio detective ...more3 s NicoleAuthor 5 books47

I skipped stories I wasnÂ’t interested in or that werenÂ’t to my taste (I'm not into "hardboiled"/ noir-ish stuff); and I ran out of time because I had to re
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You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Despite its hardcover price, this is one of the better anthologies that I’ve read and well worth the money. The stories are outstanding and varied, and there’s a clear connection between them, as described in the prologue “The Bastard Stepchild,” written by George R. R. Martin. The bastard stepchild to which he refers is Urban Fantasy, an amalgam of the horror and mystery genres, and each of the stories features a mystery and detective of some sort. The anthology includes a total of sixteen stories, plus the prologue by George R. R. Martin. Originally I had planned on only mentioned a few of my favorite stories, but the excellent writing made it difficult to limit this review to only some of the entries. Here a few comments about each of the stories.

1. “Death by Dahlia” by Charlaine Harris We first met vampire Dahlia Lynly Chivers in the story “Tacky” in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding, and she’s long been a favorite of mine. In “Death by Dahlia” the vampires have a new sheriff in control of their nest and they’re celebrating his installation with a huge party. When one of the human blood donors is murdered, Dahlia steps in to investigate. I’m not a fan of Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse books, but I always enjoy her Dahlia stories set in that world, and this one is no exception. It’s one of the more light-hearted offerings in the collection and is lots of fun. 3.5 out of 5


2. “The Bleeding Shadow” by Joe R. Lansdale This story has a film noir feel to it, and I loved it. The gritty private detective is asked by a hot dame to look into her brother’s disappearance when a record with some demonic sounding blues arrives at her house with frightening consequences. 3.5 out of 5


3. “Hungry Heart” by Simon R. Green Another lighthearted addition to the anthology, Green’s contribution features detective John Taylor from Green’s Nightside series. A young witch hires Taylor to recover her heart from her former mentor, but it turns out that the box holding her heart is of interest to many parties. The clever ending and Taylor’s humor throughout made this story a blast. 4 out of 5


4. “Styx and Stones” by Steven Saylor This story is part of Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa series that stars Gordianus the Finder, and while it’s the first of his work I’ve read, it certainly won’t be the last. In this prequel to the series, we witness Gordianus as a teenager visiting the Seven Wonders of the World. When he and his companion Antipater arrive in Babylon, Gordianus is intrigued by the haunting of a nearby temple. While my four years of high school Latin aren’t enough to attest to the historical accuracy of the story, it’s a lot of fun and one of my favorites of the collection. 4 out of 5


5. “Pain and Suffering” by S. M. Stirling This story had a more paranormal feel to it than many of the others. Cop Eric Salvador finds his nightmares of his time in Afghanistan taking a strange turn when he and his partner investigate a bizarre arson and missing persons case. I enjoyed the story, but the ending felt abrupt and a bit open-ended, making me wonder if this is part of a series I’m not familiar with, although the short intro to the story didn’t indicate that it was. 3.5 out of 5


6. “It’s Still the Same Old Story” by Carrie Vaughn Set in the world of Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series, this story features vampire Rick, who responds to a phone call from an old friend, only to find her murdered. There isn’t much of a mystery, as Rick knows from the beginning who’s responsible for his friend’s death, but the flashbacks to when they met and how the mystery unfolds make this an enjoyable read. 3 out of 5


7. “The Lady is a Screamer” by Conn Iggulden Narrator Jack Garner is a charmer of a conman, working as a ghostbuster after years of taking advantage of grieving families by pretending to be a psychic. While he doesn’t seem all that able at the beginning, by the end you’ll be rooting for this ne’er do well. This was one of my favorites, no doubt because of the hero’s ability to win the reader over. 4 out of 5


8. “Hellbender” by Laurie R. King I enjoyed this entry by King that features a private detective who’s more than human. He’s approached by a woman to investigate the disappearance of her brother and seven other missing people. His digging into the mystery attracts some frightening attention, uncovering some disturbing interest into “scientific” developments. I d how the story and truth about the hero unfolded, plus the twist about the government at the end made me laugh. 4.5 out of 5


9. “Shadow Thieves” by Glen Cook This is part of Cook’s Garret, P.I. series and almost lost me only a few pages in. Garret is approached by several different parties to recover a powerful artifact, but it’s very unclear who is trustworthy and who’s the rightful owner. The world building was intriguing, but the rough beginning and my lack of connection to the characters made this the weakest of the collection for me. I suspect that if I’d read other books in the series, however, I might feel differently. 3 out of 5


10. “No Mystery, No Miracle” by Melinda M. Snodgrass Set during the days of the Great Depression, Snodgrass plays with several mythologies and religions while creating a fascinating story. The hero, Cross, is posing as a hobo to look into some suspicious hobo markings that resemble signs from old gods. His investigation has him acting to ensure FDR’s presidential nomination in mysterious ways. This story has some of the tightest writing in the collection. 4.5 out of 5


11. “The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery” by M. L. N. Hanover Cops call in an exorcist when they discover the body of a young woman apparently sacrificed in some sort of occult ritual. The man arrested for the crime claims to be possessed by a demon, but the real mystery stems from his reaction when confronted by the exorcist. Very intriguing story and I d the resolution that still left some mysteries unexplained. 4 out of 5


12. “The Curious Affair of the Deodand” by Lisa Tuttle Set in the nineteenth century, Miss Lane is a gentlewoman seeking employment who finds herself acting as an assistant to a young detective. A man approaches them on his fiancée’s behalf, asking that they investigate her former fiancé’s death. The story began well, and I was intrigued by the female heroine’s role as Watson, but the ending left me a bit cold. Not badly written, but a little lacking in action or suspense. 3 out of 5


13. “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies” by Diana Gabaldon I haven’t read any of Gabaldon’s books, which no doubt affected my enjoyment of this story since Lord John is a recurring character in her Outlander series and has his own series. I actually stopped reading and had to pick the story up again later, because it didn’t capture my interest. However, if you’re a fan of her series, you’ll no doubt enjoy reading about Lord John’s adventures in the West Indies, and the various creepy crawlies on the island were almost more frightening the actual zombies. 3 out of 5


14. “Beware the Snake” by John Maddox Roberts Part of the author’s SPQR series of mysteries set in Ancient Rome, this story was a hoot. Decius Caecilius is asked by Caesar to investigate a missing swamp adder, a sacred being to some powerful allies of Rome. Decius’ dry humor makes light of the mystery, but the ending is a lot of fun, even though the story went by too quickly. As with “Styx and Stones”, I can’t attest to the historical accuracy of the story, but it was so enjoyable I’ll definitely be reading more of this author. 4 out of 5


15. “In Red, with Pearls” by Patricia Briggs This story is set in the world of Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series and features werewolf Warren, who is a favorite of mine. When his lover Kyle is attacked by a zombie, Warren steps in to investigate. I loved seeing Warren and Kyle together, and this was a tightly written story that draws you in at once. While I figured out the villain fairly quickly, there were several surprises. This is another winner from Briggs and a must for Mercy Thompson fans. 4 out of 5


16. “The Adakian Eagle” by Bradley Denton The choice to end the collection with Denton’s story was a wise one, as it is outstanding. Set on the Aleutian Islands during World War II and featuring a young private and an older detective (whom you will recognize once you’re well into the story), this mystery will keep you turning the pages. The discovery of a tortured eagle on the island leads to an investigation that exposes all the pitfalls of following orders without question. I loved the setting and the gritty tone of this story. 5 out of 5
mystery reviewed urban-fantasy19 s Heather C1,480 217

In Red, With Pearls by Patricia Briggs ? ? ? ? ?

I really enjoyed this! I loved getting Warren's voice and thoughts and would love to know more about him and Kyle; Mercy's POV is just not enough. But I will take any insight into their relationship that I can get. 

Anyway, it was a sweet short story all about Warren and Kyle with a paranormal mystery. Unfortunately, I was still a little confused about how Warren figured it all out in the end. anthology cloud14 s Lena1,170 318

The Bastard Stepchild (Introduction) by George R. R. Martin ?????
“Maybe a few elves are still around, but if so, they’re ly hooked on horse or coke or stronger, stranger drugs, or maybe they’re elf hookers being pimped out by a werewolf. Those bloody lycanthropes are everywhere, though it’s the vampires who really run the town...”
Let daddy tell you all about urban fiction...


Death by Dalia by Charlaine Harris ????½
I love Dahlia stories. This episode sees Dahlia solving a murder at a party for the new Sheriff.


Hellbender by Laurie R. King ????½
In a world where Salamander people have mostly blended in with humans one private detective did not how easily a fellow Sallow found him out. But he will help her anyway, help his kind, because blending in shouldnÂ’t mean forgetting who you are.


Beware the Snake by John Maddox Roberts ?????
A short story from a series about a Roman senator who investigates crimes. I enjoyed it.


The Lady is a Screamer by Conn Iggulden ?????
A ghost hunter finds out that ghosts are real, makes some friends, and fights evil.


Lord John and the Plague of Zombies by Diana Gabaldon ???½?
This is a spin-off gay soldier/sleuth character from the Outlander series. Lord John is sent to Jamaica to put down a slave revolt. I might read more of his story even though I have no interest in Outlander.

The Bleeding Shadow by Joe R. Lansdale ???½?
A Lovecraftian story of a musician making a deal with the devil.

It's Still the Same Old Story by Carrie Vaughn ???½?
The old lover of a vampire is murdered. I would have rated this higher but there was an annoying human cop failing to realize that the vampire was just humoring her.

Hungry Heart by Simon R. Green ???½?
A private detective helps a witch, he knows is lying, find her heart. ItÂ’s a little complicated, a little out there and unpleasant.

Styx and Stones by Steven Sailor ?????
A Roman times murder mystery set in the ruins of Babylon.

Pain and Suffering by S.M. Stirling ?????
Down the rabbit hole in New Mexico with homeland insecurity and paranormal murders. It was a lot for a short story. I didnÂ’t feel it.

No Mystery, No Miracle by Melinda M. Snodgrass ?????
This was some kind of interdimensional demon(?) story about a good demon fighting bad demons. Possibly.

The Curious Affair of the Deodand by Lisa Tuttle ?????
A Sherlock Holmes inspired story with some girl power and ghosts.

In Red, with Pearls by Patricia Briggs ?????
I have d both Warren and Kyle in the past but in this story Warren was an asshole, an overbearing manipulative asshole. I was rooting for the witches!

The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery by M.L.N. Hanover ?½???
I believe this was a demon story but it failed to hold my attention.

The Adakian Eagle by Bradley Denton ?????
What a turkey if an ending. It starts with a tortured bald eagles, continued with sad war stories, depressing hallucinations, and a vague ending.

Shadow Thieves by Glen Cook DNF
High fantasy does not blend well with short stories; too many characters, too much world building, just too much.

I listened to 16/17 stories that averaged out to 3.2 stars.
anthology audio vampire9 s Nikyta1,423 263

I don't care what anyone says but Kyle and Warren really are mates! I love these two so much and always yearned for a story of their own. So, I'm glad they finally have one! Even if it's short.

I loved both Kyle and Warren and it was fun getting the story from Warren's POV so we got to see his thoughts and his adventures. I really wish there had been more to the story, though, because I don't think I could ever get enough of these two. They are just perfect for each other!

I very much enjoyed the story and I loved the mystery (I didn't have an idea of who actually sent the zombie out but was suspicious of the person behind it). However, I wish there had been more of Warren and Kyle's relationship. We get little snippets of them together but I would have d to get deeper into their feelings and seeing more of them together. The ending was so sweet!

Otherwise, I loved the story and really hope there's more to come!

Merged review:

*This rating and review is only for In Red, With Pearls by Patricia Briggs. I may continue to read the anthology in the future but I have not decided.

I don't care what anyone says but Kyle and Warren really are mates! I love these two so much and always yearned for a story of their own. So, I'm glad they finally have one! Even if it's short.

I loved both Kyle and Warren and it was fun getting the story from Warren's POV so we got to see his thoughts and his adventures. I really wish there had been more to the story, though, because I don't think I could ever get enough of these two. They are just perfect for each other!

I very much enjoyed the story and I loved the mystery (I didn't have an idea of who actually sent the zombie out but was suspicious of the person behind it). However, I wish there had been more of Warren and Kyle's relationship. We get little snippets of them together but I would have d to get deeper into their feelings and seeing more of them together. The ending was so sweet!

Otherwise, I loved the story and really hope there's more to come!anthologies bubbles-safe contemporary-fantasy ...more9 s Ami5,949 491

This Review is ONLY FOR Patricia Brigg's "In Red, With Pearls"

I have to borrow this one, if only to read Patricia Brigg's short. Why? BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT WARREN AND KYLE from the Mercedes Thompson's series!!!

As a lover of M/M romance genre, I welcome Warren (the third of Adam Carpenter's werewolf pack) and his mate, Kyle, taking over the spotlight for once. Written from Warren's first person narration, it gives a glimpse of their relationship, including how Kyle accepts Warren's predatory nature. In this story, Warren -- who also works on his mate's office as an investigator -- is investigating why the person responsible for sending a zombie to kill Kyle. Helped by a witch by the name of Nadia, the answer takes a twist that I don't really see coming. It's an enjoyable story. I wish Ms. Briggs will consider making a full length spin-off of Warren and Kyle. It's great to see a gay couple in mainstream books :)urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic9 s Kat1,823 103

Basic premise: Urban fantasy stories that center around mysteries/detectives.

I hate George RR Martin on a personal level at this point. His SOIAF series has pissed me off to the point that I have been unable to continue reading it. So here I have a volume of stories set in my favorite genre, edited by GRRM. There's a fantastic introduction to the book, defining UF and the connections it has to the mystery genre. Then he proceeds to give me an overly-large volume of mostly "meh"-level stories, some of which are only VERY loosely tied to the UF genre. And on top of it all, there's no Harry Dresden story in an anthology seemingly tailored to the concept of Dresden. Grrrrr....

Generally speaking, UF stories take place in the modern (or very near modern) day. WWII? Ok, I can deal with that. Ancient Rome?? Ancient Babylon??? WTF???? Some of these stories didn't even have an actual fantasy element to them, just a "possible" fantasy element that got disproven, making the stories NOT UF at all, but regular mysteries, if set in odd time periods.

I'm hacked off. I renewed this book from the library twice in order to finish the bloody thing and still paid a late fine. It's only real saving grace in my mind is the Patricia Briggs offering, which features Warren instead of Mercy. The Charlaine Harris story was ok, but I don't find Dahlia to be a particularly interesting/sympathetic character, so I can't get into the few stories I've seen about her.

Stupid GRRM. I'm going to go read something by an author who's dead already so I won't feel the urge to go out and murder someone anymore.

2012 fantasy short-stories ...more8 s Sarah3,342 1,237

I have to confess I've only read one of the stories in this anthology so my rating is purely for In Red, With Pearls by Patricia Briggs.

I can't tell you how excited I was to see a story told from Warren's POV. Warren and Kyle have always been two of my favourite side characters in the Mercy Thompson series, I love their relationship and the fact that Warren holds his own against the very prejudiced members of Adam's pack (I'm not counting Adam in that group - I also happen to love that he is so supportive of Warren and Kyle's relationship!) always makes me smile.

So take two fabulous characters, throw in a supernatural mystery for them to solve and of course you have a winning story. My only complaint was that I wanted it to be longer! I would LOVE a full length book about these two, in fact while I'm wishing I'd also one about Ben, and a whole spin off series starring Bran LOL.books-i-own-print for-review-read read-in-20145 s Cathy 1,956 51

The introduction by Martin was good, he really captured something about what I so much about urban fantasy. He said it's the combination of mystery and horror that makes UF unpredictable and therefore keeps the readers turning the page to find out what happens next, where in traditional mystery, you know that it's probably the psycho who did it, or in horror it's probably the vampire. UF opens the door for a whole new mix of elements and outcomes and the creativity that it allows is a big part of what keeps me tuning in.

Format-wise, I really d having the author bios before the stories. Most anthologies, if they have them at all, have them after the stories or at the end of the book, and I end up flipping around a lot because I reading the information first. I knowing who the authors are, if the story is a part of a series, etc. Plus, let's face it, anthologies exist to sell books, so why be coy with the information, put it out there so I can find it easily, don't make me hunt it down. I d not having to go to my computer to look everyone up.

As for editorial variety, part way through the book I was pretty impressed with the choices, but by the end I was really frustrated. There was way too much historical fiction. I'm just not a fan and when almost half of the book is historical it's just too much. Just because it's different time periods doesn't make it variety, not if you aren't a fan of the concept. I didn't even read Roberts' and Denton's stories because by then I was just tired of the style, I'd reached my fill of trying new authors who's topics aren't what interests me anyway. With the expressed topic being anything PI and fantastic, I'd have d to see more science fiction (2 stories) or even traditional fantasy (only 1), even though that isn't my favorite genre. Just more variety. It would have been a four-star book if I hadn't gotten too bored to read the last few historical stories.

Harris - It was typical Harris, she's written about this character in a few anthologies now and it isn't getting any more interesting. She just shoehorned her into the theme by having her investigate a crime. Harris sells books so she gets included in anthologies. It wasn't the worst story ever, but it wasn't special in any way.

Lansdale - This one had a lot of atmosphere, a good story. The first historical story in the book, it took place in the 1954.

Green - A typical John Taylor/Nightside story, it certainly fit the theme. The end was a bit abrupt.

Saylor - Normally I love history and facts worked into in my stories, but this was a series of lectures disguised as a story, disappointing considering how popular his books are. I don't know if it's because he's trying to squeeze so much into a short story or if his style changed for this prequel series, but it was really bad, more encyclopedia articles than story. It took place somewhere between 92-90 B.C.

Stirling - A very good story, solid writing, plot, all around very good. It made me want to read his books even though alternate history isn't normally my thing. (It wasn't history, it was actually one of only two sci-fi stories in the book.)

Vaughn - A decent story. I Rick, but it wasn't really a mystery or PI story, it was just revealing things that he already knew. As you can see, this is a problem with authors who try to shoehorn existing characters and series into a themed book.

Iggulden - I didn't really see how this one fit the theme either, but it was a good story.

King - A terrific story, and the most successful in the anthology in making me want to order her books ASAP. Even though this was a sort of sci-fi story and her most famous books are a modern Sherlock Holmes homage, no connection, but storytelling is storytelling.

Cook - Another anthology success because I had the totally wrong impression about the kind of writer Cook is, I thought he wrote thrillers and was avoiding his books. This story was a bit frantic, perhaps because he was trying to introduce so much of what he's written about for 13 books into one short story. Often the more successful series authors do better focusing in on a supporting character for short stories in anthologies (see Briggs' story), but I d the humor and variety of characters and will definitely be trying the series out. This was also the only traditional fantasy story in the book.

Snodgrass - A very fun story, she's a terrific writer, again anthology-in-action worked and I added some of her books to my high priority to-read list (the books that seem to be following this story with the paladin story line). I really d his fear and vulnerability, it was such a different take on this very familiar character. The story takes place in 1932.

Hanover - This was a different anthology-in-action case, because I had a kind of bad impression of this author from the I'd read of his new UF series. (Hanover is really a pen name for Daniel Abraham.) I've thought about trying the series a few times but I keep passing it up. But I d this story. The end was a bit odd and I'm not sure I agree with how it was handled, but I did the story and it's making me reconsider the series.

Tuttle - A good story, creepy and smart. Probably takes place in the early 1900s.

Gabaldon - It was very long. She's a good writer, but by this point I was getting tired of historical fiction and I only skimmed it. It's a good find for fans though, it's a substantial story. Takes place in Jamaica during the slave rebellions.

Roberts - Again, I was tired of historical fiction by now so I didn't even try it. This is in ancient Rome.

Briggs - An excellent story. This is the way to use characters from on ongoing series, focus in on a few supporting characters and let the narrow focus keep the scope from becoming too overwhelming for the short length of the story. This story should work equally well for fans of the series or new readers.

Denton - One last historical story, I just couldn't face it. This one was soldiers during WWII.anthology fantasy mystery ...more4 s An EyeYii3,633 62

17 supposedly detective tales are mostly gruesome, spooky, scary, rather than intriguing lively puzzle-solvers, from elsewhere 5* authors. In degenerating order:

If, me, TV "True Blood" sometimes pulls late night hours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jRIUn..., Charlaine Harris, "Death by Dahlia" has a petite powerhouse vampire fond of naked romping and solving murder. "Beware the Snake" by John Maddox Roberts has Roman Decius Caecilius, brother-in-law of Emporer Cesar, solve a missing temple venomous reptile and poisoned priest. Lisa Tuttle starts with clever Victorians, Miss Lane and Mr Jesperson, Watson and Sherlock, then degenerates to possessed artifacts "The Curious Affair of the Deodand".

Gabaldon's Lord John in Jamaica, and Denton's Papa Hemingway in a remote WW2 Inuit outpost are islands, not "urban" as the cover claims. Laurie King's salamander-humans and Igguldon's anti-Holocaust spirit promote tolerance better than same-sex lecture-layer from Patricia Briggs.

Such nagging by selection has worn out my interest in Dozois (co-)edited books, shame when authors have much potential. Check my Fan shelf where I list one each from a favorite author or series. http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

Short stories are how I find shiver-licious new writers. I'm considering separating off a Collections shelf. Any suggestions for a shorter name? Sets? Shorts? x-rate4 s Jenny (Reading Envy)3,876 3,481

I let my blog readers select a new-to-me genre to read, and this is one of the two books I'll be reading that fall under "urban fantasy." George R. R. Martin promises in his introduction that urban fantasy is no longer an elf on a motorcycle wandering the streets of Toronto solving crimes.

Really, though, most of these stories connect to series the authors write. Without that background, they often lack enough context to figure out where you are without knowing the characters and world they inhabit. From reading other people's , many people are buying this anthology because of one story they wanted to read. Most people seem to be buying it for "In Red, with Pearls" by Patricia Briggs, but see, I don't know who Kyle is.

Most of these stories have detectives in a noir-fantasy universe, with a lot of stereotypes. There isn't a lot of great writing here.

The one exception is Joe Lansdale's "The Bleeding Shadow," where a record possesses the power to unleash the evil in the air around us, but still make you want to play it. Wow, creepy stuff, and the reader on this one elevated the story.

I'm not sure I'd recommend this to anyone who isn't already a fan of these authors and their series. It isn't a good introduction to the urban fantasy subgenre, which is what I intended to use it for. It is a very narrow slice of that subgenre, and not all of it is great. audiobook own read20124 s Lisa Wolf1,687 283

I bought this collection of urban fantasy short stories specifically to get my hands on the new novella by Diana Gabaldon, "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies". For anyone devoted to the works of Diana Gabaldon, this is yet another fun addition to the Lord John series -- not exactly essential, but another chance to see Lord John apply his upper-crust British military efficiency to the solving of a seemingly supernatural mystery. Gabaldon knows how to please her fans. LJ&tPoZ includes just enough of all the elements that make her readers salivate, including a reference to our favorite red-headed Scot, Lord John's attraction to every well-formed male in his vicinity, and this time around, a cameo appearance of an important (though, at least for me, much despised) character from the Outlander series.

I'm sure the rest of the stories in this collection are quite good as well, and I'll get around to them eventually. For readers me, the Lord John piece is reason enough to pick this one up.short-stories urban-fantasy4 s Kathy Davie4,766 714

There are 16 short stories with a common theme of mystery and private detectives, whether the individual story is of fantasy or reality, well, that's up to the individual author.

I suspect Martin and Dozois are including Martin's introduction, "The Bastard Stepchild" as part of the story count. I do suggest reading it as it sheds light on the theme of the stories to come.

Series:
"Death by Dahlia" (Sookieverse)
"Hungry Heart" (Nightside, 1.5)
"Styx and Stones" (Roma Sub Rosa, 0.5a)
"Pain and Suffering" (Shadowspawn, 2.5)
"It's Still the Same Old Story" (Kitty Norville, xx.5)
"Shadow Thieves" (Garret, P.I., xx.5)
"No Mystery, No Miracle" (Edge, 2.5??)
"Lord John and the Plague of Zombies (Lord John Grey, 3.5)
"Beware the Snake" (SPQR, XII.V)
"In Red, with Pearls" (Mercy Thompson, 6.5)

The Stories
Charlaine Harris' "Death by Dahlia" loosely follows the hierarchical concept for vampires introduced in the Sookie Stackhouse series with a brief cameo from Diantha, but that's as close as it comes to a Sookie Stackhouse short.

You'll enjoy the story more if you aren't wondering where Eric, Pam, or Sookie areÂ… An unexpected death while celebrating the new sheriff in town forces Dahlia to quickly investigate.

Joe R. Lansdale's "The Bleeding Shadow" is an amazing story combining horror with mystery when Alma May gets worried about her jazz-playing brother and asks an old friend to investigate. It's set in a 1930-ish Texas. Excellent and CREEPY!!

Simon R. Green's "Hungry Heart" finds John Taylor hired to find a witch's heart that she claims has been stolen. Hey, it's the Nightside, everybody lies. Another pip from Green.

Steven Saylor's "Styx and Stones" just goes to show that tourism and vandalism are universal when Antipater and Gordianus visit Babylon to see what's left of the famous Hanging Gardens only to encounter a lemur, a ghost, who kills...bwah-ha-haÂ… I must pick the first in this series, Roman Blood , unless I can find the prequel, Seven Wonders .

S.M. Stirling's "Pain and Suffering" finds Eric Salvador, a Santa Fe police detective, investigating an arson case with his partner, Cesar Martinez. An interesting blend of detection and horror with characters I found intriguing.

I thought Stirling had created an excellent first step in what could be a terrifying war, and I want to read more of the Shadowspan series. Then I discovered this is actually 2.5 in the chronology. I definitely have to get serious about reading Stirling!

NOTE: Now that I've read Shadowspawn 1 & 2, I've discovered that this simply takes bits and pieces from 1 & 2, focusing on the detectives investigating the fire trap Adrienne set in Ellen's apartment.

Carrie Vaughn's "It's Still the Same Old Story" is a tale about Rick and a woman he met sixty-some years ago. A woman he could have loved and chose to protect. It's a snapshot into Rick's long life with insight into how he thinks, how he loves. And I just wanna cry...

Conn Iggulden's "The Lady is a Screamer" is actually pretty funny about this con artist who suddenly discovers he's not. I enjoyed reading about the "partners" he picked up along the way and how very useful they were...

Laurie R. King's "Hellbender" is a story of bigotry and one in which the government actually lives up to its promise, much to the missings' dismay. A small group of people are targeted and only one person is still free to point out the connection. A good one, if a bit vague on some points.

Glen Cook's "Shadow Thieves" is my very least favorite, mostly due to being so incomprehensible. Cook dropped us in and didn't worry whether we swam or sank. Nothing about how the world, all we learn about the characters is as a play in progress---and his characters make no sense either. If this is typical of his writing, I ain't reading any more.


Melinda M. Snodgrass' "No Mystery, No Miracle" is fascinating. It's another of those drop-us-in sort of stories, but Snodgrass provides a background---I suspect it's the start of the Dust Bowl years---and motives we can immediately understand, even if the characters are not human. She certainly does a unique twist on religious figures! I couldn't help but laugh at? with? Cross as he fervently stated that he did believe. I want to read more about these characters if only to confirm my guess!

M.L.N. Hanover's "The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery" is in one word---eeek! It starts out seeming enlightened with the police chief okaying an exorcist. A nice, somewhat innocuous guy. But it descends quickly at the end, leaving me with questions. Not very nice questions. Hanover seems such a mild writer...don't you believe it!

Lisa Tuttle's "The Curious Affair of the Deodand" was quite clever and a more modern version of a Sherlock Holmes-type detective with his female Watson. I must look Tuttle up and pick up some of her books.

Diana Gabaldon's "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies" touches down in Jamaica about the time that Jamie and Claire are there, and I kept turning the pages, expecting to encounter them. Mrs. Abernathy is still alive at Rose Hall and has just killed her husband, so maybe I'm still a bit early?? Then again, maybe she's not the woman I'm thinking of as Claire described this iteration of Gellis as incredibly fat which Gabaldon does not say in this short story.

Anyway, it was good with a breath of fresh air in terms of Lord John being a decent sort and not the typical English jerk of the times. He's Lieutenant Colonel Grey now, and I enjoyed "getting to know" Major Fettes and Captain Cherry while Lord John is very careful in determining the truth and playing fair.

John Maddox Roberts' "Beware the Snake" and I ain't sure which "snake" he's referring to in this title---the one that slithers on the ground or the one who walks upright. I very much d Decius Caecilius and his sense of humor. It was fun to read an ancient Roman mystery with DC's contemporary-sounding snark! Cynicism and stupidity are certainly timeless and universal. Julius Caeser needs DC to investigate the theft of a revered snake, and you will crack up at DC's questions and musings about the whole affair. I loved how well he pulled us into the scene. I've already put my order in for The King's Gambit .

Patricia Briggs' "In Red, with Pearls" is a side story off the Mercy Thompson series and focuses on Warren and Kyle Brooks. Warren has recently come to work at Kyle's law firm as a private detective. And a good thing too when someone sends an assassin with nothing more to lose.

Bradley Denton's "The Adakian Eagle" was excellent, although he drove me a bit nuts with wondering who Pop was until he put me out of my misery. An intriguing little story in which we pop into the middle of events and done very well with a distinct beginning, middle, and end---although not in the order one would expect!

The Cover
The cover is definitely urban with the alley and garage door tucked into the corner of high-rise buildings, vents, and puddles. The fantasy is evoked with the pillar of smoke rising up behind the miniskirted woman in her high-heeled pumps and leather jacket standing in partnership with the on-alert male in jeans, boots, and his own motorcycle jacket, gun dangling at his side.

The title is a reference to Martin's statement referring to urban fantasy as "the offspring of two older genres": horror and mystery, the noir type of mystery and Chandler's statement regarding "down these mean streets", and that is where we go, exploring Down These Strange Streets.urban-fantasy3 s MeredithAuthor 1 book14

The bastard stepchild, by George R.R. Martin -- This is an essay that opens the book. Other than what seemed to be a delight in light profanity for its own sake, I found the essay interesting and thoughtful. It really sets the stage for the stories that follow and why they are part of this collection. It was the first time I'd ever read anything my George R.R. Martin, and I know understand why he's so popular. He's got a great turn of phrase that helps you understand what he's driving at. I did find it interesting for as often as he references Harry Dresden, there wasn't a Dresden story in the mix.

Death by Dahlia, by Charlaine Harris -- I've only read Sookie stories via short stories in anthologies. I may need to dig into the series one of these days. Dahlia, whom I remember from another short is fun to follow. The mystery is just the right size with what feels a nice peek into the inner workings of vampire culture.

The Bleeding Shadow, by Joe R. Lansdale -- Classic noir, set in a post-WWII black community. Rick, an unofficial P.I. since law and culture forbid him from being a legit P.I., is asked a favor of an old flame. It involves the blues and a twist on the classic crossroads demon.

Hungry heart, by Simon R. Green -- Very much in keeping with his Nightside series. Felt a pared down version of on of his stories. Alright, but perhaps more enjoyable to someone first being introduced to the Nightside. (Though if I have to hear about his "inner eye, his secret eye, his private eye" one more time, I may hurt someone.)

Styx and stones, by Steven Saylor -- Interesting concept of characters from the Roman empire. Apparently this was a story about a 'chlidhood' adventure of a character who is an adult in the regular series.

Pain and suffering / by S.M. Stirling -- Took me a while to figure out that the nightmares were more so prescience that flashback. Good dark, ominous feel.

It's still the same old story by Carrie Vaughn -- A story that explores the decades long friendship (with benefits?) between a vampire named Rick and the fully human Helen.

The Lady is a Screamer by Conn Iggulden -- Well crafted unable narrator. He's honest about who he is and what he's done with very little apology. Toward the end we get something grittier and deeper that's satisfying.

Hellbender / Laurie R. King -- Interesting exploration of prejudice, group rejection and acceptance of identity, de-humanization, and triumph of the human spirit, all based on the what if human DNA and salamander DNA were successfully mixed.

Shadow thieves / by Glen Cook -- Seriously could not make heads or tales of what was going on. Way too many characters to have a clear sense of any of them. Way too much explanation stuffed into a short space. Plus, the voices the narrator was doing were wicked annoying. Finally fast-forwarded through to the next story.

No Mystery, No Miracle / by Melinda M. Snodgrass -- Set in the Depression era, a Mr. Cross

The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery / by M.L.N. Hanover -- Well crafted, with a slow build. Quality X-Files- ending. Particularly d insider's comment by the protagonists to his captain toward the end, "Doing the work of angels." :: shiver::

The Curious Affair of the Deodand by Lisa Tuttle -- Very much a nod to the Sherlockian tradition, even set in the Victorian England with a reference to the "Sherlock stories". I d the strength of the female lead and the skill of the female narrator with providing her a slight Scottish accent. It also made me realize how few of the stories had female leads or primary characters in this collection.

Lord John and the Plague of Zombies by Diana Gabaldon -- Again, a story with a whole lot more canon, yet incredibly accessible. Appreciated how Grey's sexuality mattered, in small ways came into play, yet just as Lawrence in the Temerier series, his professionalism as an English officer came before everything else.

Beware the Snake / by John Maddox Roberts -- Part of the PQRS(?) series, apparently. Set in the time of the Roman empire, with a character who is a nod to Sherlock Holmes in deductive reasoning, but with a lighter hand and humor mixed in. Curious to seek out more.

In red, with pearls / by Patricia Briggs -- I enjoyed this story. Curious about the greater canon. I d the blend of plot and relationship.

The Adakian Eagle by Bradley Denton -- The protagonist was pitch perfect - young, naive yet painfully burdened with an ugly secret. Pops was great as well. Great twist at the end and the narrator did a great voice for them. Pops had that perfect military gruff voice. anthology audio detective ...more3 s NicoleAuthor 5 books47

I skipped stories I wasnÂ’t interested in or that werenÂ’t to my taste (I'm not into "hardboiled"/ noir-ish stuff); and I ran out of time because I had to return the book to the library and didnÂ’t want to renew it for longer to read more.
I enjoyed some of the stories.
The introduction—“The Bastard Stepchild”—by Martin, discussing the origins of urban fantasy, is wryly witty.
“Styx and Stones” by Steven Saylor – a story of his Roma Sub Rosa series. It's historical mystery with a spook factor/suggestion of the supernatural that turns out to be a ruse. I d the writing style and the voice of the narrator/main character, Gordianus. I also enjoyed the descriptions and sense of place. I may seek out one of the novels.
“It’s Still the Same Old Story” by Carrie Vaughn – Despite not being into vampires, I d Rick when he turned up in the Kitty Norville series. The mystery is understated, the motive interesting in terms of the timing. I enjoyed the stuff about Denver in both timelines. I d how Rick keeps some humanity despite being a vampire. He can feed without killing or turning someone. He’s decent, he’s classy. He keeps his cool. He’s chivalrous and actually s women. He’s protective of those he cares about. I found the encounter with Helen surprisingly sexy. This story reminded me that I’d heard of another story about Rick and prompted me to go out and buy the collection it’s in.
“Lord John and the Plague of Zombies” by Diana Gabaldon – I wasn’t crazy about Outlander, but I know the author has skills; so I decided to give this a try. I d it. The historical mystery is good and has some twists; I was surprised about the details. The setting was very interesting; I don’t think I’ve read about Colonial Jamaica before. I d Lord John Grey. He’s a good man, a good officer, principled, ethical. He isn’t very prejudiced for someone of his time and social status, although he’s not open-minded enough to think that all slaves need to be freed. He’s very sympathetic in terms of the predicament of his sexual orientation.
“Beware the Snake” by John Maddox Roberts – one of his SPQR stories about a Roman aristocrat, Decius Caecilius, and another historical mystery with what seems supernatural potential but turns out to be plain ol’ rotten human nature. It’s true to the era, and as such, the offhand references to slaves made me cringe; but the sense of atmosphere was good. There’s wry humour, especially in Decius’ interactions with his wife, Julia. The mystery is light but entertaining—and informative about snakes.
“In Red, with Pearls” by Patricia Briggs – a Mercy Thompson series tie-in. I’d avoided the MT books after maxing out on werecreature-centric stories for a while, but I thought I’d try this. And I really d it! Good writing style, dialogue, characterization. Often sarcastic humour (including the Russian witch’s hilarious pet names for Warren). I really Warren Smith, cowboy private eye, who also happens to be a werewolf and gay. He has just the right amount of Southern charm, and he's smart. He has a nice relationship with his lawyer boyfriend, Kyle. The plot is twisty, and I did not see the significant developments coming. I’m adding the Mercy Thompson books to my to-read list, after all.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full reviewborrowed-loaned fantasy-adult have-not-finished ...more3 s MargaretAuthor 20 books97

This book is touted as "urban fantasy" which is something I will take issue with. Several of the stories are by prominent writers of historical fiction and the stories are to me, historical mysteries NOT urban fantasy.

For it to be urban fantasy the stories all need to have the frisson of the unexplained - ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night.

A number of stories fit that category, the vampires in Charlaine Harris' story for example. And S. M. Stirling's creepy story "Pain and Suffering". But my favourite stories were, in actuality, straight out historical mystery fiction. I have seen all the authors in mystery anthologies many times before. Not to mention having read their full length novels.

Steven Saylor's Gordianus the Finder as a young man solving a murder in the ancient city of Babylon in the story "Styx and Stones".

Diana Gabaldon's wonderful Lord John Grey is out and about in Jamaica in "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies". Never mind Outlander, Diana needs to give us more Lord John.

But the story that delighted me the most was John Maddox Roberts' story "Beware the Snake" using his delightful creation Decius Caecilius from the SPQR mystery series. This story, whilst having a wonderful mystery (no ghosts, no vampires, no werewolves and no bloody zombies)had some of the funniest laugh out loud moments of any story I have read in ages:

"The Claudians," I observed, "are a family of insane hereditary criminals."

"Look out!" Julia cried. "He has a snake! And he'll use it!"

Pretty much sums up the book, really.

2014-challenge anthologies3 s Liviu SzokeAuthor 34 books413

Din recenzia de pe blog: „Bun, ce s? spun, din ?aisprezece povestiri mi-au pl?cut foarte mult vreo cinci, înc? vreo cinci destul de mult, iar restul, a?a-?i-a?a. Nu ?tiu dac? aceste povestiri ?i nuvele au fost scrise la comand?, adic? editorii s? le fi cerut autorilor s? scrie câte o povestire special pentru aceast? antologie sau dac? editorii au ales ei din noianul de povestiri urban fantasy r?sfirate prin reviste, antologii sau culegeri de autor, cert e c? multe dintre povestiri de abat de la subiect. Îns? din fiecare povestire în parte po?i extrage ceva folositor, ceva pl?cut, un crâmpei de informa?ie colo, o descriere minunat? dincolo, un personaj pestri? în alt? parte, o idee mirobolant? cu care autorul se joac? ?i o pune cu m?iestrie în scen?, iar faptul c? majoritatea autorilor au fost o premier? pentru mine ?i c? pe mul?i îi a?teptam de mult s? fie tradu?i, nu face decât s? recomande aceast? antologie cu povestiri care mai de care mai diverse. În opinia mea, merit? citit?, pentru c? e imposibil ca pân? ?i cel mai preten?ios cititor s? nu g?seasc? ceva pe gustul lui”. Mai multe, pe Blogul FanSF: http://wp.me/pz4D9-2mU.2011-books 2016-reads short-fiction3 s Sharon ?? is an emotional book junkie ?? 2,726

Only read: In Red, with Pearls by Patricia Briggs

A zombie shows up at Kyle's law office intending to kill him but luckily Warren steps in and takes care of it with some help from the witch, Elizaveta. Now all Warren has to do is find out who sent the zombie.

I was so happy to find out that there is finally a story about Warren and Kyle! (Thank you Heather C.) Obviously, the main problem is that it is way too short and now enough alone time for Warren and Kyle. I did love seeing Warren's protective side come out. It was also interesting to learn more about why Warren doesn't just jump into things and how smart he really is.

I do have to say that I didn't figure out who the "bad guy" was till almost the end. There were a lot of layers to the story and it wouldn't been nice to have them played out a bit more. I also wouldn't have minded a cameo of Mercy (with Adam of course!).

Favorite line:

? "Forbidden fruit is the sweetest, Warren, my darling."
read-in-20123 s Jennifer 407 1 follower

I'll admit that I bought this only for Gabaldon's short, "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies." Setting: 18th century Jamaica. Lord John is called to help subdue an uprising of slaves in the hills of the island. While staying at the governor's mansion, he gets quite the surprise and he's left with the task of solving a murder as well.
This is classic Gabaldon: witty dialog, a fun mystery, a smattering of the occult :) And all the while, John still pines away for Jamie :) 1700s historical-fiction mystery3 s Ann1,611

A very good collection, each story was substantial and led me to some new to me authors to try, and favorites to revisit. kindle kindle-library kindle-read ...more2 s CatBookMom1,000

I borrowed this to read the story about Warren and Kyle from Patricia Briggs ("In Red, with Pearls"), but I found quite a few well worth the reading. I'm not a big Diana Gabaldon fan, so I think this was the first story I've read about Lord John ("...and the Plague of Zombies"); it's a good story, as story, but I don't have any interest in reading more about him. Laurie R. King's "Hellbender" is a very good story, very different from her Mary Russell books. The last story in the collection, "The Adakian Eagle" by Bradley Denton, has some really shocking elements, but is a good story, worth reading. As I've written this review, I've raised this to 4 stars.ebook-borrowed finished-2017 sff-paranormal3 s Marya Kowal107

Although I'd give a story or two in this collection 5 stars, I've got to give the overall collection just 2.

This is NOT a collection for light and humorous paranormal romance/thriller lovers. It's a weird collection of that type of headliner, coupled with other straight mystery writers all being asked to write old fashioned hard-boiled detective/noire type stories.

It's billed as an urban fantasy collection, but it's not that either.

I picked it up for Patricia Briggs, Diana Gabaldon, and despite Charaine Harris...but was alternately pleased and disappointed with what I got. The three previously named writers penned stories I enjoyed...but some of the other picks were so difficult to read that I just abandoned the effort. Heavy plots, poorly introduced characters, and uninteresting conflicts abounded. There were shining gems, though, in the midst of the muck, so it wasn't a total loss.

Briggs fans should give at least her story a go...as it gives a little insight into Warren and Kyle, two of my favorites of her Mercy series characters.

I'd get this one from a friend or the library. I find it hard to believe that any one reader would enough of the whole book to make it worth a purchase.
Someone needs to reign in George Martin and winnow his choices to a single category next time.2 s Shanshad Whelan649 35

Not my favorite anthology. Overall I just didn't feel the stories really fit all that well together into what I would consider urban fantasy, although Martin's intro makes the attempt to put them all together. Generally I prefer my urban fantasy to be, well, urban. Not all of these were, or at least lacked a real focus on the urban elements. Especially Gabaldon's story with Lord John. Out in colonial Jamaica is not at all what I'd consider urban.

The stories were so-so overall, and I thought the offerings by the big name authors for urban fantasy in the collection were particularly shrug-worthy. I'd hoped for more, but oh well. Worth a look through and a story or two, but not brilliant.fantasy horror mystery ...more2 s Anna192 53

I had to borrow this book because I was only interest in the story by Patricia Briggs, featuring Warren and Kyle from the Mercy Thompson series. So this review is only about that story.

I loved it, but at the same time I was left wanting more. Much More. The mystery part was really interesting and I d, but I wish he would've gotten more of Warren and Kyle. We don't really learn anything more about their relationship, it was I was reading the book from an outside character and not from Warren. But I'm still giving this four stars because I d the mystery and the stolen moments between Warren and Kyle were so sweet. I hope some day Briggs decide to write a book about these two, many m/f authors are doing. 4-stars awesome-couples established-couples ...more2 s Bubbles Hunty Honest & Direct Opinions 1,314 275

This was warren and Kyle! And I love them and adored this short but it was too short.

I don't feel I got to know them or their relationship any better than I do when it is seen through Mercy's perspective.

The little mystery and investigation was nice but I'd to get to know the characters more and see them together. m-m want2 s Aqua37 3

Urban fantasy, un subgen care a cunoscut în ultimii ani o ascensiune fulminant?, a?a cum o spune chiar George R.R. Martin în prefa?a primului volum din Str?zi întunecate, prefa?? care, mie cel pu?in, mi s-a p?rut la fel de interesant? ca textele antologate. Martin ne explic? originea subgenului, cel pu?in în cazul colec?iei de fa??, amestec de horror ?i roman poli?ist noir. Am f?cut aceast? distinc?ie fiindc?, de?i, cum spuneam, subgenul ?sta ne-a invadat pur ?i simplu în ultimii ani, ceea ce a ajuns în libr?riile noastre a fost mai mult YA urban fantasy, cu tot felul de adolescen?i cu puteri supranaturale afla?i în lupt? cu for?ele r?ului, chestie care, chiar ?i un fan ar trebui s-o recunoasc?, devine cam obositoare dup? o vreme….


De aceea povestirile astea au constituit o surpriz? pl?cut?, autorii lor recunoscându-i drept înainta?i pe Poe, Lovecraft ori Bram Stoker dar ?i pe Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Micky Spillane, Ross Macdonald, eroii care str?bat aceste str?zi întunecate fiind din aceea?i familie cu durii clasici, singuratici ?i hâr?i?i de via??, crea?i de ace?tia din urm?: Marlowe, Sam Spade, Mike Hammer ori Lew Archer.


”Pe aceste str?zi infame trebuie s? p??easc? un b?rbat care nu este el însu?i infam, care nu e nici corupt, nici înfrico?at. Detectivul trebuie s? fie un b?rbat complet, un b?rbat oarecare ?i totu?i un b?rbat neobi?nuit”scria Chandler în eseul s?u Simpla art? de a ucide, iar frazele acestea ar putea constitui motto-ul colec?iei, cu men?iunea c? uneori detectivul se întâmpl? s? fie femeie iar în multe cazuri investigatorii sunt tot atât de neobi?nui?i precum creaturile cu care se confrunt??…


Moarte de mâna Dahliei e o poveste din universul True Blood (Vampirii Sudului), având-o drept eroin? pe Dahlia Lynley-Chivers, o femeie vampir sexy dar foarte periculoas?, cu care fanii lui Charlaine Harris s-au mai întâlnit citind c?r?ile din serie. La petrecerea prilejuit? de ascensiunea lui Joaquin ca ?erif al cuibului de vampiri din Rhodes, la care au fost invitate ?i alte creaturi fantastice, vârcolaci, demoni, semidemoni, vr?jitoare etc, unul dintre oamenii ”dependen?i de col?i”, trimi?i de agen?ia de donatori de sânge, este descoperit mort în buc?t?rie, cu beregata smuls?.


Pe baza sim?urilor foarte dezvoltate (miros ?i v?z) dar ?i a inteligen?ei ?i spiritului de observa?ie remarcabile, Dahlia ?i Matsuda Katamori, care ”fusese un soi de poli?ist cu vreo dou? secole în urm?”, reu?esc s? descopere vinovatul ?i s? îndep?rteze rapid cadavrul ?i suspiciunile poli?i?tilor sosi?i la fa?a locului în urma unui apel anonim. Solu?ia misterului e previzibil?, farmecul pove?tii e dat îns? de stilul autoarei, de umorul ei ?i de interac?iunile dintre personaje, în special cele dintre Dahlia ?i to?i ceilal?i. E o eroin? puternic?, din categoria badass, c?reia i-a? citi cu pl?cere aventurile, dac? Charlaine Harris s-ar hot?rî s? le scrie.


Pornind de la legenda lui Robert Johnson, un bluesman care ?i-ar fi vândut sufletul diavolului în schimbul talentului/succesului, Joe R. Lansdale ne spune, în Umbra sângerând?, o poveste tulbur?toare (în lips? de un cuvânt mai bun) despre un alt muzician ?i pactul lui p?gubos, narat?, într-un stil amintind de mae?trii genului hardboiled, din perspectiva unui detectiv particular f?r? licen?? din America de la sfâr?itul anilor ’40.

”Din când în când mai fac ceva munc? de detectiv pentru cunoscu?i, care m? recomand? altora. N-am permis. În ora?ul ?sta negrii n-ar putea c?p?ta permis nici dac? s-ar c?ca sticl? pisat?.”

O fost? iubit?, îngrijorat? de soarta fratelui ei, Tootie, îl trimite în c?utarea acestuia iar el accept?, în ciuda faptului c? individul nu i-a pl?cut niciodat?. ”Tr?ia din banii ei ob?inu?i din prostitu?ie ?i nu-l deranja de loc. Nu-mi pl?cea de el. Dar recunosc un lucru. B?iatu' ?la ?tia s? cânte blues.”
Motivul îngrijor?rii, un disc de vinil trimis de Tootie, înregistrat cu o muzic? stranie ?i dezagreabil? ce pare s?-i afecteze într-un mod ciudat:”Era ceva înl?untrul muzicii ?leia, ceva ce plesc?ia ?i se furi?a, ?i gâlgâia, ?i delira, ceva nelini?titor ca un ?arpe într-o m?nu?? de satin.”

Dintre toate textele antologate, ?sta mi s-a p?rut exemplul perfect de noir altoit cu horror, autorul are, cu siguran??, un talent remarcabil ?i o imagina?ie bolnav?, reu?ind s? creeze, cu ajutorul unei cascade de imagini vizuale, auditive, olfactive, ni?te scene de co?mar pe care nu le po?i uita cu una-cu dou?Â…

Inim? fl?mând? se petrece în inima ascuns? a Londrei, ”un loc întunecat ?i secret unde zeii ?i mon?trii se încaier? pe alei, unde minunile ?i miracolele se g?sesc dou? la un penny, unde tot ?i to?i sunt de vânzare ?i unde toate visurile ?i se pot îndeplini. Mai ales acelea din care te treze?ti urlând. În Zona Întunecat? a Londrei este întotdeauna întuneric ?i-i întotdeauna ora trei diminea?a, ora care pune la încercare sufletele oamenilor…?i g?se?te c? acestea las? de dorit.”


Eroul seriei The Nightside, John Taylor, are reputa?ia de a g?si întotdeauna ceea ce caut? ?i acesta e motivul pentru care e angajat de Holly Wylde, o vr?jitoare care ?i-a pierdut inima…la propriu. Sau cel pu?in a?a sus?ine ea, trimi?ându-l pe urmele unei casete speciale numite Pacea Inimii. Ceea ce urmeaz? e o reinterpretare interesant? a romanului lui Dashiell Hammett, ?oimul maltez, în care Holly Wylde e la fel de încânt?toare ?i mincinoas? precum Brigid O’Shaughnessy iar Elias Sweetman ?i Pistolarul sunt croi?i dup? modelul duoului Casper Gutman—Wilmer Cook, singura diferen?? fiind aceea c? tân?rul pistolar din povestea noastr? trage cu ”gloan?e conceptuale”(dar la fel de letale ca cele adev?rate) iar finalul e u?or diferit.

Mai multe: https://jurnal365.ro/recenzia-de-vine...1 rick.256 21

Set in the Aleutian Islands during World War II, Bradley Denton brings an unique setting and mysticism to his paranormal detective short story The Adakian Eagle. Our protagonist is a private in the army, stationed on Adak island which is home to both army and navy outposts. He is ordered by his lieutenant colonel to investigate an unsettling scene, high on the mountain, which appears to indicate animal sacrifice and potentially more disturbing crimes. The resulting investigation involves political intrigue, native mysticism, and tests the privateÂ’s commitment to truth and duty. The writing does not flow naturally and perhaps is trying to imitate the terse cadence of noir detective stories, but initially reduced my enjoyment. I think the choice of location and timing was an inspired decision which setup a lot of thoughtful tension and intersecting motives. The twists and turns of the investigation seemed logical and earned, and ultimately delivered a nice complex back story, character development and resolution.crime fantasy historical-fiction ...more1 Venus152 5

I keep on convincing myself that I short story anthologies this, but really, in practice, I hate the damn things.

This one seemed to really hit on all those things I dis about anthologies. Of the 16 stories, only 6 of them as far as I can figure were original content while the other 10 were one offs based on existing series. Basically, things not good enough to be published with the rest of it. While some of them we
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