Book Review: The Detection Collection

Reviewed By: Catherine Thompson - RAM

[5 stars]

The Detection Collection Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada HC
Simon Brett
Class/Genre: Mystery [Short Stories]
Orion, $24.95 trade paperback, 195 pages

The Detection Collection is a collection (obviously) of 11 short stories by the cream of British crime writers, all of whom are members of the Detection Club. This volume, edited by the club’s current president, Simon Brett, is arguably in honour of the club’s 75th anniversary. I say arguably, as does Brett in his introduction, because the date of the club’s founding is in dispute: some authorities place it in 1929, others in 1932, others still in 1930.

In any case, the Detection Club is still going strong, and these short stories confirm it. There are light-hearted offerings from Lindsey Davis (author of the Roman mysteries featuring Marcus Didius Falco) and H. R. F. Keating (author of the Hard Detective novels and past president of the club); fiendishly clever pieces from P. D. James and Colin Dexter, two of my all-time favourites; and stories involving series characters by John Harvey, Margaret Yorke, and Reginald Hill.

All the stories are strong, but one would expect nothing less from the members of the Detection Club, whose past members include such luminaries as Agatha Christie, Michael Innes, and Julian Symons. Particular favourites of mine are Lindsey Davis’s “‘Going Anywhere Nice?’”, which involves private detective “Grubby” Grubshaw and his detecting companion Woody the woodlouse on the trail of a hitman in Italy; “Fool of Myself” from Reginald Hill, in which Dalziel appears sans Pascoe; and “Between the Lines,” a very clever piece from Colin Dexter about a writing exercise gone awry. The best title, though, belongs to Robert Goddard’s story, “Toupee for a Bald Tyre.” Simon Brett’s introduction and history of the Club really round out the collection nicely.

Catherine Thompson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Catherine Thompson - RAM