Book Review: The Best British Mysteries IV (2006)

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

The Best British Mysteries IV (2006)     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Maxim Jakubowski
Class/Genre:   Mystery   [Short Stories]
Allison & Busby Limited, 2005, 349 pps.

There is a wealth of wonderful stories written by excellent authors between the pages of this book. Stories by Anne Perry, Val McDermid, Marilyn Todd, Christopher Fowler, Keith Miles, John Mortimer, Judith Cutler, Peter Lovesey, Barbara Cleverly, John Connolly, Peter Tremayne, Ken Bruen, H.R.F.Keating, John Harvey, Kim Newman, Adrian Magson, Amy Myers, Peter Turnbull, Alanna Knight, Robert Barnard, Ian Morson, Michael Z Lewin, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Margaret Murhy,Gillian Linscott, Mark Billingham, Jake Arnott, Martin Edwards and Peter Robinson.

I believe any reader can pick up this book and find a number of stories to their liking. Val McDermid writes of “Four Calling Birds”. The Four Calling Birds call bingo on a regular basis and have for years but the new manager takes over and decides to go to machines. When The Birds family gets done with their sting operation on the bingo hall and the manager the Birds are welcomed back with open arms. Pretty slick ending.

Keith Miller tells an interesting tale about Old Bag Dad who is a tramp that hangs out in Memorial Park and reads War and Peace. You will want to keep reading this story to see how Old Bag Dad makes out with the new park manager and see if you can figure out where he disappears to every winter.

I carried this book with me and read on breaks at work, while waiting for an appt. etc. It is wonderful to have a story you can read quickly and enjoy it when you only have a limited amount of time. This book would also make a good gift for Birthday or Christmas.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM