by Otto Penzler
First published 2017
Distinguished mystery authors craft original stories where books become instruments of murder and mayhem. Sigmund Freud faces an unwelcome visitor in his study. Detective Columbo squares off against a killer who deals in rare volumes. A Mexican cartel leader's obsession with collectible books proves fatal. Deep within the London Library, murderous secrets hide among the stacks. These tales feature hidden messages tucked inside novels, charming booksellers with dark motives, collectors who kill for the perfect acquisition, and an enchanted library that defies explanation. The Mysterious Bookshop commissioned these stories from acclaimed writers including Ken Bruen, Nelson DeMille, Anne Perry, Jeffery Deaver, C. J. Box, Thomas Cook, Laura Lippman, Reed Farrel Coleman, Loren Estleman, Mickey Spillane, Max Allan Collins, and John Connolly. Publishers have translated the collection into seven languages, with one story selling over 250,000 digital copies and another winning the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Short Story.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, murder-mystery
Setting: London Library, Mexico
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
544 pages · Hardcover · Pegasus Crime