First published 2026
Twenty carefully chosen mystery and suspense stories fill this annual collection, each one selected by Edgar Award winner Megan Abbott from hundreds published in 2025. Abbott, author of The Fever and veteran screenwriter, brings her sharp eye for psychological tension to this curatorial role. Series editor Steph Cha oversees the process that has made Best American the most trusted name in short fiction anthologies since 1915. These stories represent the finest crime writing from magazines, journals, and online publications across the previous year. Each tale delivers the precise plotting and character depth that define excellent mystery fiction. Abbott's selections span the full spectrum of the genre, from classic detective work to psychological suspense to noir atmospherics. The collection showcases both established voices and emerging talents who pushed mystery fiction forward in 2025.
Genres: short-stories, suspense, mystery
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: anthology, mystery
Period: 2025, 2026
320 pages · Paperback · Mariner Books