Crime Through Time III

Rating:
Summary: Grat anthology
Review: Fans of historical mysteries will have a very good time perusing the third collection in an excellent anthology series. Editor Sharyn Newman has accumulated a variety of superb stories that will satisfy most readers with its strong contents. The introduction written by talented Victorian mystery author Anne Perry provides insight into the book, series, and overall sub-genre.

Many popular writers have contributed tales about their famous characters. Steven Sayor includes a new Gordionus story while Bruce Alexander provides a well-written original story. Miriam Grave Monefredi combines her Civil War knowledge with a Viet Nam widow's loss. Jan Burke, known for her police procedurals and amateur sleuths has written a historical supernatural mystery. Even alternate history great Harry Turtledove has entered the foray. All the stories are entertaining and fun to read, making this short story collection worth keeping.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A Crime It Wasn't Better...
Review: I purchase anthologies to get aquainted with new authors. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine generally satisfies my thirst for crime stories, but the whole historical aspect of this collection caught my interest. Overall, the book is pleasant, yet humdrum. Many of the stories were so brief you really couldn't get a feel for any of the characters and whatever clues were required to conclude each story seemed thrust forth eagerly in an effort to just end things quickly. Some stories shone more brightly than others--mainly due to the creative use of setting. I'm uncertain how accurate some of the details were for each of the eras represented, but all seemed quite plausible, creating nearly all of the charm the book possessed. Many of the stories came across as little more than tiny one-act plays with little time for humor or any misleading of the reader, thus making them instantly forgettable. If the authors are allowed more leeway to properly flavor the next collection, perhaps it won't be quite so bland. I'd rather pay more for a thicker book or read one with fewer authors penning longer stories than see another collection so forced and underdone.