And the Dying Is Easy: All-New Tales of Summertime Suspense

Rating:
Summary: Awesome Anthology
Review: Being a mystery writer with my first novel in its initial release, I have met many (and know well some) of the authors featured in this collection. I freely admit to this bias, but I still assert AND THE DYING IS EASY provides an excellent introduction to contemporary mystery short fiction. Some big names are featured--Dana Stabenow, Max Allan Collins and Tamar Myers among them. Some reasonably new authors are also featured. There is a wide variety of story types in this collection--some as cozy as cozies get while others reach the level of gritty to the extreme. Various authors use historical and contemporary settings. I particularly enjoyed Matt Witten's, Andy Straka's, Sam McCarver's, and k.j.a. Wishnia's tales. AND THE DYING EASY is such a fine introduction to short form mysteries that I, in my role as university professor, have made this book part of the assigned reading for my writing short mystery fiction course this fall at California State University.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome Anthology
Review: Being a mystery writer with my first novel in its initial release, I have met many (and know well some) of the authors featured in this collection. I freely admit to this bias, but I still assert AND THE DYING IS EASY provides an excellent introduction to contemporary mystery short fiction. Some big names are featured--Dana Stabenow, Max Allan Collins and Tamar Myers among them. Some reasonably new authors are also featured. There is a wide variety of story types in this collection--some as cozy as cozies get while others reach the level of gritty to the extreme. Various authors use historical and contemporary settings. I particularly enjoyed Matt Witten's, Andy Straka's, Sam McCarver's, and k.j.a. Wishnia's tales. AND THE DYING EASY is such a fine introduction to short form mysteries that I, in my role as university professor, have made this book part of the assigned reading for my writing short mystery fiction course this fall at California State University.

Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Collection
Review: This is a collection of mysteries set during the summer or on vacations (or both) from 20 of Signet's mystery writers. Ranging from well known to new authors, the list includes the following: Jeff Abbott, Lydia Adamson, Ann Campbell, JoAnna Carl, Edie Claire, Max Allan Collins, Selma Eichler, Hazel Holt, Peter King, John Lantigua, Sam McCarver, Tamar Myers, Dana Stabenow, Andy Straka, Denise Swanson, Peter Trenayne, Judith Van Gieson, k.j.a. Wishnia, Matt Witten, and Wayne Worcester. Most of the authors write stories using their series sleuths, but a few take the opportunity to introduce a new character from a new series.

With only a couple exceptions, I enjoyed the 20 stories presented here. This book confirmed my opinion of several authors I had already read and introduced me to several new authors I'm looking forward to trying. I will be watching anxiously for the new series introduced here.

This is a great way to get a feel for many different authors. If you like cozy mysteries, this book is fun summer reading and will introduce you to some new friends.

Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Collection
Review: This is a collection of mysteries set during the summer or on vacations (or both) from 20 of Signet's mystery writers. Ranging from well known to new authors, the list includes the following: Jeff Abbott, Lydia Adamson, Ann Campbell, JoAnna Carl, Edie Claire, Max Allan Collins, Selma Eichler, Hazel Holt, Peter King, John Lantigua, Sam McCarver, Tamar Myers, Dana Stabenow, Andy Straka, Denise Swanson, Peter Trenayne, Judith Van Gieson, k.j.a. Wishnia, Matt Witten, and Wayne Worcester. Most of the authors write stories using their series sleuths, but a few take the opportunity to introduce a new character from a new series.

With only a couple exceptions, I enjoyed the 20 stories presented here. This book confirmed my opinion of several authors I had already read and introduced me to several new authors I'm looking forward to trying. I will be watching anxiously for the new series introduced here.

This is a great way to get a feel for many different authors. If you like cozy mysteries, this book is fun summer reading and will introduce you to some new friends.

Rating:
Summary: A good collection...
Review: Well, to start off, the 5 stars were given just so that you would pick up the book. Try to get "And..." at the library if you can, but if yours doesn't carry it, then you might think about buying it.

Now on to the stories. Out of the 20 stories I read and enjoyed 4 of them. Yes, only 4 and they are: "Salt On the Rim" - Jeff Abbott; "Chocolate Kidnapping Clue" - JoAnna Carl; "Unreasonable Dout" - Max Allan Collins; "Porridge and Bess" - Tamar Myers. These are well written and enjoyable stories.

I read these stories and thought they were OK, but nothing special: "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" - Ann Campbell; "Murder Can Hurt Your Ears" - Selma Eichler; "Loch Ness Mystery" - Sam McCarver.

You are advised to skip the rest of the stories in the book. I still think that Denise Swanson is a good author but this story is not among her best work. All in all a very good collection.

Rating:
Summary: A good collection...
Review: Well, to start off, the 5 stars were given just so that you would pick up the book. Try to get "And..." at the library if you can, but if yours doesn't carry it, then you might think about buying it.

Now on to the stories. Out of the 20 stories I read and enjoyed 4 of them. Yes, only 4 and they are: "Salt On the Rim" - Jeff Abbott; "Chocolate Kidnapping Clue" - JoAnna Carl; "Unreasonable Dout" - Max Allan Collins; "Porridge and Bess" - Tamar Myers. These are well written and enjoyable stories.

I read these stories and thought they were OK, but nothing special: "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" - Ann Campbell; "Murder Can Hurt Your Ears" - Selma Eichler; "Loch Ness Mystery" - Sam McCarver.

You are advised to skip the rest of the stories in the book. I still think that Denise Swanson is a good author but this story is not among her best work. All in all a very good collection.