The 50 Greatest Mysteries of All Time

Rating:
Summary: A Lazy Man's Compendium
Review: The lazy man is Penzler. I was caught bookless and had to have something quickly a couple of days ago, so I picked this up on the title alone. I read widely, but my weakness has always been mysteries, preferably of the who-done-it variety with psychological insights. I've read historial and contemporary, procedurals and cozies..lots and lots of English and American writers. So I figured...The 50 Greatest Mysteries! Edited by a Big Name in mystery fiction. I expected well written and carefully chosen mysteries, including lesser known fascinating puzzles. Penzler is well known in mystery literature: owner of the Mysterious Bookshop, compiler, guest lecturer...a Name in the Business. The "Best" of anything is always an argument, so even if the stories were not "the best" they would certainly be contenders.
The stories are arranged chronologically, and Penzler provides a very brief introductory paragraph. He does not suggest why the story is included (and in one instance, refers to a story that is not included as better than his example). He doesn't discuss or distinguish between a true mystery, a suspense story, a procedural or a cozy. Arguments abound as to what is a 'mystery' and Penzler doesn't attempt to add to or resolve the discussions. He adds no insights or points of view--nothing to justify his choices. Some of his dated pieces are charmless, so I have to assume they were included as exemplars of the period, but Mr. Penzler doesn't place the unfamiliar within a context. Instead, he seems to have included the oldest first, plodding through the genre to fill the pages before the next book, which will probably be called Another 50 of the Greatest Mysteries. The book seems complied haphazardly and named to sell.

Perhaps I ask too much. There are some lovely stories,and some that are interesting. He includes a brief suspenseful piece by Edith Wharton. She's a lovely writer, but not an ounce of mystery is involved in the tale. The Red Headed League is an early Sherlock Holmes which is fun but not the best of Doyle. I can't argue with The Purloined Letter (Poe), and am happy to known that writers not known for mysteries actually wrote a few (Jack London, Aldus Huxley, Thomas Hardy[and its a good one], Thurber, AA Milne, Ogden Nash) but they are not the Greatest Mysteries. Fredrick Irvington Anderson's story is dated and tiresome--and Mr. Anderson is not a familiar name. Mr. Penzler doesn't crack stories from 1950 until page 327--two thirds of the way through the book. But it is probably cheaper to republish stories well past their copyright conflicts date.

They ain't The Greatest Mysteries. They are sometimes interesting. Some are truly fine. If you want context, insight or thematic consistency, look elsewhere. These are complied tales, not an editor's choice. On the other hand, if you are caught bookless and need 567 page of choices, you will find some good stories, some seldom published historical oddies to leaf through, some to skip and certainly, along the way, something to like.

Rating:
Summary: A Lazy Man's Compendium
Review: The lazy man is Penzler. I was caught bookless and had to have something quickly a couple of days ago, so I picked this up on the title alone. I read widely, but my weakness has always been mysteries, preferably of the who-done-it variety with psychological insights. I've read historial and contemporary, procedurals and cozies..lots and lots of English and American writers. So I figured...The 50 Greatest Mysteries! Edited by a Big Name in mystery fiction. I expected well written and carefully chosen mysteries, including lesser known fascinating puzzles. Penzler is well known in mystery literature: owner of the Mysterious Bookshop, compiler, guest lecturer...a Name in the Business. The "Best" of anything is always an argument, so even if the stories were not "the best" they would certainly be contenders.
The stories are arranged chronologically, and Penzler provides a very brief introductory paragraph. He does not suggest why the story is included (and in one instance, refers to a story that is not included as better than his example). He doesn't discuss or distinguish between a true mystery, a suspense story, a procedural or a cozy. Arguments abound as to what is a 'mystery' and Penzler doesn't attempt to add to or resolve the discussions. He adds no insights or points of view--nothing to justify his choices. Some of his dated pieces are charmless, so I have to assume they were included as exemplars of the period, but Mr. Penzler doesn't place the unfamiliar within a context. Instead, he seems to have included the oldest first, plodding through the genre to fill the pages before the next book, which will probably be called Another 50 of the Greatest Mysteries. The book seems complied haphazardly and named to sell.

Perhaps I ask too much. There are some lovely stories,and some that are interesting. He includes a brief suspenseful piece by Edith Wharton. She's a lovely writer, but not an ounce of mystery is involved in the tale. The Red Headed League is an early Sherlock Holmes which is fun but not the best of Doyle. I can't argue with The Purloined Letter (Poe), and am happy to known that writers not known for mysteries actually wrote a few (Jack London, Aldus Huxley, Thomas Hardy[and its a good one], Thurber, AA Milne, Ogden Nash) but they are not the Greatest Mysteries. Fredrick Irvington Anderson's story is dated and tiresome--and Mr. Anderson is not a familiar name. Mr. Penzler doesn't crack stories from 1950 until page 327--two thirds of the way through the book. But it is probably cheaper to republish stories well past their copyright conflicts date.

They ain't The Greatest Mysteries. They are sometimes interesting. Some are truly fine. If you want context, insight or thematic consistency, look elsewhere. These are complied tales, not an editor's choice. On the other hand, if you are caught bookless and need 567 page of choices, you will find some good stories, some seldom published historical oddies to leaf through, some to skip and certainly, along the way, something to like.