A collection of mysteries. Perhaps I am no longer a reader of collections. This one penler did not hold my attention.

I always know that when I’ve got a book with Otto Penzler’s name on it, I’m in for a treat, and Bibliomysteries is no exception. Besides, mysteries? With books at their center? I’m in!

This volume contains 15 stories by some of my favorite authors, including John Connolly and Nelson DeMille. It also included a few that I’ve never read before, which served as fantastic introductions to their work. These are meaty tales with a literary bent, and there’s something for everyone, bibliophiles and casual readers alike. I’ll highlight a few of my favorites here, but you’ll want to thoroughly explore the entire collection.

I admit I started in the back of the book with Connolly’s Edgar Award-winning “The Caxton Library & Book Depository.” Shame on me for not having read this one yet, although it was on my radar because of the Edgar win, an award it certainly deserves.


In it, the quiet and shy Mr. Berger discovers—upon his mother’s death—that he’s inherited a sizable amount of money and decides to retire to the small English town of Glossum. He’s a keen lover of books and recognizes that his preference for the company of books to the company of people may have led to him still being single in his late thirties. Even so, he’s happy, and he spends his retirement reading and taking long walks.

One day, he observes something very, very strange next to the railroad tracks during one of these walks: a woman getting dangerously close to the tracks, enough to alarm him. To his shock, she appears to throw herself in the path of the oncoming train. But there’s no body. And the police find no sign of the woman that he’s sure he saw.

His interest is sufficiently piqued, and as the days go by, he becomes convinced that she’s familiar to him. Oh, she’s familiar alright—in fact, she’s right out of Tolstoy’s imagination. Intrigued? You should be. When Berger finally discovers the truth about the woman’s origins, it opens up a whole new world to him, one of wonder and discovery and even love. This is an enchanting story about the power of books and imagination, but I would expect nothing less from the hugely talented Connolly.

Next up for me was the always awesome Nelson DeMille’s “The Book Case.” If you haven’t experienced his smart-arse NYPD detective John Corey, get thee to a copy of Plum Island. “The Book Case” is a perfect intro to the character, as Corey is called to the scene of the murder by falling shelf of the owner of the Dead End Bookstore and realizes the perpetrator may be closer than he thinks. Here’s the setup:

I walked to the staircase that had a sign saying Private and began the corkscrew climb. On the way, I tried to recall the two or three times I’d interacted with Mr. Otis Parker here in his store. He was a bearded guy in his early 60’s, but could have looked younger if he’d bought a bottle of Grecian Formula. He dressed well, and I remember thinking—the way cops do—that he must have had another source of income. Maybe this store was a front for something. Or maybe I read too many crime novels.

I also recalled that Mr. Parker was a bit churlish-though I’d heard him once talking enthusiastically to a customer about collectors’ edition which he sold in the back of the store. I’d sized him up as a man who liked his books more than he liked the people who bought them. In short, a typical bookstore owner.

Then Corey comes across the scene of the crime.

I snagged a pair of latex gloves from a paramedic, then I surveyed the scene of the crime or the accident: It was a nice office, and there was an oriental rug on the floor, strewn with lots of leather bound books around a big mahogany writing desk. The legs of the desk had collapsed under the weight of the falling bookcase behind it, as had the legs and arms of the desk chair and side chair. The tipsy bookcase in question had been uprighted and leaned back against the wall revealing Mr. Otis Parker whose sprawled, splayed, and flattened body lay half on the collapsed desk and half on the floor. The desk items-telephone, Rolodex, pencil holder and so forth-had miraculously remained on the desk as had the blotter which was soaking up some fresh blood on and around the deceased’s head and face. Fortunately, Mr. Parker’s brains remained where they belonged. I don’t like to see brains.

This a zippy, clever little story, and I wanted it to be longer. Maybe it particularly appealed to me because I’m pretty sure that’s how I’ll die, crushed under the weight of one of my bookshelves. But I digress…

Another fairly zippy offering is Jeffrey Deaver’s “An Acceptable Sacrifice,” about two hired guns—one American and one Mexican—out to catch an alleged cartel head who has a thing for rare books, using his weakness as a way in.

Anne Perry’s creepy “The Scroll” is about Monty Danforth, an antiquarian book dealer who takes a delivery of an ancient scroll written in Aramaic that could change the face of religion forever. He’s visited by multiple people who know about the scroll, and they all want a chance to buy it or take it from him. It seems that some of them will stop at nothing to get it. In fact, he’s visited by a bishop, who offers a pretty straightforward warning:

“Not threats, Mr. Danforth,” the bishop said in barely more than a whisper. “A warning. You are dealing with powers so ancient you cannot conceive their beginning, and in your most hideous nightmare you cannot think of their end. You are not a fool. Do not, in your ignorance and hubris, behave like one.” Then without adding any more, or explaining himself, he turned and went out the door. His feet made no sound whatsoever on the floorboards beyond, nor did the street door click shut behind him.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Monty starts to see some very strange things.

He glanced up at a field of crops, and saw beyond it a sight that made his heart lurch. The rich, dark earth was littered with human skulls—thousands of them, as if a great army had been slaughtered and their corpses left in the open to rot as a perpetual reminder of death.

Creepy, huh? It’s a chilling little gem, for sure.

Thomas H. Cook’s “What’s in a Name,” Reed Farrel Coleman’s “The Book of Ghosts,” and Peter Blauner’s “The Final Testament” all involve Nazism and the horror of the Holocaust in some fashion. David Bell’s superb “Rides a Stranger” explores death and grief with a book-lover's eye, along with a compelling mystery to boot.

“The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman is lighter in tone, breaking up the rather dark themes of many of the other stories. It’s about a man that steals books for a very peculiar, almost transcendent reason and a very real place, The Book Thing. Lippman’s reporter-turned-PI Tess Monaghan investigates with her adorable little girl, Carla Scout, in tow, and it is a love letter to the joy of reading, particularly the tactile facets of it.

These are just my favorites, but each story has its merits. If you pick this one up, carve out some time, because you’ll want to read just one more…

This collection is the perfect read for lovers of books and mysteries. What can be better than murders themes around books?

These 15 short stories were written by distinguished mystery writers and they make every story count. The editor Otto Penzler put together an anthology of crime between books that fill fit the likes of most readers. From hidden messages inside old books, a deadly bookseller and the deep secrets a library might hide, make this book impossible to put down.

Each storyline is different but they all have something in common: books. The title was definitely well picked and it describes perfectly its content. All the stories take place in modern times and they all involve different types of books or characters related to books like booksellers, book collectors, books privately owned, public displayed books and even an old scroll. Even though most of the stories can be classified as thriller/mystery, some of them have a fantasy touch to them and one fits in the fantasy genre completely.

The authors with stories on this collection, by order of appearance, are:

Jeffery Deaver - "An Acceptable Sacrifice "
C.J. Box - "Pronghorns of the Third Reich"
Ken Bruen - "The Book of Virtue"
Reed Farrel Coleman - "The Book of Ghosts"
Peter Blauner - "The Final Testament"
Thomas Cook - "What's In A Name? "
Loren D. Estleman - "Book Club"
William Link - "Death Leaves A Bookmark"
Laura Lippman - "The Book Thing"
Anne Perry - "The Scroll"
Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins - "It's In the Book"
Andrew Taylor - "The Long Sonata of the Dead"
David Bell - "Rides A Stranger"
John Connolly - "The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository"
Nelson DeMille - "The Book Case"

The editor Otto Penzler did a great job putting this anthology together. All the authors have different styles of writing, different ways of describing and interaction with the reader which is very refreshing when you’re jumping from story to story. Some of the authors I’m familiar with and it was a treat to read some short works from them, like Jeffrey Deaver, Thomas Cook and John Connolly. Additionally, discovering other authors just made my to-read list a bit longer for next year.

I absolutely recommend this anthology to all the fans of murder mysteries and books. These great authors write great stories and getting to know other creators of this genre might help you discover some great books you haven’t read yet.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Pegasus Books and the editor for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

This is a wonderful book that deals with mysteries in book stores. Every mystery has to do with at least one book type thing. It's great for lovers of books and mysteries.

"...Diaz realized he was stabbed by guilt at the thought that he'd just planted a bomb that would take the life of a man at his most vulnerable, doing something he loved and found comfort in: reading a book." (Jeffrey Deaver)

Otto Penzler doesn’t mess around, and so when I saw this collection, I was all in. Many thanks go to Net Galley and Pegasus Books for the digital review copy, which I received free in exchange for this honest review. This title is now for sale.

All of the stories included here are themed around books; we have bookstores of course, and libraries, both public and private, magical and actual. All of them are copyrighted between 2011 and 2013. In addition to the excellent name of the editor here, some of whose other collections I have enjoyed, I saw three authors that I knew I wanted to read right away: John Connolly, Thomas H Cook, and Max Allan Collins. Sure enough, all three of their contributions were excellent; I have to admit Connolly’s was my favorite--featuring book characters that had come to life, which made me laugh out loud—but the quality was strong throughout. The very first story is by Jeffrey Deaver; I had never read his work before and it is excellent, so now I have a new author to follow. I confess I didn’t like the second story, which is by C.J. Box; I found his writing style curiously abrasive and I bailed. The third story likewise didn’t strike a chord. However, that still gives me 12 or 13 outstanding stories, and the collection is thick and juicy, like a terrific steak. Or tofu burger, depending on the reader’s tastes.

I can’t think of a more congenial collection than mysteries and books. For those that love the genre, this book is highly recommended.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
I have often said how much I enjoy anthologies. There is something special about the short story form that is hard to beat. It is great when you don't have time for a long involved and complicated book. It can be consumed one story at a time or in small batches. It is perfect for vacations.
THis is a really good book with some fabulous authors and stories that are entertaining and suspenseful. All the stories have something to do with books, which in a book is a rather whimsical common denominator. Even with the theme, there is a lot of variety in the stories and the only two things they have in common is they all centre around books and they are all enjoyable.
I give this book five purrs and two paws up

The short mysteries in this collection were specially commissioned by the Mysterious Bookshop. All of the mysteries have something to do with books, bookstores, and/or libraries. Mystery aficionados will recognize most, if not all, of the contributors to the collection. I gravitate more towards cozies, historical mysteries, and the occasional police procedural. This collection is heavier in the private detective and hard-boiled/noir genres. The stories by my two favorite authors among the contributors (C. J. Box and Anne Perry) are quite a bit different from their usual fare. Most of the historical stories have something to do with Nazis and the Third Reich, so much that it seems like overkill. The stories I'll remember most are “Pronghorns of the Third Reich” by C. J. Box (inspired by a real photograph), “The Book Thing” by Laura Lippman (featuring her series P.I. Tess Monaghan and Baltimore's real-life Book Thing), “It's In the Book” (an unfinished short story by the great Mickey Spillane, completed by Max Allan Collins), and “The Caxton Lending Library & Book Depository” by John Connolly, which reminded me that it's been too long since I read my last Thursday Next novel. While it would be a nice gift for book-loving mystery fans, many readers may prefer to borrow this one from their local library.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

As with most collections of short stories, some resonated more with me than others.

"An Acceptable Sacrifice" by Jeffery Deaver - Mexican drug lord with a weakness for books. Not my thing.

"Pronghorns of the Third Reich" by C J Box - A couple of men kidnap a lawyer who won a case involving one of the men and his grandfather. Books play a role, but I don't want to give away the plot.

"The Book of Virtue" by Ken Bruen - A lot of short choppy sentences that create a tale a bit too "noir" and full of crude language for me.

"The Book of Ghosts" by Reed Farrel Coleman - A story born out of a World War II fabrication of a "Book of Ghosts."

"The Final Testament" by Peter Blauner - Sauerwald visits Freud in Britain, discussing Freud's books, a manuscript Freud is writing, and one Sauerwald himself wrote. It gets bogged down in places.

"What's In a Name?" by Thomas H. Cook - An old schoolmate visits Altman carrying a manuscript. Book has an interesting twist.

"Book Club" by Loren D. Estleman - Guy who collects rare books is murdered.

"Death Leaves a Bookmark" by William Link - Excellent mystery featuring Lt. Columbo as detective.This was my personal favorite in the collection.

"The Book Thing" by Laura Lippman - What's going on with a series of book thefts in a Baltimore children's bookstore? Tess helps discover what's going on and finds a way to prevent it in the future. I liked this one a lot.

"The Scroll" by Anne Perry - Mystery centers on the discovery of a scroll, written in Aramaic, with unusual properties.

"It's in the Book" by Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins - Mike Hammer is entrusted with a finding book or ledger believed to exist. Spillane is not my typical mystery read, but I liked this one a lot.

"The Long Sonata of the Dead" by Andrew Taylor - This is set in the London Library. There's a man having an affair. I'm really not quite sure what to make of this one. It's just weird.

"Rides a Stranger" by David Bell - A college professor returns home for his dad's funeral, making a surprising discovery about his father's literary life.

"The Caxton Library & Book Depository" by John Connolly - A man witnesses what appears to be a re-enactment of Anna Karenina. Then he witnesses it again. His investigations of the strange matter lead him to the Caxton Library.

"The Book Case" by Nelson DeMille - Bookstore owner is killed by a bookcase falling on him. It appears an accident to most, but the detective discovers wedges holding the case in place were removed. He interviewed suspects and solved the case.

My favorite stories were not those written by the authors I typically read and enjoy. Readers may discover they wish to give a chance to a "new to them" author or to one who may be a better writer now than in earlier days.

I received an electronic advance review copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

BIBLIOMYSTERIES edited by Otto Penzler is an impressive collection of short stories written by well known mystery crime writers, and the editor has done a fine job of compiling this assortment into a book that flows from one story to the next with a common theme, being they are all centered around books.

Most often when I read books that are a collection of short stories I will read a story at a time and can take time off between each one and don’t finish the book in a short amount of time, however I read this book rather quickly due to both the quality of the stories themselves (not surprising considering the authors), and how well this was put together by the editor.

Otto Penzler caught my attention as editor of the fine book “The Lineup” (recommended) that is made up of well known authors discussing the best known characters from their novels that I found very enjoyable.

Also of interest and on my to-read list is “In Pursuit of Spenser” that is a collection of well known author’s insights into Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser”.

I recommend this book to all fans of mystery>crime short stories, and followers of the authors who’ve written the stories included here.

5 stars.

A pleasant mix of stories from a wide variety of popular mystery authors; united in their adulation of books.

What a great idea and so much fun fun to read. I particularly liked "It's in the Book" by Micky Spillane and Max Allen Collins. All of the stories kept me reading to the end and wanting more. Thank you Mr. Penzler.

I received an e-ARC of this collection of short stories through NetGalley and Pegasus Books W.W. Norton & Company. Thank you.

Each story in this collection was not a five star read for me but when taken as a whole I have to let the star rating indicate how interested I was in the collection and how eager I was to read each succeeding story. The stories are completely different - even though there was the same circumstance which happened in two stories the narratives themselves were so different it didn't seem to matter to me. All the stories center on books; some are individual books, some are collections of books, some are privately owned, some in libraries, one was not a book at all but a scroll found while unpacking a crate of books. There are stories with a tiny feeling of the paranormal and there is one which unashamedly moves to the fantasy/mystical realm. I got a real chuckle when one author was describing a display of books written by bestselling authors in the front window of a bookshop and he included his own name.

These are the authors with stories in the collection in the order in which they appear: Jeffery Deaver, C. J. Box, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Peter Blauner, Thomas H. Cook, Loren D. Estleman, William Link, Laura Lippman, Anne Perry, Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, Andrew Taylor, David Bell, John Connolly, Nelson DeMille. There isn't much information given about original publication dates or whether stories have appeared previously in anthologies or collections, but there is an Introduction written by Ian Rankin and dated 2014. The C. J. Box is the only story I had read previously so 14 out of 15 stories being new for me was a great treat. The William Link story featured Columbo, if other stories featured an author's main series character I did not recognize the name - well, with the exception of the Mickey Spillane, of course.

Otto Penzler has done a superb job of presenting fifteen themed stories by modern authors in modern settings. The only thing I had a little bit of a problem with was the title. When I saw that title along with the cover art I immediately thought about stories from the golden age of crime fiction, but I was totally wrong. I would absolutely recommend this collection to anybody who wants to read well written stories by great writers. Some of the authors I was familiar with and already know I enjoy reading but I'm thrilled to have six new names I can begin investigating for reading full length novels they've written. That classifies as a bonanza to me!

I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a short story with a good mystery. In this case there are 16 that vary in length, time period and crime. The author list is filled with some familiar names. The central theme is centered on a book or a book lover. Perfect gift for the reader in your family. Originally published in 2013 but still very timely. Some of the authors are Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Loren D. Estleman, and Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. Bestsellers like Nelson DeMille, Anne Perry, and Jeffery Deaver. Edgar winners such as C. J. Box, Thomas H. Cook, and Laura Lippman.

A very enjoyable read. As a book and mystery lover this appealed to me. I found most of the stories engaging. I would recommend it to anyoneveryone interested in well written short storie.

This was, without a doubt, the BEST short story collection I’ve ever read… I have a checkered past with shorts – I tend to get lured by interim writings from my favorite authors, only to routinely find myself disappointed (either at those tidbits from people I love or at the filler placed around them). Still, like any foolish optimist, I keep trying… I’m SO glad I did, because this was an incredible set of stories from a number of very talented authors.

Normally, I list my particular favorites in an anthology, because I think it’s interesting to see what people like/dislike, but perhaps more importantly because there are usually only a few redeeming graces for me. Not so this time! This time I actually liked – and read – nearly every story in the book. It was a rare exception (Pronghorns of the Third Reich or The Book of Ghosts, for example) that I did not finish one because I could not get into it. There were a surprising number that dealt Nazis/World War II – those are normally not genres that suit me, so there’s no great surprise that those stories were not my favorites. There were a few that I thought were good but not outstanding, but most importantly, there were multiple that I thought were simply fantastic. One of these I had read before (The Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository), but the others were new and absolutely delightful: What’s in a Name (an extraordinary concept!), Book Club, The Book Thing, The Scroll, and It’s in the Book – and one (The Book Case) of them has even sent me in search of its protagonist’s series, which now tops my To Be Read list…

It’s not every day that you get an anthology that includes more big names than random ones, but this one featured a slew of very well known authors (Anne Perry, Jeffrey Deaver, Mickey Spillane), many of whom I really enjoy (Nelson DeMille, John Connolly, Jeffrey Arher, Laura Lippman). Perhaps that explains the book’s appeal for me. Perhaps it is because the collection was curated by the indomitable Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Bookshop in New York City (and an eponymous online shop for those of us who don’t live NYC-adjacent), and a true lover of books and stories. Or perhaps it was serendipity and I found this one at just the right time, when I was in the right frame of mind to enjoy the stories for what they were – delicious snapshots of the importance of books, bookstores, and libraries. Regardless, this was a sheer delight and one I cannot recommend highly enough – even for those of you that, like me, don’t always love the shorts…

3.5 stars

This is a collection of mystery short stories having to do with books or bookstores. There are some standouts, as in any collection, but this was quite a readable group from some notable authors. Several of them are quite unusual and excellent selections.

I received a free ARC via Net Galley in return for my honest opinion.

A rich collection of interesting mysteries by some of the world's best writers.

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