An excellent anthology , I’d go so far as to say the best I’ve read so far!
This collection is to honour the eightieth birthday of Simon Brett a former president of the Detection Club .
The club’s members are some of the most esteemed crime writers in the world and these short stories highlight their talent perfectly.
The authors include Elly Griffiths, Simon Brett , Martin Edwards and Christopher Fowler to name a few .
The stories make for an easy and enjoyable read.
A must read for any crime fiction reader.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House.

I used to think I hated short stories...

But I’ve read a couple great anthologies lately, this one included, that have changed my mind. While I certainly liked some stories in Playing Dead more than others, even the ones I didn’t enjoy were over quickly enough 😜

I was most drawn to the stories that included a bit of social commentary, particularly around Cancel Culture and sensitivity readers/censors.

Also, if you’re at all a mystery fan, the name dropping at the very end is enough to make you want to read this. The Detection Club has got to be the coolest group of humans out there 💀

This is a collection of twenty-two short crime stories, all written by members of the Detection Club in honour of their past president Simon Brett’s 80th birthday. Well, 21 of them are – the 22nd is written by Simon Brett himself. It has a short introduction by Martin Edwards, where he tells a little about Brett’s long career, not just as a successful novelist but also as a producer of some of the most popular BBC radio panel games – Just a Minute, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, to name but two – and a writer of radio sitcoms, such as After Henry. I had no idea of the extent of his career beyond novels, so appreciated learning more about him. Brett himself contributes the afterword, which he fills with Detection Club anecdotes and much name-dropping – it’s very funny and finishes the collection off nicely.

The stories themselves are very mixed, as tends to happen in this kind of collection. A few of the authors have paid tribute to Brett by referencing some part of his career. This worked for me some of the time, such as the story based on Just a Minute, but at other times it left me lost, feeling that I was missing the necessary knowledge to get the in-joke. I expect these stories would work better for people more familiar with Brett’s many series and shows. Most of the authors, however, have written straightforward stories, one or two including their own series character. I gave half the stories either 4 or 5 stars, while the rest mostly fell into the middling range, with only three outright duds. So overall, I felt this was an okay collection lifted by a few excellent stories.

Here are a few of the (seven) 5-stars…

Silver Fox by Michael Ridpath – A handsome, late-middle-aged Icelander, Oskar, has found an easy and flattering way to make a bit of extra money online. It seems people are willing to pay for photos of him, doing ordinary things like sitting in a café or walking on a beach. What he doesn’t know is that the purchasers are using his pictures to create online romantic identities to scam lonely women. One such woman is Bonnie, who gets scammed out of $30K. Her violent husband finds out, gets a techie friend to trace the photos and assumes that Oskar is the scammer. He sets out to find and confront Oskar and get the money back. A dark story that gets darker as it goes along – well paced and well told.

Publish and Be Damned by Ruth Dudley Edwards – A cosy author is cancelled when he makes an inappropriate joke at a publishing lunch. He takes his revenge by writing a satire of the publishing industry, full of sex and gore, which is a runaway success. But his revenge doesn’t stop there… Another very well written story by an author I haven’t read before but will certainly seek out. This is great fun, making gentle mock of ‘sensitivity readers’ and all the other nonsense authors have to go through in order to get published these days.

Criss-Cross by John Harvey – A man is found beaten to death on Hampstead Heath. It turns out he had been a cop back in the day, but was thrown out when his wife accused him of domestic violence. It was later suspected that he had killed his now ex-wife in an arson attack, but it was never proved. The official investigating officer is Alex Hadley, but it turns out it’s up to retired cop, Charlie Resnick, to solve the case. I haven’t read any of Harvey’s long-running Charlie Resnick series, but I may have to – this is a great story, bleak, but very well written.

The Kintsugi Vase by Alice Templeton – Our narrator has always fan-worshipped an acting couple – Rosalind France and Ned Kenton. They have a house nearby and, when they’re there, the narrator is Rosalind’s manicurist. So over the years she gets to know Rosalind a little but she never loses the stars in her eyes. Ned has always played the field, but the marriage survives – part of their glamour comes from being a couple. Then Ned dies in an accident. Or was it? This is an examination of fan-worship and how it allows us to overlook or forgive the flaws in our heroes and heroines. But what happens when the fan is forced to face the truth? Very well done – another author I’ll need to check out!

Cast in Order of Appearance by Simon Brett – Jobbing actor Charles Paris has been hired for a touring production of a mystery play. The leading part is played by a man who was once a big TV star and still has a loyal if ageing following. He’s a sexist pig who preys on the young female cast members in every production he’s in. The director is a feminist activist. Not the ideal mix! This is entertaining, with lots of humour – it’s a take on #MeToo and all its consequences, but done lightly enough not to be annoying. Great fun!

So a mix of dark and light with lots of variety. Although lots of the stories were just okay, the good ones made me glad I’d read the collection even if it does seem to have added several more authors to my list! One of whom, appropriately, is Simon Brett...

I've read alot of books. When asked to recommend a book or author, I recommend anthologies. These books show the authors' skills as they write a story from beginning to end in fewer pages than most chapters. Many times the authors are flexing their skills in a different genre. The collections usually have a theme, this one is an homage to Simon Brett. Written by authors with varying fame, you'll find some celebrities and some debuts, but they all showcase their story telling skills. As always when reading, some stories are better than others, but all of them will cause readers to take note of the authors.
So the next time you're looking for something to read or someone asks you to recommend a book, or you're looking for the perfect gift for someone who read alot......grab an anthology. This one would make an excellent start.

The Detection Club has been running since 1930, a group of mystery writers who meet for dinner and shenanigans. Simon Brett has achieved a lot in his life in crime writing (and other things) but one thing must stand out is his reign as President of the aforementioned club from 2000 to 2015. An immensely popular fellow, this collaboration gives some of the current members of the club the chance to show their appreciation.
Catherine Aird, Frances Brody, Ann Cleeves, Liza Cody, David Stuart Davies, Martin Edwards, Ruth Dudley Evans, Kate Ellis, Christopher Fowler, Elly Griffiths, John Harvey, Michael Jecks, Alison Joseph, Peter Lovesey, Abir Mukherjee, Michael Ridpath, Andrew Taylor, Aline Templeton, Lynne Truss, L C Tyler and Simon himself… need I say much more?
Well, I’m supposed to be a book reviewer, so I better had. So let’s start with the negative – it’ll be quick. I didn’t get the haikus. Went right over my head. Sorry, Liza.
As for the rest of it, I think this is one of the most marvellous collections of criminous short stories that I’ve read, especially from a mixed selection of authors. Of course, that is a high quality selection of authors – I’ve reviewed most of them before and met almost half of them – and they don’t disappoint. All of the stories pay tribute to Simon in some way, shape or form, whether it be something as simple as a name that is in common with someone or somewhere from Simon’s books, or a full-on tribute such as Peter Lovesey’s “Just A Minute”, the radio panel game that Simon produced or Martin Edwards “Sanctuary”, a tribute to Simon’s one-man show “A Crime In Rhyme” which shares the same brilliant in-joke that the show does without ever pointing it out… You’ll either see it or you won’t.
But whether the stories are comic or more serious – and some of them are – it is clear that the authors have all raised their game in honour of Simon. I’ve met Simon once, at the Alibis In The Archive, and a nicer, funnier, more charming person you could not hope to meet. I was lucky enough to hear him perform the wonderful “A Crime In Rhyme” and I’ve reviewed a plethora of his titles on the blog over the years.
And on that note, I should point out that the collection finishes with two wonderful pieces – first, a Charles Paris short story, in which it looks like Charles, the reluctant and generally not-very-good sleuth looks like he just might get his Hercule Poirot moment at last. And then Simon writes about his time at the club and the people he has met over the years – it’s a brief memoir, but very touching.
All in all, this is a marvellous collection – it’s out now from Severn House, and I strongly recommend it. A brilliant job from all involved.

I enjoyed this collection of short stories written by members of the Detection Club of authors. (Past members included Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers.) The collection was written as a tribute for the 80th birthday of one of the members, Simon Brett. Brett himself makes a contribution to the collection and also writes an entertaining afterward about some of the wonderful authors he met as part of his membership in the Detection Club. 

Typical for most collections like this, not all the stories were my cup of tea. My overall rating of the book is 4 stars. However, there are a few gems that made the whole book worthwhile. Not surprisingly, my favorites were by authors I already enjoy - Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths. I also enjoyed a story by new-to-me author Kate Ellis, and I am interested in reading more by her. I loved the Charles Paris story that honoree Simon Brett contributed. Some things never change for Charles although I always root for things to turn out for him. I love the humor throughout the story. 

I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Severn House for review consideration, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

2.5*

Members of the Detection Club, the most prestigious group of crime writers in the world, celebrate the eightieth birthday of their former president – the original king of cozy crime, Simon Brett – with this collection of all-new short stories.

Based on this premise I was really looking forward to this collection and overall I felt that it was ok. There were a couple of stand out stories including Silver Fox, by Michael Ridpath, Crimes Ancient and Modern, by LC Tyler, An Old-Fashioned Murder, By David Stuart Davies and Full Circle, by Abir Mukherjee come to mind but for the most part I would say the stories were fine.

This felt like a passion project written for a friend and some of the stories probably should have stayed private but it's a quick and easy read and will appeal to fans of old fashioned crime fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for this digital review copy of "Playing Dead" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This collection of short stories, celebrating Simon Brett’s 80th birthday, brings together an impressive lineup of Detection Club authors. As with any anthology, it’s a mix of hits and misses—some stories I really enjoyed, while others didn’t quite land for me.

Many of the authors were new to me, and I’ll definitely be looking out for more of their work. That’s actually what drew me to this collection in the first place—the chance to discover new writers.

Overall, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but an enjoyable read. I’d give it a solid 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this Arc in return for an honest review

This is a pretty cool anthology of short stories from the typewriters of the members of the Detection Club... no, me neither but boy do they have some quality authors... Some of whom I am very familiar with and have read extensively - Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths for example - some I have heard good thing of but have, for some reason, no got round to breaking my duck - Abir Mukherjee being the most notable of that category, and then there's those who I have never heard of...
I could single out some of those that I really loved but I guess there's little point as we all have different tastes and, anyway, if I start doing that my review will end up longer than one of the stories in this book!
But I read every story, even finishing the ones that weren't really for me, well... they are shorts! And I came out the other side with a whole bunch of authors to add to my TBR... sigh!
Which I guess is the main point of these things...
My thanks go to all the contributors, the Publisher, and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

What a brilliant book of short stories by Abir Mukherjee, Aline Templeton, Alison Joseph, Andrew Taylor, Ann Cleeves, Catherine Aird, Christopher Fowler, David Stuart Davies, Elly Griffiths, Frances Brody, John Harvey, Kate Ellis, L.C. Tyler, Liza Cody, Lynne Truss, Martin Edwards, Michael Jecks, Michael Ridpath, Michael Z. Lewin, Peter Lovesey, Ruth Dudley Edwards and Simon Brett. This collection was filled with murder, new characters and authors. It was pure class!

So many great authors here that have created shirt stories that kept me attention with original and intense elements.

I went into this collection expecting a lot, considering the contributors are all well respected authors in the genre. Admittedly, I have to read them all yet, but will hope to in the future, despite not enjoying every short story in this collection.

As with all short story collections, there should be something for everybody, and I thoroughly enjoyed some. I particularly enjoyed

- The Luncheon, by Chrisopher Fowler: great twists and the contrast of the setting to the conversation made this unforgettable. This may be the best structured story in the group.
- Silver Fox, by Michael Ridpath: a story of illusions and misunderstandings with a modern take that may have you thinking of those off-the-wall true crime documentaries you see all over the place now.
- Crimes Ancient and Modern, by LC Tyler: husband and wife writers try to outwit each other. It's slick and smart, and also blended with humour.
- Murder at Mousecomb, by Alison Joseph: a story I can easily imagine as a TV series. It was such a well told story that is dark but also with amazing characters and heart.
- An Old-Fashioned Murder, By David Stuart Davie: very short, but so engaging. This will also make you laugh. It's probably the quirkiest story in the collection.
Full Circle, by Abir Mukherjess: quite a dark tale, but so powerful and the characters are wonderful. This may be the most emotional tale in the collection.

The others stories are serviceable but not standouts for me. But the idea of being able to read a book of stories written by so many respected authors is something not to be missed. And every reader is sure to find something they love.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

(I got an advancing reading copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review).

To the delight of so many readers (like me!), we will have soon a new book written by the members of The Detection Club.

Playing Dead was written to honour Simon Brett for his 80th anniversary this year, as a way to celebrate his contributions to the Club, and includes short stories from 22 members of The Detection Club, including Simon Brett (President Emeritus of the Club) and Martin Edwards (editor of this anthology and current President of the Club).

According to Edwards, that organised and edited the collection, the contributors were encouraged to write whatever type of crime story they preferred, and this shows in a truly delightful way.

And indeed, what I loved the most about this collection was the diversity we get in terms of sub-genres, place (one of the stories takes us all the way to Iceland), time, and even form. We get historical mysteries, police procedurals, even satire, we get stories that occur today's, with cellphones and Internet as part of the story, as well as stories in the 1930's, we get stories that deal with writers and publishers and that add to the discussion of the genre hardboiled/cosy (can I call it a meta-fiction-essay? Delicious!), we also get stories with that twist or final kick that is so satisfying to read, we get stories that borrow characters from Simon Brett's works, but also writers like Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins as characters, and others that nod to Agatha Christie's characters and titles, we get short stories, but also an haiku and a non-fiction essay.

This exercise of inserting known characters into (and acting in) new contexts was really exciting to read, it was like seeing the writers making a new experiment, with pleasurable results.

At the same time, besides having this wonderful diversity, the collection also has an arching coherence, that was captured both in the title and by Piers Tilbury in the cover design: there is a regular theme of theatre, radio shows and studios, actors, and acting in general, which is really fitting: besides being an author of detective fiction, with several book series, Simon Brett is also a playwright, producer and writer for radio and television. I'm sure I'm being unfair with other works, but let me cite the BBC radio drama adaptations of Lord Peter Wimsey with Ian Carmichael, which the first six instalments were directed by Simon Brett, just because they are probably my favourite radio adaptations ever.

I would also like to highlight the final essay by Simon Brett sharing his memories about the Club. Not only it was delightful to read, but I think it is critically important as memory preservation for the Club's future history.

Finally, I knew other works by some of the authors, but not all of them, so I think this collection also gives us the opportunity to read sub-genres that we usually wouldn't pick to find new writers and new books.

An excellent set of short stories put together to commemorate Simon Brett’s time as Chairman of the Detection Club. I enjoyed the mix of stories ranging from those based on the Golden Age crime stories to the more modern.
A good cross section of writers too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

This book of mystery short stories was collected by Martin Edwards in order to honor the popular author Simon Brett. So lucky for the reader that this project was undertaken as there is much to enjoy in these pages.

Following Edwards’ introduction, there are more than twenty stories as well as contributions by Brett himself. Biographical information on the contributors in also included.

This veritable who’s who has entries by so many of my favorite authors. To name some of them: Ann Cleeves, Peter Lovesey, Kate Ellis, Elly Griffiths and Frances Brody. Readers will no doubt find their own favorites here. That said, a short story is an ideal way to find a new favorite author and I now have even more books that I will want to read after discovering the author here.

Sometimes a short story is “just the ticket.” Dip in and out of this title for a bit of mystery refreshment. No story is too long so each is perfect for a brief break in the day.

Highly recommended to lovers of the genre and these authors.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this title. All opinions are my own.

Playing Dead is a collection of 22 short stories by members of the venerable Detection Club, written to celebrate former president Simon Brett's eightieth birthday.

Normally with short story collections there's variable quality, but in this case all the authors are notable masters of their craft and have offered up excellent tales. Some of them have added Simon Brett-related Easter eggs, for example by giving roads the names of Brett's famous detectives or having a character read a Brett book within the story. Current president of the Detection Club Martin Edwards acts as editor (and presumably cajoler and requester of the stories) and has done a wonderful job of collecting the stories as he so often has before.

A first class collection, recommended to lovers of classic detective fiction.

This collection of short stories, by different authors made for interesting reading. All were very different in style and some much better than others. There were none that blew me away and a couple I read and thought what?? The mix made for an easy and overall enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early release of this novel

The Detection Club which is made up of famous crime fiction writers, has produced these short stories in honour of Simon Brett's eightieth birthday. The book's introduction is by current President Martin Edwards who succeeded the previous incumbent - Simon Brett.
I have not read many anothologies of short stories, mainly because i prefer to get to know a book's characters over the book's length. However as this comprises twenty two stories by famous authors, it deserves special praise.
I enjoyed most of the stories, but particularly enjoyed John Harvey's Charlie Resnick, it was good to catch up with the now retired police man based in Nottingham ( although i would have prefered a happier ending!). It was great treading the boards with Charles Paris again, and enjoyed him getting it wrong again! Also Ann Cleeves always tells a good tale and "Sleeping Beauty" is no exception. Elly Griffiths "Woman in White" is a very interesting take on a Wilkie Collins classic.
The book ends with Simon Brett's personal memoir of being a Detection Club member for forty five years, fourteen of those as President. It then lists the past presidents and surprisingly since the inauguration in 1930 there have only currently been eight.
If you enjoy crime fiction I would recommend this anthology.

Playing Dead, short stories by members of the detection club by multiple authors, whenever you have an anthology or collection of short stories written by many different authors, they’ll be some love and some not so much as a fan of mysteries I must say I truly enjoyed most of these, although my favorite was the mic drop ending of The Luncheon, there were others that really came close. There was one. I really didn’t understand it, but I won’t mention which one it is because I don’t want to ruin it for that author nor anyone who’s a future reader of this awesome collection of stories. #NetGalley,#SeverinHouse, #TheBlindReviewer, #PlayingDead, #MartinEdwards,

As with any short story collection, these are a bit hit and miss. There are some absolute crackers, some weird tales and some where the authors are being over clever. Worth a read for the good ones.