The Mysteries Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 consists of twenty-one short tales covering several subgenres including noir and modern. As in any anthology, I liked some better than others. As a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, my favourite story was The Adventure of the Misquoted Macbeth by Derrick Balanger and Dodge by Jeffrey Deavers is a definite standout. Overall, the rest were enjoyable and it introduced me to a lot of new authors whose books I will definitely look for in the future. I also liked that each story begins with an introduction to the writer and is followed by an explanation of how the writer came up with the idea for the tale, something I, and I expect most mystery readers, often wonder about.

But for me, the absolute best part of this anthology is the introduction by Amor Towles in which he praises the cadaver and its important and changing role in mysteries from the Golden Age to today. I now have much more respect for that sadly too-often overlooked body in the story.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright, Christina Delaine, and Terence Kidd and they all do a terrific job of bringing the stories to life.

Thanks to Netgalley and Highbridge Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review ( )

This anthology offers a diverse collection of stories meant to cater to a wide range of readers. Jeffery Deaver's "Dodge" is a standout, a thrilling game of cat and mouse that had me on the edge of my seat. Then there's Brendan DuBois's "The Landscaper’s Wife," a traditional mystery that's familiar yet satisfying. And Andrew Child's Jack Reacher tale brings a modern, hard-hitting punch to the mix.

However, not all the pieces in this anthology are a hit. Some aren't mysteries at all, which puzzles me, me given that this is supposed to be a mystery collection. And a few stories don't have a conclusion at all... it's like the authors ran out of steam and thought "Well, good enough. Let's just stop now." As a reader, that's pretty frustrating, to say the least.

Overall, this is book is a mixed bag. If you're a mystery aficionado, this collection is worth a read, just be prepared for the occasional flop. ( )

I only read the first five stories, which amounts to 29% of the 500-page collection. A couple of the stories were better than the others, but none of them really wowed me. So, I'm moving on in my pipeline.

I'm not generally a fan of short stories, which may have contributed to my meh feeling. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the offerings thoroughly. ( )

I’ve been reading Penzler’s collection of mysteries for decades now and always find them fun. They have definitely evolved over time just as our literary culture has evolved. I enjoy his opening remarks and find the author info gives leads about more good mystery stories to investigate. ( )

As is the case with most anthologies, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 was also a mixed bag. The anthology features twenty-one short mysteries written by contemporary authors and a bonus story by Edith Wharton. I liked that each of the stories began with a brief introduction about the author and enjoyed getting to sample the work of so many authors, many of whom I had never read in the past. Some of the stories also end with a note by the author about the inspiration behind the story. I must mention that the Introduction by Amor Towles, in which he discusses how the “Mystery” genre has evolved, was a fascinating read.

My ratings for the stories are as follows:
The first story, “Blind Baseball” by Doug Allyn (3.5/5), revolves around a tontine insurance scheme. This was a gripping read but ended abruptly. “The Adventure of the Misquoted Macbeth” by Derrick Belanger (4/5) is a mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and is one of the stories that I thoroughly enjoyed. The circumstances surrounding a mysterious break-in are explored in “Princess” by T.C. Boyle (3.5/5) In “Cold Hands, Warm Heart” by Joslyn Chase (3.5/5), a cold case is reopened after the discovery of a body. In “New Kid in Town”(2.5/5) by Andrew Child, Jack Reacher helps in investigating the disappearance of a young girl.

A resident of a hotel housing near the border sheltering undocumented immigrants takes justice into her own hands in “Death at the Sundial Motel” by Aaron Philip Clark (4/5). A young deputy gets more than he bargained for when he is tasked with assisting a Marshal for the Witness Protection Program in “Dodge” by Jeffery Deaver (4/5). In “The Landscaper’s Wife” by Brendan DuBois (3.5/5), our protagonist finds himself tangled in a complex web of manipulation, blackmail and murder. Co-passengers in a train decide to pass the time guessing solutions to real-life situations they share in the group in “Strangers at a Table” by Kerry Hammond (4/5). “Miller and Bell”(2/5) by Victor Kreuiter follows the story of a career criminal who resorts to his old ways of switching identities to evade those who have an axe to grind with him.

In “Two Sharks Walk into a Bar” by David Krugler (3/5), a hustle results in dire consequences for a pair of pool sharks. In “Pobre Maria: A Capitán Guillén Mystery Of Ecuador”(3/5) by Tom Larsen, a seasoned law enforcement official investigates the suspicious death of the daughter of an influential man. “Playing God” by Avram Lavinsky (3.5/5) takes us through the mysterious circumstances revolving around a man’s suicide. “Ears” by Jessi Lewis(3.5/5) is a heart-wrenching story about a young girl’s bond with her dog. Though there wasn’t much ”mystery “ in the plot, it was a good read. “The Smoking Gunners”(2.5/5) by Ashley Lister follows a murderer apprehended at the scene of the crime as she attempts to justify her actions.

A small-town reporter investigates a murder that was caught on camera by a peeping tom cat, whose owner had a camera fixed on his collar in “What the Cat Dragged In” by Michael Mallory(4/5). In “Sundown” by Lou Manfredo (3/5) we follow the lead detective as he investigates the death of a young woman, often consulting with his grandfather, a retired law enforcement officer, to gain perspective. There’s much more to the kidnapping of the daughter of an affluent man than meets the eye in “Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday” by Sean McCluskey(2.5). A detective is haunted by a promise he made to a murdered young girl’s father in “The Promise” by Annie Reed (3/5). A man tries to help his neighbor after a murder in their apartment building in “Glass” by Anna Round (3/5). A hitman’s latest assignment has him curious about the motive in “Crime Scene” by Joseph S. Walker (3.5).

The final story, “A Bottle of Perrier” by Edith Wharton (3/5) follows a young archaeology scholar on his visit to an archaeologist’s home in the middle of a desert in a foreign country where he finds his friend’s domestic staff’s answers to the owner’s whereabouts vague and misleading.

Overall, I found most of the stories rather predictable and only a handful stood out.

I received a digital review copy from the publisher via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )