Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores - Tapa dura

The subtitle says it all--except to note that contributors to this hefty anthology include some of the most admired contemporary writers of mysteries and thrillers.--Michael Dirda

Fifteen tales with an impressive range--international thriller, whodunit, hardboiled, and contemporary Western-- with a single unifying theme: books and the people who love them. The quality of the tales is unusually high and it is the best anthology I've read all year.

An entertaining collection of 15 original stories of bookish mania and mayhem--written by some of the most stylish crime-fiction authors in the U.S. and U.K.

For years, those in the know have been savoring the latest 'bibliomystery' commissioned by Otto Penzler's Mysterious Bookshop and penned by the luminaries of the crime world. Now, a new omnibus collection brings these gems together between two covers. A necessity for serious crime fans.

If you like mysteries and you like books, what could be better than combining both worlds, with mysteries set against a background involving books?This collection of crime for bibliophiles includes stories about rare books, bookshops, libraries, manuscripts, magical books, collectors—in short, the wonderful universe that makes this precious object we all love so important and priceless. Ian Rankin sets his tale of the lost original manuscript of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the legendary Paris bookshop Shakespeare & Co., while F. Paul Wilson offers a book with remarkable powers. Joyce Carol Oates portrays an overly ambitious dealer in mystery fiction, while James Grady has the “Condor” working in the Library of Congress. Ste- phen Hunter tells a previously unknown story of Alan Turing set during World War I—involving a book that could change the history of the world—and Peter Lovesey writes about a box full of Agatha Christie titles that just may be priceless. Carolyn Hart’s story is about an astonishing inscription in a book, while Megan Abbott and Denise Mina add their Edgar-nominated stories to this stellar collection.Whether your taste is for the traditional mystery, something a little more hard-boiled, or the bizarre and humorous tale, you will find exactly your cup of tea in this outstanding collection of fifteen stories by the most distinguished mystery writers working today.Including stories by: Peter Lovesey, F. Paul Wilson, Lyndsay Faye, Bradford Morrow, R. L. Stine, Joyce Carol Oates, Thomas Perry, Elizabeth George, Carolyn Hart, Megan Abbott, Stephen Hunter, Denise Mina, James Grady, Ian Rankin, and James W. Hall.