THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF THE CENTURY
Tony Hillerman & Otto Penzler Eds.
| Author name, title, year | Comment | Biographical notes |
|
O. Henry A Retrieved Reformation 1903 |
Example of the Rogue School. | One of the most prolific US short story writers and a master of the genre. Real name William Porter (1862-1910). |
|
Willa Cather Paul's Case 1905 |
Sad story of a fundamentally depressed child. | Not a mystery writer but just the same one of the great American novelists (1873-1947). |
|
Jacques Futurelle The Problem of Cell 13 1905 |
One of the classic locked room mysteries. | With the creation of "The Thinking Machine", Futurelle created a Holmes-type character who solved cases based solely on logic. Wrote other mysteries too. Died on the Titanic (1875-1912). |
|
Frederick Irving Anderson Blind Man's Bluff 1914 |
A typical Anderson story. | A popular mystery writer, even though he never wrote a novel, creator of the Infallible Godhal and jewel thief Sophie Lang (1877-1947). |
|
Melville Davisson Post Naboth's Vineyard 1916 |
Brilliant. | Anticipating the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, Melville Post may be considered the US answer to Conan Doyle (1869-1930). |
|
Susan Glaspell A Jury of Her Pees 1917 |
A petite gem. | Pulitzer Prize winner and well known for her plays, this story is Glaspell's most celebrated work (1882-1948). |
|
Dashiell Hammett The Gutting of Couffignal 1925 |
Among the standouts of this collection. | A Father of Detective Fiction, author of The Maltese Falcon (1894-1961). |
|
Ring Lardner Haircut 1925 |
Interestingly written. | One of the great humorists (and/or pessimists) of twentieth century America, incredibly original (1885-1933). |
|
Wilbur Daniel Steele Blue Murder 1925 |
We got a kick out of this one... | Wrote a lot about life in the west even though he came from and lived in the east (1886-1970). |
|
Ben Ray Redman The Perfect Crime 1928 |
The perfect story. | Aka Jeremy Lord, he wrote also poetry as well as translating several French classics (1896-1961). |
|
James M. Cain The Baby in the Icebox 1933 |
Pleasantly unpleasant. | Author of The Postman Only Rings Twice, Cain wrote of love, despair and wishes that come true (1892-1977). |
|
John Steinbeck The Murder 1933 |
Worth buying this book just for this story. | One of the greatest US writers, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner, Steinbeck also wrote a few mystery short stories (1902-1968). |
|
Damon Runyan Sense of Humor 1934 |
Cleverly witty. | Author of many short stories, Runyan is perhaps more famous for writing Guys and Dolls (1880-1946). |
|
Pearl S. Buck Ransom 1938 |
There are many ways of paying, not just with money ... | Another Pulitzer and Noble Prize Winner, only the second woman to elected to the American Academy of Arts (1892-1973). |
|
Raymond Chandler Red Wind 1938 |
Considered to be one of his best. | See page here. |
|
James Thurber The Catbird Seat 1942 |
Funny. | Known also for his sketches, Thurber wrote also stories that have become plays and movies (1894-1961). |
|
Cornel Woolrich Rear Window 1942 |
What can you do when you cannot move? Spy ... | Very dark writer, both in life as well as in what he wrote, Woolrich is another of the greats (1903-1968). |
|
William Faulkner An Error in Chemistry 1946 |
Clever. | 1949 Noble Prize Winner for Literature (1897-1962). |
|
Harry Kemelman The Nine Mile Walk 1947 |
Classic of arm chair detection. | See page here. |
|
Ellery Queen The Adventure of the President's Half Disme 1947 |
Great, as usual. | Joint pseudonym of Manfred Lee (1905-1971) and Frederic Dannay (1905-1982), Ellery Queen must be considered to be the classic American detective story. |
|
John D. MacDonald The Homesick Buick 1950 |
Never underestimate the ability of others. | Prolific contributor to Pulp magazines, MacDonald's most famous work, The Executioners, was filmed as Cape Fear (1916-1986). |
|
Ross MacDonald Gone Girl 1953 |
Classic. | The creator of Lew Archer, one of the greatest and not just of the mystery genre (1915-1983). |
|
Stanely Ellin The Moment of Decision 1955 |
... is always difficult. | Three times winner of an Edgar, Ellin is one of the most distinguished author of our time (1916-1986). |
|
Evan Hunter First Offense 1955 |
Tough. | Best known under the pseudonym of Ed Mcbain, creator of the 87th Precinct where the detective hero is not a single person but an entire squad. |
|
Margaret Millar The Couple Next Door 1957 |
Neighbor's grass is not always greener. | Married to Kenneth Millar (aka Ross MacDonald) she is author of Beast in View, Edgar 1955 (1915-1994). |
|
Henry Slesar The Day of the Execution 1957 |
Short and to the point. | Written many short stories and a few novels, his first, The Gray Flannel Shroud, won the Edgar for best first mystery. |
|
Patricia Highsmith The Terrapin 1962 |
Disturbing. | See page here. |
|
Shirley Jackson The Possibility of Evil 1965 |
There is evil behind every corner.... | Edgar winner, Jackson concentrated on psychological terror such as in The Haunting of Hill House (1920-1965). |
|
Flannery O'Connor The Comforts of Home 1965 |
It is tough trying to be kind. | Specialized in religious fanatism stories and grotesque analysis of Southern life, O'Connor is famous for her short story collections (1925-1964). |
|
Jerome Weidman Good Man, Bad Man 1967 |
The cruelty of politics. | Weidman's most famous work, where he usually depicted the harsher side of life, has ended up being filmed (1913-1998). |
|
Joe Gores Goodbye, Pops 1969 |
One must always be careful. | Won prizes in different categories, Gores has written short stories, novels, TV scripts, all of them a success. |
|
Harlan Ellison The Whimper of Whipped Dogs 1973 |
Depressing. | Author of short stories and Edgar winner, Ellison is one of the most anthologized US authors. |
|
Robert L. Fish The Wager 1973 |
Such a lovely little statue.... | Wrote Sherlock Holmes parodies as well as stories and novels featuring Kek Huuygens, the world's greatest smuggler (1912-1981). |
|
Joyce Carol Oats Do with me what you will 1973 |
What is true? The real truth or court truth? | Writes also under the pseudonym Rosamund Smith and is probably one of the most versatile and prolific authors working today. |
|
Stephen King Quitters, Inc. 1978 |
Fantastic. | Are there still people who need to know something about Stephen King? |
|
Jack Ritchie The Absence of Emily 1981 |
Clever. | Ritchie is one of those writers that has only ever written short stories. This one won an Edgar (1922-1983). |
|
Lawrence Block By the Dawn's Early Light 1984 |
Hard truth. | Awarded with many Edgars, Block is one of America's most popular authors. |
|
Stephen Greenleaf Iris 1984 |
Alarming. | Creator of the series featuring John Marshall Tenner, Iris is the only short story written by Greenleaf. |
|
Sara Paretsky Three-Dot Po 1984 |
As good as her novels but shorter. | See page here. |
|
Sue Grafton The Parker Shotgun 1986 |
As above. | See page here. |
|
Donald Westlake Too many crooks 1989 |
How to rob a bank against every possibility. | One of the major contributors of the humorous caper, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award 1993. |
|
James Crumely Hot Springs 1996 |
A classic hard boiled short story. | Crumely defines himself as "the bastard child of Raymond Chandler". |
|
Brenden DuBois The Dark Snow 1996 |
Solutions for newcomers. | Edgar and Shamus award winner for his short stories, author of Resurrection Day. |
|
Michael Malone Red Clay 1996 |
Edgar winner of 1997. | Compared to Truman Capote and John Irving, writer of southern detective novels. |
|
Tom Franklin Poachers 1998 |
Sad. | Edgar winner for this story. |
|
Dennis Lehane Running out of Dog 1999 |
Desperate people. | Shamus award winner, author of the series featuring Boston private eyes Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. |