Reviewed for Minding Spot
This book is a collection of London-based crime stories through a span of over fifty years.
Normally, I'm not a short story person, but I really enjoyed most of these. Writing has changed so much in the past one hundred years that most of the mysteries and crime stories you read today are nothing compared with what was written in the past.
These stories don't take long to read individually, but they aren't light reading. You'll have to set aside a little time to invest in reading. Each word is important. Skimming just won't work here. Now, the best part is that they're beautifully written. You'll want to savor every word. It isn't just about the storytelling, but the writing as well. These are crafted stories.
My biggest peeve about mysteries and crime stories is that they're too easy to figure out. That didn't happen here. Not once. I was able to immerse myself and stop trying to solve them. After I read halfway through the stories, I knew I wasn't going to figure them out so I just enjoyed the ride. Most of them have a darkness to them that pulls you into other worlds. They're foggy and gritty and you just need to sink your teeth into them.
The only issue I found is that at least one of the stories was shortened for space. Though the pertinent information was still given, I really wished that I had been given the full story instead of just the highlights. Being told how a story ends just isn't the same as experiencing it for yourself.
This is a great short story collection. If you enjoy short stories and good crime, this is something you'll want for your book shelf. These stories aren't sensationalized. They're just great old-fashioned crime stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment