Edited by Mary Higgins Clark
I picked up this collection because I heard that it contained a Stephanie Plum story and, not one prone to being too picky in story collections, I decided to go ahead and read the whole book. I'm rather glad I did, because this anthology showcases many top mystery writers and gives readers an easy and entertaining look at their often contrasting styles. The variety in this collection is enormous: readers enjoy everything from a typical (and excellent) Stephanie Plum romp to psychological thrillers to stories that have little to do with the mystery genre at all. Though the challenge posed to the writers (each story includes a thick fog, a thick steak, and a thick book) often appears in contrived ways, many writers used these elements in ingenious ways and the collection is overall very enjoyable.
As any collection of stories must be, however, it is somewhat uneven. The first story sets an interesting tone for those expecting a series of typical detective tales; it has almost nothing to do with the mystery genre and seems set to disappoint. Upon further reflection, however, "How Far It Could Go" is an interesting piece that requires a bit of thought. The only really disappointing stories are "Too Many Cooks", by Carol Higgins Clark, and "Thick-Headed", an utterly indecipherable period piece by Walter Mosley that cannot successfully unite a well-rendered but unfamiliar narrative voice with a convoluted series of criminal connections. There are, on the other hand, several gems in this collection which make it worth hunting down. Any Stephanie Plum fan will be well-rewarded with the aforementioned "The Last Peep", which shows that Stephanie shines well on the small stage, possibly being better in the shorter format than in some of the lesser numbers novels. Mary Higgins Clark and Ann Rule deliver a predictable but nonetheless riveting stories that explore the world of the crime victim instead of the detective. The best story in the collection, however, may be "Foolproof" by Edna Buchanan, a story that takes one of the longest standing and best loved foundations of modern crime solving and shatters its credibility, doing so with an incredibly light touch and ending the story just at the perfect moment. The good stories in The Plot Thickens outweigh the bad in number, but the presence of a few absolute gems makes this collection a definite pleaser for mystery fans and for those looking for an introduction to the variety possible in the genre. This collection is definitely worth seeking out and reading.
Grade: B+
As any collection of stories must be, however, it is somewhat uneven. The first story sets an interesting tone for those expecting a series of typical detective tales; it has almost nothing to do with the mystery genre and seems set to disappoint. Upon further reflection, however, "How Far It Could Go" is an interesting piece that requires a bit of thought. The only really disappointing stories are "Too Many Cooks", by Carol Higgins Clark, and "Thick-Headed", an utterly indecipherable period piece by Walter Mosley that cannot successfully unite a well-rendered but unfamiliar narrative voice with a convoluted series of criminal connections. There are, on the other hand, several gems in this collection which make it worth hunting down. Any Stephanie Plum fan will be well-rewarded with the aforementioned "The Last Peep", which shows that Stephanie shines well on the small stage, possibly being better in the shorter format than in some of the lesser numbers novels. Mary Higgins Clark and Ann Rule deliver a predictable but nonetheless riveting stories that explore the world of the crime victim instead of the detective. The best story in the collection, however, may be "Foolproof" by Edna Buchanan, a story that takes one of the longest standing and best loved foundations of modern crime solving and shatters its credibility, doing so with an incredibly light touch and ending the story just at the perfect moment. The good stories in The Plot Thickens outweigh the bad in number, but the presence of a few absolute gems makes this collection a definite pleaser for mystery fans and for those looking for an introduction to the variety possible in the genre. This collection is definitely worth seeking out and reading.
Grade: B+
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