Edited by Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates is a one-woman powerhouse in the world of contemporary fiction, and having read much of her fiction it is interesting to get her perspective as a guest editor in the Best American series, particularly in genre fiction. Though her position necessarily means that she is absent from this collection, the book is vibrant throughout with quality stories that, even if most are fairly ho-hum in this particular edition, are sure to entertain. The lead-off hitter is Richard Burgin with "The Identity Club," and I think it exemplifies most of the stories in this collection, The story begins with a breathtaking premise, that members of this club take on the personality of a dead arist of some kind, living their life in the guise of the chosen figure. Though the idea is incredible, the story tackles it in a predictable manner and, though the story stands as a powerful examination of mortality and the nature of individuality and the lifespan of great art, it falls sort of flat at the end. Entertaining, but not life-changing. Likewise with George V. Higgins and "Jack Duggan's Law," which is a fairly mild police procedural. It is a great one, fully evoking a sense of mood and characters, but at the end of the day it is just another procedural. Daniel Handler's "Delmonico" presents an interesting spin on the locked-room mystery with his unconventional barmaid detective, but some basic flaws in the writing hold the story back a bit.
That is not to say, however, that there are not absolutely exceptional stories in this anthology, however. I was skeptical at first of "Officers Weep," which spins its narrative out of a series of police blotters, but as the story found itself I found it moving, funny, and worth revisiting; I thoroughly enjoyed it in every way. "The Last Man I Killed" is powerful with a very dark sense of humor, exploring the power of the past in a tone of rich irony and crafting a story not so unlikely after all. The twist is forceful and the story leaves a lasting impression. More straightforward but no less riveting is the devastating exploration of a life unknowingly lived beside a criminal in "The Love of a Strong Man." The story hits and hits and they keep coming; it's a dark story but a very moving one that subtly asks us to explore the consequences of human action and our own reactions to the headlines. Likewise devastating but incredibly powerful in its tragedy is "One Mississippi," which again explores the aftermath of a crime and the imprint it leaves on those whose life it destroys. These stories do not simply explore the underworld for the thrill; rather, they use crime as a key to open the doors of the deepest of human mysteries, exploring the tragic side of crime and of life. Crime in the hands of these skilled writers is a destructive force and they seek to explore what it hath wrought.
Aside from a few predictable missteps, The Best American Mystery Stories 2005 contains quite a bit of work of extremely high quality that will shock and shame readers who sneer at genre fiction. There are no straight detective stories in this collection and what readers find is a group of writers who will go to the depths of human existence to extract meaning. Sure, there is a vicarious thrill in standing beside the narrator of "Until Gwen" as he seeks revenge upon his father, but the dark humor is quickly transformed into something much deeper and very moving; readers who are willing to make the journey with the narrator find much more than cheap thrills. The nature of these stories is not to exult in violence but to explore it thoroughly, and the best among these select few are those that find themselves most haunted by the ghosts of humanity's darkest dreams.
Grade: A-
That is not to say, however, that there are not absolutely exceptional stories in this anthology, however. I was skeptical at first of "Officers Weep," which spins its narrative out of a series of police blotters, but as the story found itself I found it moving, funny, and worth revisiting; I thoroughly enjoyed it in every way. "The Last Man I Killed" is powerful with a very dark sense of humor, exploring the power of the past in a tone of rich irony and crafting a story not so unlikely after all. The twist is forceful and the story leaves a lasting impression. More straightforward but no less riveting is the devastating exploration of a life unknowingly lived beside a criminal in "The Love of a Strong Man." The story hits and hits and they keep coming; it's a dark story but a very moving one that subtly asks us to explore the consequences of human action and our own reactions to the headlines. Likewise devastating but incredibly powerful in its tragedy is "One Mississippi," which again explores the aftermath of a crime and the imprint it leaves on those whose life it destroys. These stories do not simply explore the underworld for the thrill; rather, they use crime as a key to open the doors of the deepest of human mysteries, exploring the tragic side of crime and of life. Crime in the hands of these skilled writers is a destructive force and they seek to explore what it hath wrought.
Aside from a few predictable missteps, The Best American Mystery Stories 2005 contains quite a bit of work of extremely high quality that will shock and shame readers who sneer at genre fiction. There are no straight detective stories in this collection and what readers find is a group of writers who will go to the depths of human existence to extract meaning. Sure, there is a vicarious thrill in standing beside the narrator of "Until Gwen" as he seeks revenge upon his father, but the dark humor is quickly transformed into something much deeper and very moving; readers who are willing to make the journey with the narrator find much more than cheap thrills. The nature of these stories is not to exult in violence but to explore it thoroughly, and the best among these select few are those that find themselves most haunted by the ghosts of humanity's darkest dreams.
Grade: A-
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