In fact, most of the stories are horror/suspense and not classical mysteries at all, and like most anthologies, not all the stories will appeal to everyone. As with most anthologies, well-known authors write a few stories, and the rest are by lesser-known authors and are riskier.

My favorite story is “The Burglar Who Smelled Smoke” by Lynne and Lawrence Block, a Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery, and in the style of a Nero Wolfe tale. When Bernie is invited to spend the weekend at the home of a book collector who dies mysteriously in a locked room, he is able to solve this complex mystery with wit and his usual gifted detection. Even the introduction to this story is charming and has a surprise ending.

The rest of the stories are less satisfying with characters that are mere caricatures, plots that are shallow and predictable, and endings that pose murder as the solution to an unhappy marriage. Yes, some characters get their comeuppance like Susan, who is a rude, mean-spirited woman in “Flyover Country” by Barbara and Max Collins. Yet, the storyline dwindles and becomes far-fetched when her ex-boyfriend orders an exotic plant. Would the floral shop really choose to deliver a Venus flytrap that is coincidentally named the ‘Susan series’?

In “Traveling Alone” Barbara and John Lutz create a heroine who takes a stab at independence from a truly possessive husband by taking a trip on her own, yet the lifelike male mannequin he insists ride in the passenger seat plays a major role in her chilling fate. The moral appears to be that she would only be safe by remaining at home, dependent on her controlling mate?

Anyone thinking of reading this book should be aware that it showcases abnormal relationships, psychotic individuals, and unhappy endings. More specifically, do not be misled into thinking it is detective fiction or romantic suspense. It is very definitely of the horror/suspense genre, although it is not particularly suspenseful. A close inspection of the cover reveals a wedding couple, or cake topper, standing on a cracked wedding cake, with the husband holding a gun and the wife holding a knife. In this instance, it pays to attend to the small details.

The tales in this anthology run the gamut -- from a husband’s best friend stalking his wife to a couple deciding to end their marriage (via murder) for “irreconcilable samenesses.” The unhappy marriages, the flawed relationships, and the dreary plotlines become monotonous and trite by the end of the book. The shortness of a story is not an excuse for simplistic storytelling; the best writers are able to flesh out interesting characters, condense important details, and attain worthy finales in the same amount of time.

--Monica Pope