100 Malicious Little Mysteries

by Greenberg, Martin H.; Asimov, Isaac; Olander, Joseph D.

• ISBN13: 9781402711015
• ISBN10: 1402711018
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-01
• Publisher: Sterling

Summary

Charmingly insidious and satisfyingly devious, these 100 baffling little mysteriesselected by such prominent authors as Isaac Asimovare just the thing to suit your most malevolent mood. These tales come from the pen of many well-known writers in the field, including Michael Gilbert, Edward Wellen, Edward D. Hack, Bill Bronzini, Lawrence Treat, and Francis Nevins, Jr. Whether it's "The Unfriendly Neighbor," or a "Class Reunion," "A Recipe for Revenge," or "An Exercise in Insurance," these stories are sure to keep you up all night, puzzling over their possible solutions. Each one has its own particular and irresistible appeal: an unexpected twist, a delectable puzzle, a devastating revelation, or perhaps even a refreshing display of pernicious spit

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION: Snacks
by Isaac Asimov
Six Words
Lew Gillis	1	(2)
The Little Things
Isaac Asimov	3	(4)
A Matter of Life and Death
Bill Pronzini and Barry N. Malzberg	7	(4)
Perfect Pigeon
Carroll Mayers	11	(2)
The Cop Who Loved Flowers
Henry Slesar	13	(5)
Trick or Treat
Judith Garner	18	(3)
Twice Around the Block
Lawrence Treat	21	(5)
An Easy Score
Al Nussbaum	26	(4)
The Good Lord Will Provide
Lawrence Treat and Charles M. Plotz	30	(5)
Boomerang
Harold Q. Masur	35	(5)
The Way It's Supposed To Be
Elsin Ann Graffam	40	(3)
Thank You, Mr. Thurston
Ed Dumonte	43	(5)
Funeral Music
Francis M. Nevins, Jr.	48	(6)
Murder Will Out
Edward Wellen	54	(1)
An Insignificant Crime
Maxine O'Callaghan	55	(3)
The Stray Bullet
Gary Brandner	58	(4)
A Night Out With the Boys
Elsin Ann Graffam	62	(5)
Office Party
Mary Bradford	67	(5)
Comes the Dawn
Michael Kurland	72	(4)
Acting Job
Richard Deming	76	(6)
The Last Smile
Henry Slesar	82	(4)
Grief Counselor
Julie Smith	86	(4)
The Best Place
A.F. Oreshnik	90	(5)
Dead End
Alvin S. Fick	95	(5)
Pure Rotten
John Lutz	100	(4)
Grounds for Divorce
James Holding	104	(5)
Inside Out
Barry N. Malzberg	109	(5)
The Bell
Isak Romun	114	(3)
The Box
Isak Romun	117	(2)
The Physician and the Opium Fiend
R.L. Stevens	119	(5)
Over the Borderline
Jeff Sweet	124	(5)
It Could Happen to You
John Lutz	129	(5)
Class Reunion
Charles Boeckman	134	(6)
The Way It Is Now
Elaine Slater	140	(4)
The Hot Rock
James McKimmey	144	(6)
A Puff of Orange Smoke
Lael J. Littke	150	(6)
The Chicken Player
Joe L. Hensley	156	(5)
Nothing But Bad News
Henry Slesar	161	(3)
The Quick and the Dead
Helen McCloy	164	(7)
An Exercise in Insurance
James Holding	171	(4)
The Old Heap
Alvin S. Fick	175	(8)
As the Wheel Turns
Jane Speed	183	(6)
Knit One, Purl Two
Thomasina Weber	189	(5)
The Paternal Instinct
Al Nussbaum	194	(4)
What Kind of Person Are You?
Bill Pronzini and Barry N. Malzberg	198	(4)
Shatter Proof
Jack Ritchie	202	(5)
Out of Order
Carl Henry Rathjen	207	(4)
The Handy Man
Marion M. Markham	211	(3)
Nightmare
Elaine Slater	214	(3)
Recipe for Revenge
Jane Speed	217	(1)
Sweet Fever
Bill Pronzini	218	(6)
The Magnum
Jack Ritchie	224	(6)
Two Postludes
Isak Romun	230	(6)
A Deal in Diamonds
Edward D. Hoch	236	(5)
The Last Day of Shooting
Dion Henderson	241	(6)
Blisters in May
Jack Ritchie	247	(3)
The Collector
Patricia A. Mathews	250	(3)
House Call
Elsin Ann Graffam	253	(3)
The Adventure of the Blind Alley
Edward Wellen	256	(2)
The Unfriendly Neighbor
Al Nussbaum	258	(3)
A Feline Felony
Lael J. Littke	261	(6)
Don't I Know You?
Henry Slesar	267	(3)
Meet Mr. Murder
Morris Hershman	270	(3)
Co-Incidence
Edward D. Hoch	273	(6)
Alma
Al Nussbaum	279	(5)
Grand Exit
Leo R. Ellis	284	(3)
Hunting Ground
A.F. Oreshnik	287	(6)
The Big Trip
Elsin Ann Graffam	293	(2)
Dutch
William F. Nolan	295	(5)
Loaded Quest
Thomasina Weber	300	(4)
Hand in Glove
James Holding	304	(3)
The Slantwise Scales of Justice
Phyllis Ann Karr	307	(7)
Child on a Journey
Fred S. Tobey	314	(4)
The Witches in the Closet
Anne Chamberlain	318	(6)
Setup
Jack Ritchie	324	(5)
A Very Rare Disease
Henry Slesar	329	(2)
Two Small Vials Elsin
Ann Graffam	331	(4)
Sweet Remembrance
Betty Ren Wright	335	(6)
A Dip in the Poole
Bill Pronzini	341	(3)
Doctor's Orders
John F. Suter	344	(3)
Mrs. Twiller Takes a Trip
Lael J. Littke	347	(6)
Such a Lovely Day
Penelope Wallace	353	(3)
Matinee
Ruth Wissmann	356	(6)
Big Mouth
Robert Edmond Alter	362	(5)
The Weathered Board
Alvin S. Fick	367	(2)
Lot 721/XY258
R.L. Stevens	369	(5)
Thirteen
Edward D. Hoch	374	(5)
Operative 375
Gary Brandner	379	(5)
He'll Kill You
Richard Deming	384	(4)
Caveat Emptor
Kay Nolte Smith	388	(6)
The Facsimile Shop
Bill Pronzini and Jeffrey Wallman	394	(6)
A Corner of the Cellar
Michael Gilbert	400	(3)
Every Fifth Man
Edward D. Hoch	403	(4)
The Pro
Robert H. Curtis	407	(3)
Nobody, That's Who
William F. Nolan	410	(5)
Pigeon
William F. Nolan	415	(4)
The Prisoner
Edward Wellen	419	(4)
The Sooey Pill
Elaine Slater	423	(4)
Backing Up
Barry N. Malzberg	427	(4)
Wide O-
Elsin Ann Graffam	431