WHEN IT COMES TO MURDER, THERE'S ALWAYS A CHOICE…The only thing more varied than how people are killed is the many, many ways people try to get away with this terrible crime. Now masterful mystery writer Dorothy Salisbury Davis brings together 23 classic stories of crime and suspense, whodunits and detective stories from some of the finest authors of the 1950s.Ross Macdonald's classic P.I. Lew Archer takes a chilling case in California, where the mob isn't ...

THE FAIRER SEX? NOT THESE LADIES…The female of the species is absolutely deadlier than the male in these 14 cunningly-crafted tales of suspense, crimes of passion, and murder, all by women writers. Edited by MWA Grandmaster and bestselling mystery author John D. MacDonald, these bone-chilling stories show the depths that men and women will stoop to in pursuit of what they want. Christianna Brand brings us a story of two sisters who engage in the ultimate c...

The Whole Truth is a detective story by Anthony Gilbert, the pen name of British writer Lucy Beatrice Malleson. The story explores the complicated nature of truth and the difficulty of discovering what really happened during a suspicious event. The plot begins with a situation in which several people give different versions of the same incident. Each character claims to be telling the truth, but their stories do not fully agree with each other. As the investigation continues, the reader re...

Discover the captivating treasures buried in the British Library's archives. Largely inaccessible to the public until now, these enduring crime classics were written in the golden age of mysteries.At a soirée like this, anyone can be the life—or death—of the partyThe British Secret Service, working to uncover a large-scale blackmail ring and catch its mysterious mastermind 'The Spider', find themselves at the country residence Feltham Abbey...

The British Secret Service, working to uncover a large-scale blackmail ring and catch its mysterious mastermind, 'The Spider', find themselves at the country residence Feltham Abbey where a fancy-dress ball is in full swing. In the tumult of revelry, Sir Ralph Feltham is found dead. Not the atmosphere bewildered guest Tony was expecting, he sets out make sense of the night's activities and the motives of the other guests. Among them is Hilary, an independently minded socialite still in her...

“The Mystery of the Open Window. Illustrated” by Anthony Gilbert is a compelling work of classic British detective fiction, combining intricate plotting with a keen psychological edge. Known for her mastery of suspense and misdirection, Gilbert crafts a mystery that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The story begins with a seemingly ordinary situation that quickly turns unsettling: an open window, an unexplained absence, and a growing sense that something is deeply wrong. What at ...

The Night of the Fog by Anthony Gilbert is a gripping mystery that unfolds within an atmosphere of unease, secrecy, and quiet menace. The story begins on a fog-laden night, when visibility is low and ordinary surroundings take on an unfamiliar, almost threatening quality. In this unsettling setting, a seemingly ordinary sequence of events gives way to suspicion and intrigue. Gilbert masterfully uses the physical fog as both a literal and symbolic device, blurring not only the streets and f...

The party has commenced, yet the host is inexplicably absent. The lifeless body of Sir Simon Chandos, the wealthy and respected owner of Freyne Abbey, is discovered in his library, ostensibly a victim of self-inflicted demise. Tensions grip the guests as they grapple with the overwhelming shock. However, amateur detective Scott Egerton, a guest himself, uncovers an unexpected connection between the Freyne household and a long-forgotten event, leading to a shocking revelation. Dete...

Ellery Queen is persuaded to accompany an old friend and sculptor to his ancestral home when the latter arrives at Ellery's house covered in blood and unable to remember anything from the past few weeks. Once there, tensions erupt and foul play results in the murder of one of the household's members. Among the many transgressions Ellery will uncover are adultery, blackmail, and deceit.

FIFTEEN STORIES ABOUT THE MOST HEINOUS CRIME OF ALL…Of all the crimes humankind can commit, the act of murder—of cold-bloodedly taking another human life—is often the most shocking, and can tear couples, families, and even entire towns apart.Mystery Writers of America is proud to present this volume in the Classics series, featuring fourteen stories by acclaimed writers, all exploring the terrible crime of murder. From chill-master Robert Bloch comes a stor...

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A seminal collection from one of the true masters of the short story. Spanning the duration of Cheever’s long and distinguished career, these sixty-one stories chronicle and encapsulate the lives of what has been called “the greatest generation.”From the early wonder and disillusionment of city life in “The Enormous Radio” to the surprising discoveries and common mysteries of suburbia in “The Housebreaker of Shady Hill”...

Gaudy Night (1935) is Dorothy L. Sayers's most intellectually ambitious detective novel, set amid the cloistered world of Shrewsbury College, Oxford, where Harriet Vane returns for a reunion only to confront anonymous poison-pen messages and escalating acts of malice. Elegantly plotted yet unusually reflective, the novel fuses Golden Age mystery with the academic novel, using wit, allusion, and psychological nuance to examine truth, vocation, celibacy, women's education, and the ethics of ...