Murder by the Book

 Murder by the Book (1995) by Cynthia Manson (ed)

Manson has collected a selection of literary-inspired mysteries to delight mystery fans who just plain love books. We have writers who commit crimes and writers who are victims. We have murderers and criminals who use fiction as inspiration for real-life activities. We have treasure hunts based on Treasure Island and Munster's Cosmographia. And we have sleuths who solve cases based on their knowledge of everything from Jane Austen to Charles Dickens to Dashiell Hammett. If there's a connection writing or books, then these authors have made it.

As with most short story collections, this is a mixed bag. I've read the Sayers before and I happily reread it every time it shows up in a collection. Bill Pronzini, Michelle Knowlden, Edward D. Hoch, Margaret Maron, John Nelson, Michael Innes, Joseph Hanson, William Brittain, and Robert Barr all produce winners as well. I absolutely could have done without Bill James and Julian Symons--their offerings are brutal and bizarre, respectively. The rest are okay--but I doubt I'll remember much about them once this review is finished. ★★★ and 1/4

"Body Language" by Bill James: When one of the students in a crime writing class is shot by her husband, instead of calling the cops the instructor takes the time to analyze the culprit and his motive. (2 shot)

"Once a Writer..." by Robert Cenedella: A writer comes up with the perfect plan to murder his nagging wife. But will he be able to follow through with it...or will his writing get in the way?

"The Private Eye Who Collected Pulps" by Bill Pronzini: When Thomas Murray, the "King of the Pop Culture Collectors," is found killed in his "Pulp Magazine Room" the officer in charge knows who to call in to help. Murray left a dying clue using three of his pulp magazines--but only our nameless private eye can figure it out. (one stabbed; one natural)

"The Jane Austen Murder" by Michelle Knowlden: Aunt Helena drags her niece, a private detective, off to solve the murder of  a leading member of the Jane Austen Literary Club--even though Aunt Helena seems to want to solve it herself. But our hypochondriac P.I. nabs the killer, much to Helena's chagrin.(one hit on head)

"The Macbeth Murder Mystery" by James Thurber: A crime fiction fiend mistakenly picks up Shakespeare's Macbeth and decides that William has pulled the wool over his audience's eyes. She knows who really killed the king. (2 stabbed)

"The Spy at the Crime Writers' Congress" by Edward D. Hoch: A newly retired member of British Intelligence has one last job to perform--give a talk about code-breaking at a Crime Writer's Conference. He soon finds himself mixed up on one more round of spying intrigue. (3 bombs)

"Lieutenant Harold & the Treasure Island Treasure" by Margaret Maron: James Hawkins loved Treasure Island and he loved making treasure maps for his niece when she was growing up. He planned to make one last treasure map leading to her inheritance, but died before he had a chance to finish it. Lieutenant Harold is called in by a mutual friend to help Jemima find one last treasure. (one natural)

"Magwich Returns" by John Nelson: Officer Allan Hyath and his partner investigate the apparent suicide of a Charles Dickens fanatic. It will lead them to a meeting with "the third spirit." And a possible legacy. (one shot)

"The Hit" by Michael Z. Lewin: A mystery reader on a train finds a unique way to get rid of the unwanted attentions of a strange man.

"The Secret in the Woodpile" by Michael Innes: Who would want to kill a psychiatrist who apparently had no enemies. Maybe a poet with a deep, dark secret? (one shot)

"A Woman's Voice" by Joseph Hanson: Hack Bohannon investigates the murder of a writer who once hired him to find his estranged daughter. A man has been arrested on suspicion, but Bohannon tracks down a clue (the sound of a woman's voice) that may prove him innocent. (one hit on head)

"Something Ventured" by Carl Martin: A one-time thief turned writer convinces his writing group to put his brilliant idea for one more heist into practice. They think they've gotten away with with it.... (one natural)

"In the Bluebell Wood" by Julian Symon: A bizarre story about a man who confuses real life with the tales of King Arthur. Not really a mystery at all, but it's part of the collection so I guess it counts as one.. (one car accident; one stabbed)

"Willie's Last Trip" by Donald Olson: A man decides he's had enough of Willie lording his wealth over him and determines that Willie's trip to Mexico will be his last. (one hit on head)

"The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head" by Dorothy L. Sayers: Lord Peter Wimsey and his nephew find an old pirate treasure. One of my favorite Lord Peter short stories--I love the interaction between LPW and "Pickled Gherkins."(one natural) 

"The Man Who Read Dashiell Hammett" by William Brittain: A retiree who stocks books at the local library (and, incidentally, is devoted to reading mysteries) helps the library's director earn the donation of a prize mystery collection. It pays to know your Hammett. (one natural)

"Lord Chizelrigg's Missing Fortune" by Robert Barr: The newest Lord Chizelrigg is land rich, but lacks the funds to support his inheritance...unless Monsieur Valmont can help him decipher the late Lord Chizelrigg's literary clue to where he hid his gold. (one natural)

"The Copper Peacock" by Ruth Rendell: A writer takes refuges in his friend's empty apartment to try and get his latest book finished. He becomes enamored of the friend's cleaning lady...until she gives him a hideous copper peacock bookmark. (one beaten)

"The World According to Uncle Albert" by Penelope Wallace: Uncle Albert is a devotee of "The Master" (Sherlock Holmes) and likes to think he can spot clues just like his idol. When a member of his houseparty steals the family jewels, he's sure he can track down the criminal. (one natural)

"With a Smile for the Ending" by Lawrence  Block: Young Irishman, Tim Riordan, becomes the companion to a dying writer--a man whose work he has long admired. When the writer gets him involved in tracking down information about the death of a young woman, he's not so sure he likes what his favorite author plans to do with the information. (one drowned; one hit on head; one natural)

First line (1st story): One Tuesday afternoon, when Professor Cameron Phelps was nearing the end of his lecture to a Contemporary Fiction class on The Detective Story in Modern Novel and Film, a man he certainly recognized from drinks parties given by the English Society a while back suddenly appeared in the doorway near him, stood for a moment scanning the undergraduates, then stepped forward, pointing some sort of handgun at Geraldine Marques,sitting two student in on the third row, and shot her through the head, shot her twice.

Last lines (last story): I discovered that I did not like it all, and then I did cry. For Rachel Avery, for Joseph Cameron Bane. For me.