Book Review: Master's Choice, Volume II

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Master's Choice, Volume II     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Lawrence Block
Class/Genre:   Mystery   [Short Stories]
Berkley Prime Crime, Nov 2000, $22.95, 384 pp.

The premise behind this anthology series is simple. Popular short story writers contribute a tale of their own while selecting a story from someone else who they enjoy. The current author list consists of a who’s who of today’s mystery writers with such luminaries as Mary Higgins Clark, Joyce Carol Oates, Joe Gores, Carolyn Wheat, Ian Rankin, Evan Hunter, and Sharyn McCrumb. In turn, their choices embody a who’s who of literature with such renowned superstars as Poe, Stevenson, Saki, and of course that most prolific writer of all Anonymous.

Each tale is entertaining, fun to read, and expeditiously leads the audience to its companion piece, which is also well written and quite enjoyable. Fans of short story mysteries will gain much delight from the twenty-six entries that make up the wonderfully captivating MASTER’S CHOICE VOLUME II. PS, Mr. Block mentions a story he read in his youth that and he now wants to know the title and author. Rings a bell with me, but I thought it was an episode of the Twilight Zone or a similar TV series.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner