A Deadly Dozen: Tales of Murder from Los Angeles

by Kris Neri, Jamie Wallace, Phil Mann

Sisters in Crime, an international consortium of women and men whose reason for being is the propagation and betterment of women who write mysteries, is at it again with A Deadly Dozen: Tales of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0966347323
• ISBN13: 9780966347326
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Uglytown Productions
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A terrific collection of writers who pull no punches!

A Deadly Dozen is a compilation of short stories, naturally involving murders, written by the Sisters in Crime in Los Angeles, California. Featuring a deadly dozen stories from such authors as: Kris Neri, Cynthia Lawrence, Cory Newman, Lisa Seidman, and others, these stories provide a platform for these writers to dip their pens into stories with a twist. This group, which formed in 1986, led by Sara Paretsky, Sisters in Crime is now a respected national organization. The Los Angeles Chapter was formed by Phyllis Miller in 1989. In recent years, male writers have been welcomed into the organization. A Deadly Dozen is the second anthology published by this group.The problem...and the thrill...of short stories is that the characters have to introduce themselves to the reader early and completely. The reader has to immediately descend into the world that the author has created, and be ready for a real jolt at the end. Kris Neri's chilling "Sentence Imposed" does just that: "Call it fate, call it chance--either way, it'll change your life. Sometimes you just find yourself staring into a crowd, your gaze floating aimlessly over a sea of faces you won't remember the instant you look away--until one person's eyes seem to grab hold of yours and you make a connection. You can't explain it, but somehow your life and that stranger's become bound together. When I made that link, it was with a little girl."Whatever the subject, these writers know how to pull no punches. "Wifely Duties" is a Hitchcockian tale of a wife who plots to kill her husband, and ends up as a victim herself. "Push Comes to Shove" is a wrestler's nightmare. "Fatal Tears" is a classic sibling rivalry piece. A Deadly Dozen exposure is like taking in several episodes of "Night Gallery," with cataloging students catching a murderer in "Miss Parker and the Cutter-Sanborn Tables."Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

Twelve great mysteries!

"A Deadly Dozen" is an anthology of twelve wonderful short mysteries. They're full of twists and surprises, and run the gamut from somber to funny to twisted to emotionally compelling. My favorites were Ekaterine Nikas' smashing "Fatal Tears," Joan Myers' gripping "Copycat" and Nathan Walpow's sweaty "Push Comes to Shove." These stories are perfect for when you want a short, sharp shock, and don't have a lot of time to read.

Deader By The Dozen

12 authors from The Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters In Crime have put together a doozy of an anthology. There's not a weak story in the batch. In FATAL TEARS, Ekaterine Nikas has crafted a wonderfully intricate tale of two sisters that will keep you guessing until the last page. TOUCH OF A VANISH'D HAND by Phil Mann is a perfect locked room mystery reminiscent of the best of Sherlock Holmes. Another favorite was MIDNIGHT by Dorothy Rellas. This story of cross and double cross features a female PI protagonist I'd love to see again. Each story is a gem that will be remembered long after you close the cover. And speaking of the cover--take a closer look. It alone, is worth the price of the book. Way to go, ladies (and gentlemen) of LA SinC. Keep 'em coming.

Great anthology!

It seems wrong to call a group of stories about murder and mayhem fun, but that's what it is. Each story is skillfully executed and ends with a satisfying twist. My personal favorite was FATAL TEARS. I'd read an excerpt from the author's award winning DIVIDED CHILD, so wasn't surprised to be delighted by this talented author.Bravo to a talented group of "Sisters."

INSTANT KHARMA

I ENJOYED THIS EXCELLENT GROUP OF MYSTERIES. THEY ARE JUST THE RIGHT LENGTH TO READ BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP OR WHILE WAITING FOR AN APPOINTMENT. THE STORIES ARE ENGAGING AND THE ENDINGS ARE SURPRISING AND SATISFYING. MY PARTICULAR FAVORITES WERE FATAL TEARS, SENTENCE IMPOSED, AND AI WITNESS. IN EACH CASE, THE VILLAIN GETS JUSTICE IN A WAY THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY TO HAVE READ THE STORY!