A SPECIAL KIND OF CRIME

by Lawrence--Ed. Treat ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 16, 1982

This year's Mystery Writers of America anthology is devoted to stories involving some area of technical expertise--which makes for an unusually varied gathering; and since editor Treat prefers. ""lightsome"" crime fiction, the general tone is agreeably brisk or ironic. The standouts: Stanley Ellin's step-by-step account of an average day in the life of a professional arsonist (""The Nine-to-Five Man,"" 1961); Ellery Queen's vintage ""The Adventure of Abraham Lincoln's Clue,"" with its razzle-dazzle blend of Lincolniana, book-lore, and philately; and a John D. MacDonald short-short involving photography. Plus: skiing with Stanley Cohen; food & wine with James Cross; guns with Gerald Hammond's series hero, Keith Calder; kite fights in the Orient with Edward D. Hoch; a bit of gushy pulp-magazine nostalgia from Bill Pronzini; a grisly lesson in garotte handling from Frank Sisk; baseball, chess, cars, casino gambling. . . and folk dancing. Sturdy rather than stellar--but a solid collection with few real stinkers.

Pub Date: July 16, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1982

Categories: FICTION