A Moment on
the Edge 100 Years of Crime Stories by
Women Edited by Elizabeth
George
A Moment on the
Edge is a
collection of short stories written by twenty-five of the best women
mystery writers in history. They span the years between 1903 and
2003. Some of the writers included in this book are Antonia Fraser,
Charlotte Armstrong, Sara Paretsky, Ngaio Marsh and Shirley
Jackson.
All kinds of mysteries
and sleuths are represented here. Some are amateur sleuths and some
are professionals. Even the hard-boiled lady private eye is here.
Most, if not all, of the crimes they deal with are murders. There is
a new mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, though it is
not told from Dr. Watson's point of view. There is also a new take
on the case of Jack the Ripper. Some of the stories have sleuths
that are featured in a series of books and short stories. Some,
however, feature amateurs that only appear in this one story. All
are great reading.
I especially
enjoyed the new Sherlock Holmes mystery. It is quite different from
the usual Sherlock Holmes story—a refreshing change. Still, there
was no slacking the in the great detective's mental agility in
solving a mystery. I also enjoyed the take on Jack the Ripper. This
was a point-of-view never examined until now.
The solution to the
mystery did not always involve a criminal. Sometimes the crime was
not a crime at all, but a misunderstanding of the facts in the case.
Some involved funny happenings, though most were quite serious. The
end was always believable, but usually quite unexpected.
Elizabeth George has done
an outstanding job of selecting mysteries for this book. This is one
any mystery lover will enjoy. Pick up a copy and
enjoy. |