Murder Squad - the anthology
Reviews:
ANN CLEEVES - THE PLATER When a middle aged woman makes a spur of the moment decision to hitch a lift, has she made a serious error of judgment? Compelling, with a neat twist in the tale.
MARTIN EDWARDS - ETERNALLY An author visits an old man in hospital to uncover the truth about a death that happened 30 years before. The story flips really well between past and present and gives a memorable snapshopt of the characters and a momentous event in their lives.
MARGARET MURPHY - BIG END BLUES 2 female country and western singers are strapped for cash and their big end's gone. A quirky little tale of desperate measures.
STUART PAWSON - FLOWER POWER Charlie Priest investigates the death of a young woman. The usual Stuart Pawson humour interspersed with rather more than I really wanted to know about maggot infestations (especially as I was eating a British Rail sandwich at the time). Very believable with some VERY funny lines. This story reinforces why Charlie Priest is my favourite policeman.
CATH STAINCLIFFE - ROCK-A-BYE-BABY A woman's descent into depression and despair. Very powerful, very moving, very memorable.
JOHN BAKER - AN OLD FASHIONED POISONING A young girl sets out to poison her mother's lover. Evocative, atmospheric and packing a real punch. Poetic writing in an 'in your face way'. The words just fit together so perfectly.
CHAZ BRENCHLEY - UP THE AIRY MOUNTAIN A dying man makes a confession. Bleak and haunting. A very distinctive voice with words used in wonderful, strange ways. I didn't like the story as it felt too completely without hope, but it's written so beautifully I read it twice just to savour some of the language and phrases and to enjoy how the whole story just flows.
STUART PAWSON - ULTRA VIOLENT The adage that a man needs to do three things in his life before he can feel fulfilled is taken a bit too far. Black humour (love it!). Great story, I never saw the ending coming.
ANN CLEEVES - SAD GIRLS A woman in prison for a nasty crime recounts a slice of her life and that of one of her fellow prisoners. Sad and thought provoking. Again, a really distinctive voice.
MARTIN EDWARDS - THE CORPSE CANDLE An atmospheric medieval murder tale. Very creepy. Despite being a short story it manages to paint a wonderful picture of the period as well as being a thrilling tale.
MARGARET MURPHY - A CERTAIN RESOLUTION A stalker fresh out of jail comes back to haunt his victim. A short, sharp, shocker.
JOHN BAKER - DEFENCE A man returns to his native Norway after his marriage breaks down, leaving his son behind. My goodness- how to describe this one? I was totally wrapped up in it. It's a tale of sadness, loneliness, of wanting to be accepted and loved. Although it's simple enough on the outside, there are all sorts of thoughts and feelings simmering beneath. I really enjoyed this one.
CATH STAINCLIFFE - DEATH IN THE AIR A Sal Kilkenny short story. Sal gets a phone call from a woman who is certain she's being watched. Straightforward, but engrossing.
The book also has a really nifty section at the end which has snippets from each author's novels under the headings setting, crime and aftermath. This was really interesting. For those books I have read it was nice to be reminded of certain passages (there's a very memorable and funny scene from Stuart Pawson's The Mushroom Man and another really descriptive passage I loved from John Baker's King of the Streets). There's a passage in the second person from Chaz Brenchley which is really powerful although, like his short story, it wasn't a comfortable passage. I've never read Margaret Murphy but there's a passage from Dying Embers which has made me really want to get that one.
This was a great collection of short stories. As well as having some familiar characters, they also showed different styles and aspects of each author. I did have a couple of quibbles - John Baker's stories don't show his wonderfully warm sense of humour, there's only one Chaz Brenchley, there aren't enough stories.......but that's just me being selfish. Donna Moore, 4_Mystery_Addicts Newsgroup.
*
Their first collection gets my vote for anthology of the year. The collective has brought together a group of very different authors who complement each other's work superbly. There are private eye stories, police procedurals and pieces in which ordinary people become involved in terrible events. The one thing that they all have in common is lively and literary writing. Mat Coward, Morning Star.
*
Highly enjoyable. An intriguing and encouraging example of literary co-operation. The individual talents of its members are well showcased in this anthology. For those who have never read any of its contributers' novels it provides an ideal introduction, but is also an enjoyable volume in its own right, and on both counts deserves to find widespread publicity and success. Paul M. Chapman, Sherlock Holmes Magazine.
*
Nothing here is a rehash of stale crime writing. If you are looking for something intelligently new, or are maybe new to the genre yourself, this anthogy must be of interest. Reading Groups starting on an exploration of crime fiction should find this of particular interest. Elisabeth Mace.
Murder Squad - The CD
Murder Squad has recently recorded a CD, with members talking about and reading from new work. These CDs are now available for £3 inc p&p; please contact sales@chazbrenchley.co.uk