The sheer definition of Golden Age presupposes a lot, at the very least a certain kind of quality and sure enough this collection makes good on that promise. Otto Penzler, a man who really, really, really knows mystery, put together a lovely roster of stories that represent some of the very best that era had to offer.
I’m a fan of mysteries, irrespective of their age, just love a good mental puzzle. And while I’ve read some Golden Era mysteries before, it probably wasn’t a large enough of a sample to formulate real passions or opinions. This one just might do the trick, though. You gotta love a well put together anthology, a cleverly selected and curated one. Each one of these stories is preceded by an author’s bio, including historical data on both publications and cinematic adaptations (and of this there were many). It seems that back in the day a lot more moviemaker drew their inspirations from books than they do now, another age when mystery genre thrives. Interesting… Anyway, in this book you’ll find a number of longer short stories by all the genre luminaries of the day. Most of the names are well known and easily recognizable, from the strikingly productive Gardner to the gloomy Woolrich. It was nice to finally read some of these authors, having watched movie and tv adaptations of their stories and being aware of who they are. But the greatest kudos and main credit go to the editor for putting together such a notably undated collection, all things considered. Barely a trace of the rampant casual sexism, racism and chauvinism that were so prevalent back then…this is as close as one gets to all things being equal by the social standards of the time. In fact, many of the authors and protagonists of these stories are women and they acquit themselves marvelously. It’s impossible for this collection to be completely undated, of course, times change and all that, but mainly it is reflected in the language, mores and morals. All the sinister and murderous intentions are still there, but in a much cleaner format. Presumably this will appeal enormously to the readers who inexplicably (to me) complain about adult language in fiction. But anyway, it’s just an altogether more innocent of a production, at least superficially and there is a certain undeniable elegance to that. Plot wise, mystery fans will be pleased, there are lots of fun puzzles here to solve. Almost all of the stories were above average in concept and execution and, of course, the twist of it all. So all in all, a lovely collection. A delight for genre fans and a good way to drum up some new ones. It reads strangely long for me, but it isn’t that long at all, so no idea what that’s all about. Maybe I was too busy playing along. Anyway…a very enjoyable read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
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