From a pool of over 3,000 considered stories published last year—anything that touched on crime, mystery, and suspense, from venues as disparate as The Strand Magazine , Dark Yonder , Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine , The Bellevue Literary Review , and more—these are the very best, selected by series editor Otto Penzler and guest editor Anthony Horowitz. The tales included cover a range of styles, highlighting the diversity of subjects and forms comprising the genre we call mystery fiction. Featuring a mixture of household names, masters of the short form, and newcomers to the field, the collection offers a variety that promises something for every reader. And it's all capped off by a vintage story from the first half of the previous century, sourced directly from the rare book room at the Mysterious Bookshop, the oldest mystery fiction specialty store in the world. Authors include: Ace Atkins - Michael Bracken - Fleur Bradley - Shelley Costa - Doug Crandell - Jeffery Deaver - John Floyd - Nils Gilbertson - Peter Hayes - Shells Legoullon - Victor Methos - Leonardo Padura - Dan Pope - Annie Reed - Cameron Sanders - Anna Scotti - Archer Sullivan - Andrew Welsh-Huggins - Stacy Woodson "Across a dizzying number of subgenres, this collection delights by prizing quality over name recognition. There's something here for every mystery fan." ― Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW for Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 "Thrilling . . . The wealth of talent on display here augurs well for the future of intelligent, character-driven crime fiction. This is a must for mystery fans." ― Publishers Weekly "The stories cover a satisfying range of styles and themes, embellished with notes from their authors. . . . A must-read for short story aficionados." ― Booklist STARRED REVIEW "The year's best stories highlight the healing power of crime fiction. . . . Fans tired of meaningless violence should welcome this showcase of the redemptive side of the genre." ― Kirkus "Wide-ranging . . . Because the stories vary so much, it's a great bet for gifting to mystery and crime fiction readers." ― NY Journal of Books "A gift for all mystery fans. As outlined so perfectly by Anthony Horowitz, this genre not only matters, it is important and holds special meaning for each and every reader." -- Ray Palen ― Bookreporter.com "A deeply insightful and chilling psychological exploration. 48 CLUES INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MY SISTER is absorbing, fascinating and disturbing in precisely the way a riveting thriller should be. Not to be missed." ― Reviewing the Evidence Otto Penzler , the creator of American Mystery Classics, is also the founder of The Mysterious Press (1975); MysteriousPress.com (2011), an electronic-book publishing company; and New York City’s Mysterious Bookshop (1979). He has won a Raven, the Ellery Queen Award, two Edgars (for the Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection , 1977, and The Lineup , 2010), and lifetime achievement awards from NoirCon and The Strand Magazine . He has edited more than 70 anthologies and written extensively about mystery fiction.