From The Crime Writer’s Association
I am taking my turn on the blog tour of Music Of The Night, hosted Random Things Tours on behalf of Flame Tree Press. Thank you for my spot on the tour, and for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
If you want to read my other book reviews, click here.
Synopsis
The Annual Crime Writers’ Association anthology is always a thrilling read, and eagerly anticipated by readers and authors of crime and mystery fiction worldwide.
Music of the Night is a new anthology of original short stories contributed by Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) members and edited by Martin Edwards, with music as the connecting theme. The aim, as always, is to produce a book which is representative both of the genre and the membership of the world’s premier crime writing association.
The CWA has published anthologies of members’ stories in most years since 1956, with Martin Edwards as editor for over 25 years, during which time the anthologies have yielded many award-winning and nominated stories by writers such as Ian Rankin, Reginald Hill, Lawrence Block, and Edward D. Hoch. Stories by long-standing authors and stellar names sit alongside contributions from relative newcomers, authors from overseas, and members whose work haven’t appeared in a CWA anthology before.
My Review
As soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it. This is not my first Crime Writers Association (CWA) anthology (see a previous review of Afraid Of The Christmas Lights), so I knew the collection of contemporary crime stories would be top notch. I was right!
I admire any author who can fit a story with a fully formed plot, characters, twists and turns, and an ending which satisfies the reader, into a shorter word limit. Every one of these authors within the pages managed that perfectly. From Scouts and Guides, to drunken taxi rides, to a Melody nobody else can hear, to multiple Draculas.
Each story will delight and entertain, but (if I must choose) my personal favourite was Anthony M. Brown’s The Melody Of Murder, where the killer stages each crime scene to copy an album cover. Brilliant!
I could write all day but then my review would be longer than many of the stories. Just take my word for it, you’ll be glad you read it. You can thank me with coffee and a pastry. I gave Music Of The Night, edited by Martin Edwards, five well deserved stars.
Meet The Authors
And The Editor 
Martin Edwards is the author of eighteen novels, including the Lake District Mysteries,and the Harry Devlin series. His ground-breaking genre study The Golden Age of Murder has won the Edgar, Agatha,and H.R.F. Keating awards. He has edited twenty eightcrime anthologies, has won the CWA Short Story Dagger and the CWA Margery Allingham Prize, and is series consultant for the British Library’s Crime Classics.
Where To Buy
For print copies, please consider supporting your local bookshops. To Buy online from Amazon, the book is available in the following formats:
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