Original Sins: A Crime Writers' Association Anthology

Inspector Ian Rutledge #0.4 - Yesterday

by Martin Edwards (Editor/Author), Simon Brett, Rick Mofina

From a fish that can't help but dispense his own kind of justice to an assassin handling a misogynistic client, these tales of crime from a distinguished selection of British writers demonstrate that, for some, there's no going against their own nature.

Genres: Short Stories

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2010

About the author

Martin Edwards has been described by Richard Osman as ‘a true master of British crime writing.’ He has published twenty-three novels, which include the eight Lake District Mysteries, one of which was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Prize for best crime novel of the year and four books featuring Rachel Savernake, including the Dagger-nominated Gallows Court and Blackstone Fell, while Gallows Court and Sepulchre Street were shortlisted for the eDunnit award for best crime novel of the year. He is also the author of two multi-award-winning histories of crime fiction, The Life of Crime and The Golden Age of Murder. He has received three Daggers from the Crime Writers’ Association and two Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America and has also been nominated three times for Gold Daggers. In addition to the CWA Diamond Dagger (the highest honour in UK crime writing) he has received four other lifetime achievement awards: for his fiction, short fiction, non-fiction, and scholarship. He is consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics, a former Chair of the CWA, and since 2015 has been President of the Detection Club.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Forward ✔
Introduction ✔
Doctor Theatre by Simon Brett 3⭐
Beastly Pleasures by Ann Cleeves 3.25⭐
Clutter by Martin Edwards 2⭐
The Feather by Kate Ellis 3⭐
The Art of Negotiation by Chris Ewan 4⭐
Bryant and May in the Soup by Christopher Fowler 3⭐
The Asking Price by Sophie Hannah 2.5⭐
Bognor and Bolzano by Tim Heald 2⭐
Where are all the Naughty People? By Reginald Hill 3.5⭐
Ghosted by Peter Lovesey 4.5⭐
The Last Pursuit by Rick Mofina 3.5⭐
Two Stars by Barbara Nadel 2.5⭐
Fishy Story by Christine Poulson 2⭐
Rules of Engagement by Zoë Sharp 5⭐
Tick-Tock by Chris Simms 5⭐
Little Russia by Andrew Taylor 4⭐
Yesterday by Charles Todd 3⭐
Precious Things by Laura Wilson 4⭐

[Nigel Dickinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally a very enjoyable collection with a number of authors I knew already plus a few new ones. An interesting mix of traditional and unusual situations. Some didn't quite work but these were outnumbered by the better ones. 4 stars may be a bit generous. 3.5 would be overall verdict if this were available.

[Marcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 2 stars have more to do with my preferences rather than how well the stories were written. There were too many stories where the criminal won.

[Kally Sheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our possessions define us. Throw them out, and you throw away your history, your personality, the very life that you have lived. When we are gone, our possessions remain; they give our loved ones something to remember us by. - Clutter by Martin Edwards, Pg. 39

All sins, I imagine, improve with practice. - The Feather by Kate Ellis, Pg. 54

CONTENTS
Foreword by Tom Harper
Introduction by Martin Edwards
Doctor Theatre by Simon Brett
Beastly Pleasures by Ann Cleeves
Clutter by Martin Edwards
The Feather by Kate Ellis
The Art of Negotiation by Chris Ewan
Bryant and May in the Soup by Christopher Fowler
The Asking Price by Sophie Hannah
Bognor and Bolzano by Tim Heald
Where are all the Naughty People? By Reginald Hill
Ghosted by Peter Lovesey
The Last Pursuit by Rick Mofina
Two Stars by Barbara Nadel
Fishy Story by Christine Poulson
Rules of Engagement by Zoë Sharp
Tick-Tock by Chris Simms
Little Russia by Andrew Taylor
Yesterday by Charles Todd
Precious Things by Laura Wilson

[Pippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very uneven collection. The best story was Christine Poulson's 'Fishy Story', which was really clever, and original. Reginald Hill's 'Where are all the Naughty People' was also extremely good. Rick Mofina's story was a pacy read, and really touched me (must look out for his books!) and Martin Edwards was - as usual - very good. Some stories were quite weak, with improbable elements, but overall it was worth buying.