Manhattan Mayhem: New Crime Stories from Mystery Writers of America

This collection of mystery and crime stories set in Manhattan delivers some great short fiction by well-known and not-so-well-known authors. While the entries have a genre in common and cover the different boroughs of New York City, that is where the similarities end. They span different time frames and offer a variety of voices and themes, from the creepy and disturbing to the lighthearted and heartwarming. Despite these differences, the stories come together cohesively. Julie Hyzy's "White Rabbit," set in Central Park, is a page-turner that flips expectations; set in Times Square, where the famous picture of a kiss between a sailor and nurse at the end of World War II took place, "The Day After" by Brendan DuBoise will leave readers intrigued; and "Me and Mikey" by T. Jeerson Parker will make for a great booktalk, with its Little Italy setting and focus on the mob. Brilliantly edited by Clark (her own submission is a nice treat), and complemented by black-and-white photos, this collection will attract students who are already fans of some of the authors and will have teens new to these writers eager to read their longer works.