The Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2021
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The Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2021 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,310 ratings
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  1. Listening Length
    14 hours and 7 minutes
  2. Author
    Lee Child - editor and introduction, see all
  3. Narrator
    Matt Godfrey, see all
  4. Audible release date
    September 14, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
  7. ASIN
    B09F161863
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 14 hours and 7 minutes
Author Lee Child - editor and introduction, Otto Penzler - series editor
Narrator Matt Godfrey, Emily Sutton-Smith
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date September 14, 2021
Publisher HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B09F161863
Best Sellers Rank #80,330 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#168 in Mystery Anthologies & Short Stories
#664 in Mystery Anthologies (Books)

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,310 global ratings
22 Short Stories
4 Stars
22 Short Stories
22 Short mystery stories that I mostly enjoyed. My favorites were The Gift by Alison Gaylin, The Fifth Step by Stephen King, Thirty and Out by Doug Allen and Edda at the End of the World by Joseph S. Walker.I chose to listen to this book on audio and the narrators were very good. Don’t just take my word for it, listen to a sample.Thanks HighBridge Audio via Netgalley. 1. Doug Allyn- Thirty and out. 5⭐️ 2. Jim Allan - Things that follow. 4⭐️ 3. Michael Bracken - Blest be the Tie that Binds. 3⭐️ 4. James Lee Burke - Harbor Lights. 4.5⭐️ 5. Martin Edwards - The locked Cabin. 3⭐️ 6. John M. Floyd- Luxy Bound. 3.5⭐️ 7. Jaclyn (I can’t remember)- That Which is True. 3.5⭐️ 8. Allison Gaylee - The Gift 5⭐️⭐️ 9. Sue Grafton - If You Want Something Right. 4.5⭐️ 10. Paul Kemprecos - The Sixth Decay. 3⭐️ 11. Stephen King- The Fifth Step. 5⭐️ 12. Janice Law- The Client 4⭐️ 13. Dennis McFadden- The Truth about Lucy. 3.5⭐️ 14. David Marcum- The Adventure of the Home Office Baby. 3⭐️ 15. Tom Mead- Heat Wave. 3⭐️ 16. David Morell- Requiem. 3⭐️ 17. Joyce Carol Oats- Parole Hearing 5⭐️ 18. Sara Paretsky- Love and Other Crimes. 4.5⭐️ 19. Joseph S. Walker- Edda at the End of the World. 5⭐️ 20. Andrew Welsh-Huggins- The Path I Took. 4⭐️ 21. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce- My Favorite Murder.2⭐️
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Top reviews from the United States

Mary Jane Rowan
5.0 out of 5 stars The best! Best Mystery Stories of 2021
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2022
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My reading group took my suggestion and is reading this anthology. It helps that one of the editors, readers, is a good friend, Michele Slung, who calls herself a professional reader. True to what I would expect of her and Otto Penzler, add in Lee Child, this anthology is great fun. The appearances of Joyce Carol Oates's chillingly brilliant story, Parole Hearing, California, Stephen King's shocking story, The Fifth Step, and Andrew Walsh-Huggins fantastic Irish story The Path I Took, makes this a brilliant anthology. And then there is the newly found story by Sue Grafton, one of the all time great mystery writers of the century. The rest of the stories do not disappoint. I'm looking forward to savoring the bonus story which is sure to be a great "topper-offer."
12 people found this helpful
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Alison S. Coad
4.0 out of 5 stars Collection Worth Checking Out
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2022
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The 20 stories (plus one reprint by Ambrose Bierce from 1888) in this anthology were all published in 2020; each is preceded by a short introduction to the author and is followed by a brief note by the author concerning the genesis of the story. As with any such anthology, one reader’s favourites will be another’s most-hated; that said, my favourite stories in this collection include Michael Bracken’s “Blest Be the Tie That Binds,” about a Mob attempt to launder money through church tithings; “The Locked Cabin” by Martin Edwards, which takes place in the 1930s aboard the Queen Mary; Sue Grafton’s “If You Want Something Done Right…” which slyly illustrates that saying; the poignant “The Truth About Lucy,” by Dennis McFadden, showing how the past affects future generations; Joyce Carol Oates’ lovely imaging of how a member of the Manson Family might prepare for a “Parole Hearing, California Institution for Women, Chino, California”; Stephen King’s take on one of the famous steps of AA, “The Fifth Step”; and Andrew Welsh-Huggins’ “The Path I Took,” in which a student of languages travels to Gaelic Ireland in 1983, where his studies are disrupted by The Troubles. There is also a list of honorable mentions at the end of the book, for the reader who wants to find more stories in this genre. My one quibble with this anthology (which I believe is the first in a projected series overseen by Otto Penzler of the Mysterious Bookshop) is the choice to present the stories alphabetically by the author’s last name; that just seems like a rather daft way to go about it. In any event, a good compilation of recent mystery short stories; recommended.
20 people found this helpful
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JZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2023
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Really enjoyed reading all these stories. It's interesting to experience different literary styles over the course of one book. Great bedtime reading.....one story per night.
5 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Great reading.
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2022
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Excellent collection of mystery stories by the great variety of writers. There isn’t a particular story that sticks out in my mind but every time I read one of these collections I’m always introduced to new authors that I can now read more of.
5 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2023
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I loved this collection of stories. I read them quickly and enjoyed them immensely. 2021 was a good year for mystery.
3 people found this helpful
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L H
4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Collection of Short Stories
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2021
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The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021 is a collection of 20 short stories edited by Lee Child with Otto Penzler, the series editor. This book did not disappoint. Not only were there stories written by authors I had previously read, but quite a few by authors new to me. A brief summary of each author's work and awards appears before their short story.

Every one of the stories was well written and uniquely satisfying. It was easy to read a few stories when I had a little free time, such as waiting for an appointment or when traveling. Reading a couple of the stories was the perfect transition between novels. I am already ordering a few mytery collections from previous years.
20 people found this helpful
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Traveler
5.0 out of 5 stars Diverse plots and characters.
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2022
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In each story you meet unusual, interesting characters and interesting and surprising plots. Thoroughly entertaining!! Many of the characters leave you wishing for more.
One person found this helpful
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Christian Moore
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good overall
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022
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There are some gems in this collection. There are also a few for which I did not much care. And 1 or 2 that I couldn't get past 2 pages without skipping to the next story.
The bottom line is that the really good stories make the book worth purchasing.
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Donna Criddle
5.0 out of 5 stars story
Reviewed in Canada on May 31, 2023
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good story
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Leire
3.0 out of 5 stars Peor de lo esperado
Reviewed in Spain on November 21, 2022
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Soy fan de Lee Child pero algunas de las historias infumables. Como aspecto positivo son mejor que la melatonina para dormir. Otras han sido realmente buenas pero no me esperaba que algunas fueran tan enrevesadas o aburridas la verdad.
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Robert L.
4.0 out of 5 stars Good entertainment but not by Child
Reviewed in Canada on January 24, 2024
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A nice bunch of well written and interesting short stories, most of which could form the basis of a book of movie script. I have no idea why Lee Child's name is on the cover except to sell the publication.
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