The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2024

Anthony Horowitz selects and introduces the best mystery stories from the past year, under the auspices of the world’s oldest mystery fiction specialty bookshop.

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.

With stories from:

• 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

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

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

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

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

This one deserves a place in every mystery collection.”
―Booklist STARRED REVIEW for Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023

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.”
―BookReporter

Anthony Horowitz is one of the most prolific writers in the UK, unique in that he works across so many genres including more than fifty novels and TV series as well as films, plays, and journalism. He was named “the greatest of our crime writers” by the Sunday Times. Anthony was awarded a CBE in 2022 for his services to literature.

Otto Penzler, the creator of American Mystery Classics, is also the founder of the Mysterious Press (1975); Mysterious Press.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.

See more titles by Anthony Horowitz