Review: M.O. CRIMES OF PRACTICE, Martin Edwards (edit)

• This edition published by BBC Audio Books 2009
  
• ISBN 978-1-4084-4180-0
• The Crime Writers' Association Anthology (Brit) for 2009
• 319 pages
• library book

Synopsis (Comma Press)

ROBERT BARNARD - MARTYN BEDFORD - ANN CLEEVES - BERNIE CROSTHWAITE - CAROL ANNE DAVIS - MARTIN EDWARDS - JÜRGEN EHLERS - KATE ELLIS - LIZ EVANS - PAUL A FREEMAN - JIM GREGSON - MICK HERRON - SARAH HILARY - ANDRE MAROIS - AMY MYERS - CHRISTINE POULSON - KARLINE SMITH - DOUGLAS STEWART - YVONNE EVE WALUS

A coroner reveals a body’s tell-tale clues to his students, as he unwittingly dissects his own relationship . . .

A breakdown driver turns his roadside routine into a quite different type of pick-up . . .

Two creative writing tutors discuss the merits of ‘hardboiled’ versus ‘cosy’ schools of crime writing, while a murderous student points out that it’s really procedure that counts . . .

The second in this series of anthologies from the CWA picks up the primary scent of any investigation: the modus operandi; the signature that identifies any repeat offender, the ‘how’ that supersedes the ‘why’. From the ex-doctor tenderly administering a final prescription to his victims, the party of finishing school debutantes exacting revenge on their lecherous host… these stories demonstrate that, even with the most despicable of crimes, there’s methodology in the madness.

My Take

Have I mentioned before how much I enjoy well written crime fiction short stories? And Martin Edwards, the editor of this collection, has not let me down in his selection.

An anthology of short stories by different authors really demonstrates how rich the genre can be. Each short story, while attempting to cling to a theme, brings with it a different flavour. Some are a bit more convoluted than others, but there wasn't one that disappointed. Brilliant bed time reading.

 My rating: 4.5