This superb annual anthology of the year's most outstanding short crime fiction published in the UK is now well into its second decade. Jakubowski has succeeded, once again, in unearthing the best short crime stories of English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish authors (along with a handful of US writers living in the UK, and some expatriate Brits). With this collection he showcases the impressive breadth of British crime writing, from cosy tales of detection to noir mayhem and psychological suspense and terror. There are puzzles to solve, nagging questions about the nature of British society, but, above all, there are over 40 wonderful, gripping stories to shock, delight and make you think twice, if not three times.
**CONTENTS**
INTRODUCTION
Maxim Jakubowski
THE HOLLYWOOD I REMEMBER
Lee Child
ADVENT
Kevin Wignall
TEMPUS FUGIT
Will Carver
BASED ON A TRUE STORY
Paul Charles
DARKLING
Val McDermid
THE WORLDβS END
Paul Johnston
A TIME TO SEEK
Alison Bruce
BILLY MICKLEHURSTβS RUN
Tim Willocks
VERTIGO
Maxim Jakubowski
THE BAKER STREET CIMMERIAN
Rhys Hughes
HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE
Edward Marston
A GOOD MAN
N. J. Cooper
GOOD INTENTIONS
Michael Z. Lewin
GODβS LONELY MAN
Peter Guttridge
THE DAY OF THE DEAD
Mary Hoffman
FINNBARRβS BELL
Peter Tremayne
TWO FLORIDA BLONDES
Kate Rhodes
RED ESPERANTO
Paul D. Brazill
SHAME
Ros Asquith
MURDER UNCORDIAL
Amy Myers
MIDWINTER INTERLUDE
Alexander McCall Smith
THE TIGER
Nina Allan
THE LONG SHADOW
Peter Turnbull
FOURTH TIME LUCKY FOR MICKEY LOEW
Jay Stringer
NO FLOWERS
Martin Edwards
LOST AND FOUND
ZoΓ« Sharp
EYES WIDE SHUT
Col Bury
SECRET OF THE DEAD
David Stuart Davies
NO SHORT CUTS
Howard Linskey
LULLABY
Susan Everett
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN
Christopher Fowler
THE HOTLINE
Dreda Say Mitchell
THE ZATOPEC GAMBIT
Roger Busby
FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND
Simon Kernick
A THREE PIE PROBLEM
Peter Lovesey
DEAD MANβS SOCKS
David Hewson
DAYTRIPPING
Gerard Brennan
THE END OF THE ROAD
Jane Casey
A NICE CUP OF TEA
Christopher J. Simmons
OUT OF BEDLAM
Stephen Gallagher
BENTINCKβS AGENT
John Lawton