A Merry Band of Murderers: An Original Mystery Anthology of Songs and Stories Book

More than a compilation of short mystery stories from some of the genre's finest writers, this edition is staged in two acts: first, a non-fiction discussion of short stories, mysteries, and music; and second, a compilation of musical short mysteries. The book is packaged with a music CD with recordings by the authors.

Publishers Weekly

This anthology of 13 stories includes a few hits, but on the whole, the volume strikes many a false note. Each mini-mystery somehow involves music; Val McDermid's story, for example, riffs on "The Long Black Veil," the song made famous by Johnny Cash. Rupert Holmes's clever tale "Shuffle Off This Mortal Coil" features a man who believes his iPod talks to him, and Claudia Bishop's droll "The Melancholy Danish" turns on a production of Hamlet. But lackluster stories like Bill Moody's "File Under Jazz," about a jazz artist's murder, and John Lescroart's "Something out There," about a young woman who finds love with a cop, dominate the book. The interviews with each author and introductory essays by Bishop (A Dinner to Die For), Bruns (Barbados Heat) and the publisher pad this anthology based on a gimmick cleverer in conception than execution. A companion CD of original songs provides the soundtrack. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.