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A review by misterjay
Down These Strange Streets by George R.R. Martin
4.0
1 The Bastard Stepchild - George R.R. Martin
Intro.
2 Death by Dahlia - Charlaine Harris
Dahlia is a vampire charged with solving a mystery that occurs during a celebration for the new sherif. Fun, serviceable vampire fiction. 3/5
3 The Bleeding Shadow - Joe R. Lansdale
The characters presented in The Bleeding Shadow are new to me, but ones whose adventures I'd like to read more of. This story, about a deal with the devil for some blues chops, is an old one, but very well told. 5/5
4 Hungry Heart - Simon R. Green
John Taylor stories are always a good time. This one, where our hero has to find both a witch's heart and the box it's held in is vintage Green. Lots of fun. 4/5
5 Styx and Stones - Steven Saylor
What happens when a young Roman travels the ancient world and stumbles across an old temple and the goddess within? Pleasant and fun, but I didn't feel like it fit the anthology very well. 3/5
6 Pain and Suffering - S.M. Stirling
A pair of New Mexico detectives find themselves on the trail of a monster. Gripping and tightly plotted, this story has a new twist on an old idea at the end that I appreciated. 5/5
7 It's Still the Same Old Story - Carrie Vaughn
Time must feel a little different to vampires, especially when they make friends with mortals. This is a good story of a crime well past its sell-by date and the vampire who has to reflect on how it all came about. 4/5
8 The Lady is a Screamer - Conn Iggulden
Ghost stories have never been my favorite sub genre, but if there are more like this out there, I'll take them. Our hero is the real deal, a former sham psychic who finds ghosts and the relics they inhabit with the aid of three spirits: The Lady, Geronimo, and Tom. Really good. 5/5
9 Hellbender - Laurie R. King
Our hero is a part-human, part salamander p.i. who gets a case that shakes up his entire life. Lots of necessary exposition with a really interesting premise and a solid pulp story all mixed together. 4/5
10 Shadow Thieves - Glen Cook
This is the story I bought the collection for. It's Garrett, P.I. and it could be a story about Garrett hanging out with Morley and bitching at each other and I'd still give it a full five. Given that it's standard Garrett action and adventure, well, more please. 5/5
11 No Mystery, No Miracle - Melinda M. Snodgrass
Interesting take on religion and the world, with our hero being an 'old one' who has assumed multiple guises in his time on Earth, none of which matters as he steps up to the plate to stop another old one from growing even more powerful. 4/5
12 The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery - M.L.N. Hanover
Wow. This story, about an unusual consultant called in to help solve a "satanic" murder, is truly one-of-a-kind in all the best ways. Every time I thought I had a handle on where it was going, I was thrown. Really good. 5/C
13 The Curious Affair of the Deodand - Lisa Tuttle
A nice play on the classic Sherlock Holmes model only in this world, the supernatural does exist and, as such, the mysteries are that much more mysterious. 3/5
14 Lord John and the Plague of Zombies - Diana Gabaldon
Although it took me a minute to get into the archaic style, I really enjoyed this tale of zombies in colonial era Jamaica. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Lord John stories. 5/5
15 Beware the Snake - John Maddox Roberts
This story takes our detective hero and places him in ancient Rome. He uses his wits and his wife's impressive knowledge of both politics and religion to solve mysteries for Ceaser. Interesting. 3/5
16 In Red, with Pearls - Patricia Briggs
Apparently, this is one of the stories many people bought the collection for. I enjoyed it; werewolf stories are always a good time, especially when there are also zombies, witches, and lawyers, oh my. 4/5
17 The Adakian Eagle - Bradley Denton
This was fantastic. Everything from the setting to the dialog to the actual story were just very well done and the homage to Daishell Hammet was a lovely grace note.
Intro.
2 Death by Dahlia - Charlaine Harris
Dahlia is a vampire charged with solving a mystery that occurs during a celebration for the new sherif. Fun, serviceable vampire fiction. 3/5
3 The Bleeding Shadow - Joe R. Lansdale
The characters presented in The Bleeding Shadow are new to me, but ones whose adventures I'd like to read more of. This story, about a deal with the devil for some blues chops, is an old one, but very well told. 5/5
4 Hungry Heart - Simon R. Green
John Taylor stories are always a good time. This one, where our hero has to find both a witch's heart and the box it's held in is vintage Green. Lots of fun. 4/5
5 Styx and Stones - Steven Saylor
What happens when a young Roman travels the ancient world and stumbles across an old temple and the goddess within? Pleasant and fun, but I didn't feel like it fit the anthology very well. 3/5
6 Pain and Suffering - S.M. Stirling
A pair of New Mexico detectives find themselves on the trail of a monster. Gripping and tightly plotted, this story has a new twist on an old idea at the end that I appreciated. 5/5
7 It's Still the Same Old Story - Carrie Vaughn
Time must feel a little different to vampires, especially when they make friends with mortals. This is a good story of a crime well past its sell-by date and the vampire who has to reflect on how it all came about. 4/5
8 The Lady is a Screamer - Conn Iggulden
Ghost stories have never been my favorite sub genre, but if there are more like this out there, I'll take them. Our hero is the real deal, a former sham psychic who finds ghosts and the relics they inhabit with the aid of three spirits: The Lady, Geronimo, and Tom. Really good. 5/5
9 Hellbender - Laurie R. King
Our hero is a part-human, part salamander p.i. who gets a case that shakes up his entire life. Lots of necessary exposition with a really interesting premise and a solid pulp story all mixed together. 4/5
10 Shadow Thieves - Glen Cook
This is the story I bought the collection for. It's Garrett, P.I. and it could be a story about Garrett hanging out with Morley and bitching at each other and I'd still give it a full five. Given that it's standard Garrett action and adventure, well, more please. 5/5
11 No Mystery, No Miracle - Melinda M. Snodgrass
Interesting take on religion and the world, with our hero being an 'old one' who has assumed multiple guises in his time on Earth, none of which matters as he steps up to the plate to stop another old one from growing even more powerful. 4/5
12 The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery - M.L.N. Hanover
Wow. This story, about an unusual consultant called in to help solve a "satanic" murder, is truly one-of-a-kind in all the best ways. Every time I thought I had a handle on where it was going, I was thrown. Really good. 5/C
13 The Curious Affair of the Deodand - Lisa Tuttle
A nice play on the classic Sherlock Holmes model only in this world, the supernatural does exist and, as such, the mysteries are that much more mysterious. 3/5
14 Lord John and the Plague of Zombies - Diana Gabaldon
Although it took me a minute to get into the archaic style, I really enjoyed this tale of zombies in colonial era Jamaica. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Lord John stories. 5/5
15 Beware the Snake - John Maddox Roberts
This story takes our detective hero and places him in ancient Rome. He uses his wits and his wife's impressive knowledge of both politics and religion to solve mysteries for Ceaser. Interesting. 3/5
16 In Red, with Pearls - Patricia Briggs
Apparently, this is one of the stories many people bought the collection for. I enjoyed it; werewolf stories are always a good time, especially when there are also zombies, witches, and lawyers, oh my. 4/5
17 The Adakian Eagle - Bradley Denton
This was fantastic. Everything from the setting to the dialog to the actual story were just very well done and the homage to Daishell Hammet was a lovely grace note.