A thrilling tome of the best crime and mystery tales of the year, selected by bestselling author Amor Towles. Includes sensational short stories by Jeffery Deaver, Andrew Child and Brendan Du Bois.

International bestseller Amor Towles, the critically acclaimed author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility, together with award-winning editor and founder of the Mysterious Bookshop, Otto Penzler, has selected the crème de la crème of the year's crime and mystery stories, and presented them here in one entertaining volume perfect for crime fiction lovers.

The classic mystery tale will be familiar to aficionados and casual readers alike: it was invented by Edgar Allan Poe, popularised by Arthur Conan Doyle, and perfected by Agatha Christie. WIthin a few pages, a clue can be discovered, divulged, and its significance determined: all else is mere embellishment.

Featuring stories by: Doug Allyn, Derrick Belanger, T. Coraghessan Boyle, Joslyn Chase, Andrew Child, Aaron Philip Clark, Jeffery Deaver, Brendan DuBois, Kerry Hammond, Victor Kreuiter, David Krugler, Tom Larsen, Avram Lavinsky, Jesse Lewis, Ashley Lister, Michael Mallory, Lou Manfredo, Sean McCluskey, Annie Reed, Anna Round, Joseph S. Walker, and a special bonus story: a vintage mystery tale from the fabled literary chronicler of the American Gilded Age, Edith Wharton.

Amor Towles was born in Boston. He was an investment banker before leaving to write full-time on the success of his first novel, Rules of Civility. A Gentleman in Moscow, the follow-up, was an international bestseller. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children.

Otto Penzler, series editor, is the founder of the Mysterious Press (1975), Mysterious Press.com (2011) and New York City's Mysterious Bookshop (1979). He has won a Raven, the Ellery Queen Award, two Edgars and lifetime achievement awards from Noircon and The Strand Magazine. He has edited more than 70 anthologies and written extensively about crime fiction.