A Moment on the Edge - 100 Years of Crime Stories by Women

A Moment on the Edge is a collection of short stories written by twenty-five of the best women mystery writers in history. They span the years between 1903 and 2003. Some of the writers included in this book are Antonia Fraser, Charlotte Armstrong, Sara Paretsky, Ngaio Marsh and Shirley Jackson.

All kinds of mysteries and sleuths are represented here. Some are amateur sleuths and some are professionals. Even the hard-boiled lady private eye is here. Most, if not all, of the crimes they deal with are murders. There is a new mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, though it is not told from Dr. Watson's point of view. There is also a new take on the case of Jack the Ripper. Some of the stories have sleuths that are featured in a series of books and short stories. Some, however, feature amateurs that only appear in this one story. All are great reading.

I especially enjoyed the new Sherlock Holmes mystery. It is quite different from the usual Sherlock Holmes story—a refreshing change. Still, there was no slacking the in the great detective's mental agility in solving a mystery. I also enjoyed the take on Jack the Ripper. This was a point-of-view never examined until now.

The solution to the mystery did not always involve a criminal. Sometimes the crime was not a crime at all, but a misunderstanding of the facts in the case. Some involved funny happenings, though most were quite serious. The end was always believable, but usually quite unexpected.

Elizabeth George has done an outstanding job of selecting mysteries for this book. This is one any mystery lover will enjoy. Pick up a copy and enjoy.