Introduction
This collection contains eight murder stories written by some of
the finest British and American mystery writers of the twentieth
century. Many, like Colin Dexter and Patricia Highsmith, are best
known for their full-length works while others, like Jack Ritchie,
specialize in the short story In some of these stories, like Sara
Paretsky’s ‘At the Old Swimming Hole’, we follow the action
through the eyes of the person who is trying to solve the crime.
Other stories are told from the point of view of the criminal; as
readers of Patricia Highsmith’s ‘Woodrow Wilson’s Tie’, we share
the murderer’s thoughts as well as his actions.
English mystery writer Margery Allingham (1904-66) was
born in London. She followed other members of her family into
a life of writing, producing her first mystery story in 1927. She
also wrote about social history. In ‘Three Is a Lucky Number’ we
meet Ronald Torbay, who is making careful preparations for his
third murder. But will he succeed?
Born in Kentucky in 1940, Sue Grafton, who now lives in
California, has won many prizes for her crime stories. Kinsey
Millhone, a strong, intelligent female private detective with a
good sense of humour, is the main character in her books and
short stories. ‘Full Circle’ takes place in the imaginary town of
Santa Teresa in California. It seems that there has been a terrible
car accident. But was it really an accident?
British crime writer Simon Brett was born in 1945. After
studying at Oxford University, he worked as a producer for BBC
radio and London Weekend Television. He has written a number
of radio and TV plays in addition to his books and short stories.
Humphrey Partridge, the main character in ‘How’s Your
Mother?’, lives alone with his sick mother. But nobody ever sees
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