An audiobook anthology of original short stories featuring femme fatales and deadly anti-heroines

books:

	• Dangerous Women Otto Penzler Mysterious Press, 2005 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 8 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Fascinating reading

Having learned to trust editor Penzler's tastes over the years through reading installments of The Best American Mystery Stories and The Best American Crime Writing, and such memorable anthologies as Murder For Revenge and Murder and Obsession, I eagerly anticipated reading his latest offering, Dangerous Women. After reading the first few tales, I knew the master hadn't lost his touch. Of course, when you're dealing with the work of writers of the stature of Ed McBain ("Improvisation"), Joyce Carol Oates ("Give Me Your Heart"), Elmore Leonard ("Loudly and Pretty Boy"), and Nelson DeMille ("Rendezvous"), it's hard to go wrong.

Although the "old dependables" above deliver some truly memorable tales (DeMille's entry, about a female Vietcong sniper, is especially gripping), they by no means outshine any of the other thirteen stories, including Michael Connelly's "Cielo Azul," featuring his popular characters Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb, Jeffrey Deaver's surprising "Born Bad," Anne Perry's oddly touching "Sneaker Wave," and John Connelly's macabre "Mr. Gray's Folly." Penzler delivers plenty of variety, enough to satisfy almost any taste.

In his introduction, reflecting on Sherlock Holmes' and Nero Wolfe's views on women, the editor notes:

"...neither Holmes nor Wolfe ever met the dangerous women on these pages. They would have been shocked and appalled. But, as I predict you, too, will be, they would have been fascinated."

Penzler's prediction is entirely accurate. Acknowledging that it's still very early in the year, I'd have to say that he's compiled a certain contender for Best Anthology of 2005.

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An audiobook anthology of original short stories featuring femme fatales and deadly anti-heroines

Dangerous Women is an audiobook anthology of original short stories featuring femme fatales and deadly anti-heroines. Some written in the spirit of ancient legends, others very much owing their heritage to modern popular culture, these women range from seductive to murderous to superbly manipulative. Featuring stories by Ed McBain, Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Connelly, and many more, these suspenseful tails are sure to keep the listener guessing about what's in store - whether for the predatory female or the males who come too close. 10 CDs, approximately 11.5 hours, unabridged.

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HOT * HOT * HOT

Otto Penzler has knows how to build to a climax, that's for sure, and of all the hot noir anthologies he's put together, this could be the best. Kudos for stating the obvious (aren't all women dangerous?).

Two of the stories in this anthology (BORN BAD & HIS LORD AND MASTER) are up for Edgar Awards in 2006, and that's just the tip of the...iceberg, so to speak. Laura Lippman's story might be my personal fave, but then again I AM a girl and many men would not be up to this one - be forewarned, boys. Nelson DeMille's story is fabulous. So is Elmore Leonard's. Come to think of it, I didn't meet a story in this book that I did not like.

The writing is fabulous and groundbreaking from start to finish. The entire book is brimming with great writing and sometimes disturbingly surprising sensual undertones.

Incredible here-and-now entertainment of the though-provoking kind. Highly recommended.

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Great Female Villains and Heroes Within

A sensational collection of short stories with great female characters by leading authors including Connelly, Deaver, McBain, Lippmann, Leonard, Perry. Like all compilation collections by different authors you have superb masterpieces along with stories which aren't that great. There are enough masterpieces within though to make Dangerous Women a must read!

The first story Improvisation by Ed McBain starts of with the response by a beautiful blonde (Jessica) to a guy's (Will) bar pickup line of "What do we do for a little excitement tonight?" "Why don't we kill somebody?" Will thinks she's flirting and as she pints out an unattractive loner woman to be the victim he suggests ways how they do this then still thinking its all a game asks the victim to join them.

Improvisation is not the only masterpiece within. Laura Lippman's Dear Penthouse Forum (A First Draft) has a stranded passenger who needs to sleep overnight in the terminal being offered money for a hotel by an older good samaritan lady which his conscience just won't let him take. She then offers him to stay in her guestroom at her nearby house he decides he can do this since he'll give the lonely woman certain favours in return.

Rendevous by Nelson De Mille has a Vietnam veteran recounts the tale of a beautiful sniper who targets the squad he led on patrol as lieutenant and they feared more than any male counterpart.

Ian Rainkin's Soft Spot has a pathetic prison censor named Denis who reads all incoming and outgoing mail. Like all the guards he would like a piece of the beautiful Selina who is the wife or jailed mobster Blaine. Becoming obsessed with her he learns she is having an affair and is selling Blaine's house obviously about to do a runner. He may well be able to blackmail her for his pleasure to keep certain things from her husband.

Born Bad by Jeffry Deaver has a daughter who never got along with her parents who chose never to raise a hand to discipline her. As she got older they became more and more disappointed in her rebellious lifestyle. Now she is grown up, the mother is a widow and has tracked down her daughter. The daughter has accepted to see her but the mother does not know if she has accepted because she has turned her life around or if the rage has developed further and she will want to kill her.

If you enjoyed this collection and are looking for more sensational books with great female characters also check out either the Jessica Jones or Anna Fehrbach series by Christopher Nicole. Gerald Hammond has also written his fair share of great female leads. Kate White's Bailey Wiggins character is another series worth checking out as well.

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reviews: page 1, 2

- The acclaimed authors in this anthology are collectively responsible for dozens of New York Times bestsellers and millions of copies sold. - Mystery anthologies are always popular, as seen by the success of The Mysterious Press Anthology (Mysterious Press, 2001) and The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century (Houghton Mifflin, 2000), which sold over 120,000 copies combined. - Legendary editor Otto Penzler owns the Mysterious Bookshop in New York and founded the Mysterious Press and Otto Penzler books. In addition, he has written and edited several books, including the Edgar-winning Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection and the annual Best American Mystery Stories.

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