- Hardcover: 234 pages
- Publisher: Five Star (November 1998)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0786216573
- ISBN-13: 978-0786216574
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14.7 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 363 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,729,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Along with four other volumes (not submitted for review but listed below), this collection launches Five Star's new series of library editions reprinting mystery short stories and original paperbacks. Here are 14 stories written--and now chosen for this volume--by husband-and-wife writers Muller and Pronzini, both of whom have received the Private Eye Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award. Spanning 20 years (1978-1998) of publication, the selections are perfectly balanced: six by Muller (one is a Sharon McCone tale), followed by two by both writers (one features both McCone and Pronzini's "Nameless" detective) and six by Pronzini (with another "Nameless" story included here). With the stories grouped in this way, the strengths of each writer are well contrasted. Muller's imaginative and unsettling ideas leave much for readers to resolve on their own, while Pronzini, harder edged, supplies more resolution but similar questions about motivations. Muller's stories are likely to linger in memory longer than Pronzini's. Two, in particular, stand out: "The Cracks in the Sidewalk," in which a hopeful writer is caught up in the past of a homeless woman, and "Dust to Dust," in which a house renovation resurrects not only the building's past glory but also its violent past. This litearary duet features two distinctive masters of the trade. (Dec.) FYI: The other inaugural books in the Five Star Mystery series are William Bernhardt's Primary Justice, John Lutz's Until You Are Dead, Max Allan's Butcher's Dozen and L.J. Washburn's Wild Night.
Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
4.0 out of 5 stars
MYSTERY TEAM, Oct 18 2000
By Bonita L. Davis - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Duo (Hardcover)
Two of mystery fans most beloved authors, Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini, have gathered a collection of their short stories for our reading pleasure. In case you don't know, the above couple are happily married and as a team worked together on some of the stories.Duo is divided into three sections. Two sections contain the individual works of each author while the remaining section is a collaboration of the two. You will find some of their favorite detectives in their stories ( Sharon McCone and Nameless) but for the most part the stories are very diverse and supply us with memorable moments.
What is the penalty for murdering a cactus? Savor Muller's "Sweet Cactus Wine" and stone yourself to death. Is your marriage on the rocks? Marcia and Bill will delight you with a couples' foibles in "The Dying Time". The most interesting of the stories is by far "Dust to Dust" by Muller which borders on the horror genre. By and large this is a great collection because you get so involved with the characters to the point of wanting the story to continue. Alas, all good short stories must come to an end.
Even though this is a collaboration of partners, I must admit that Muller's work is the strongest of the two. Pronzini is hard hitting with his traditional male detective genre and fares very well but Marcia gives the spark. For fans of both authors this is a must have for your collection.
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