The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries: Penguin Classics by Michael Sims

For classic murder mystery readers, a scintillating anthology of lost treasures to read alongside Edgar Allan Poe and Sherlock Holmes

For The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries, writer and anthologist Michael Sims did not summon the usual suspects. He sought the unfamiliar, the unjustly forgotten, and little-known gems by writers from outside the genre.

This historical tour of one of our most popular literary categories includes stories never before reprinted, features rebellious early “lady detectives," and spotlights former stars of the crime field—Austrian novelist Auguste Groner and prolific American Geraldine Bonner among them.

For twenty-first century connoisseurs of crime, The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries celebrates how the nineteenth century added a fierce modern twist to the ancient theme of bloody murder.

Review

"Vintage gems. . . . Overlooked and underappreciated mystery stories from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries."

—Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review

★ "Stellar collection of 13 classic stories from lesser-known authors. . . . Throughout, Sims’s choices, which showcase his encyclopedic knowledge of mystery fiction, range from good to great, and place welcome focus on the historic contributions of women to the genre. Even the most well-read mystery fans have good reason to check this out."

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics

Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 21, 2023

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0143137530

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9780143137535

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.4 ounces

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.05 x 0.6 x 7.75 inches