When Barb Goffman asked me if I was interested in an anthology called Crime Travel, she captured two of my interests, mysteries and time travel. However, she wouldn’t have been able to tell me ahead of time how enjoyable the stories would be. A couple of them, including Goffman’s own “Alex’s Choice”, brought tears to my eyes.

I can’t even begin to describe the variety of stories in this collection. And, I can’t give too much away with any of these stories. Following Donna Andrews’ introduction to the book, Melissa H. Blaine kicks off the anthology with the first story that made me tear up. In “Living on Borrowed Time”, two time tourists from the future bring a warning for a woman.  I’m not even going to give the name of Anna Castle’s amusing story because the title would give away the method of time travel. It’s not always about machines in this book.

In Adam Meyer’s “The Fourteenth Floor”, a security guard receives a reward for his actions thirty-nine years earlier. One of my favorite stories was Barbara Monajem’s “The Last Page” in which she sends a thief running from the mob into the past. This one might surprise you. And, Cathy Wiley really should write a novel featuring Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Ashcroft, featured in “And Then There Were Paradoxes”, a story that also features Agatha Christie.

There’s so much variety in this solid, entertaining collection. If you’re a fan of time travel, mysteries, and anthologies, you really should look for Crime Travel.


Crime Travel, edited by Barb Goffman. Wildside Press LLC, 2019. ISBN 2370000726483 (paperback), 182p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure – The editor sent me a copy of the book, after inquiring if I was interested in reading it.