It’s always fun to share one of Kevin Tipple’s reviews. Usually, I haven’t read these books, and this one is an older title. Kevin originally read Murder New York Style in 2007. Thank you, Kevin!

Regional anthologies, as opposed to ones on a certain literary them or device, seem to
be very popular these days. Usually, it is a state or a region of the country but in this
case, it is a city. One would think it would be published by a publisher there. Instead,
and what pulled my attention to it in the first place, was the fact that it was done by the
same Texas publisher that did Sylvia Dickey’s Dance On His Grave novel. L&L
Dreamspell seems to be doing a lot of interesting things in a wide variety of areas.

Showcasing New York past and present, these twenty one tales by authors of the
Sisters in Crime New York/Tri State Chapter contain murder and mayhem in a variety of
forms.

“Name Tagging” by Randy Kandel, who pulls double duty as editor and also serves as
President of the chapter, revolves around murder and deception at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art.

Friendship leads to murder in “Mister Right” by Ronnie Klaskin in a way you will never
see coming.

New York very well could be the shopping capital of the world especially in terms of fake
goods. A certain knock off purse in “the Knock Off” by Chelle Martin just might be more
trouble than it or the real counterpart is worth.

Bodies in the backyard should not appear before ten in the morning—especially on a
Saturday. If one does, it would be nice not to have Mrs. Zablonksky living next door.
Once she starts screaming about the body in the backyard there is no way Lydia is
going to get back to sleep in “Out In The Cold” by Meredith Cole.

Being the adult child of a cop as well as a cop herself isn’t easy for Ellie in “NYP
Daughter” by Triss Stein. Such a situation makes one see the world very differently.

Lies take on a life of their own in “The Lie” by Anita Page. It may be forty years later but
the lie never went away.

Teaching business at Hudson College isn’t the background one really needs to catch a
test thief in “None of the Above” by Deirdre Verne. Professor Zoe Johnstone is not
about to let that stop her as she hunts for a thief.

Also included in this anthology are stories from Cynthia Baxter, Fran Bannigan Cox,
Peggy Ehrhart, Erica Harth, Marianna Heusler, Nan Higginson, M. E. Kemp, Margarret
Mendel, Terrie Farley Moran, Dorothy Mortman, R. M. Peluso, Pearl Wolf, Lina
Zeldovich, and Elizabth Zelvin. The sketches that frame the eight sections of the book
were done by Kat (no last name listed) and the cover art was done by Rebecca A.
Kandel.

Featuring diverse backgrounds and varied settings such as belly dancing in a nightclub,
a vice president’s office, a mill factory, each story is clearly and distinctively New York.
Each story features rich characterizations and an avoidance for the most part of graphic
violence. Humor occasionally plays a part in these tales which often unroll at a sedately
pace whether set now or far in the past. The result is an anthology that will bring hours
of pleasure for those so inclined to partake and serve not only to entertain with mystery
but to provide a sort of cultural roadmap to the city.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2007, 2025