I have a lot of little things this week. I went to a terrific library program I’ll talk about on Thursday. Linda and I have a play tonight, “Death Becomes Her”. I’m reading a debut by an author I hope to see next month. Things just added up sucking up time, so I turned to Kevin Tipple’s review of The Mysterious Bookshop Presents The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2026. Thank you, Kevin.
After a forward by Series Editor Otto Penzler and an introduction by Guest Editor Tess Gerritsen it is on to the nineteen short stories in the Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best mystery stories of the Year 2026. Each of the stories selected begins with a short bio of the author, the tale itself, followed by a short background explanation from the author as to how the story came to be, a point they were hoping to accomplish, the context of the tale, etc. With nineteen short stories included, I am highlighting several that really struck a chord with this reader. But to be clear, there is not a bad one in the bunch. I just liked some more than others.
In order of appearance as I read straight through from front to back…
Doug Allyn’s “Dead Man’s Mail” revolves around escape, the legacy of what came before you in the place you now reside in, and how isolationism can have severe consequences when others want what you have right now.
Eli is on a mission in “The Lord God Bird” by Andy Boyle. He’s doing it for Belle. Secrecy is important. The first thing to do is to get Greg to actually honor their deal.
Amanda and Madeline are on their best behavior at the elegant restaurant. They are in public and therefore, on stage, as both are aware. Deceit, double cross, and revenge are all on the menu in “The Luncheon” by Christopher Fowler.
Arthur Stancil is sure that Dougal Canterbury must die. The question as “The Twenty-Fourth Canterbury” by Richard Helms begins is how, exactly, to kill him. The fact that the potential murder victim is the most decorated detective in Yorkshire presents a complication, though not unsurmountable.
A murder case is at work in “Juror Number Three” by Joel Nedecki. Told from the perspective of the juror who has a lot going on, we follow a case that has plenty of twists and turns.
He just wanted a quiet walk in the woods with his dog. That is not at all what he got in “Murder by the Creek” by H.K. Slade. Now he is on the wrong side of the cuffs and disrespected. Not cool at all.
After the reprinted short stories, there is a listing of “The Best Mystery Stories 2026 Honor Roll.” This year, eleven stories and their authors are featured. Each listing includes the publication so that one can hunt down these good reads.
It should be noted that my digital ARC review copy from NetGalley did not contain the bonus short story by Agatha Christie. I have no idea if that was deliberate for the review copy or just an accidental oversight.
The latest book in the series, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2026, is chockful of good reading. It is well worth your time and recommended.
My digital ARC came from the publisher, The Mysterious Press, through the NetGalley platform with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
