I don’t know if anyone writing today has won more awards for his short fiction than Art Taylor. According to his website, “He won the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Short Story for “English 398: Fiction Workshop,” originally published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and he has won three additional Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award, four Macavity Awards, and four Derringer Awards for his short fiction. In addition, he won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel for his novel in stories On the Road with Del & Louise. Now, he’s released his second story collection, The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions.
No one does a better job introducing story collections than Martin Edwards, calling this one “The Art of the Short Story”. Edwards says Taylor “Has established a reputation as a high-calibre specialist in the field of the short story”. He then goes on to mention the inspiration for several of Taylor’s stories.
The title story, “The Adventure of the Castle Thief”, is my favorite in the collection, for several reasons. It’s lighter than the other stories, and it’s a traditional mystery. It’s also set in a castle in Ireland, and I’ll try any story set in Ireland. It features an English professor who escorts a group of college students for a three week getaway for a Creative Writing Course in Ireland. Most of the time has been a disappointment to Professor Erwin Conroy, but the time at a castle will be an “epiphany” when items that students value begin to disappear.
Some of the stories force the protagonists to relive their past, in one way or another. They’re often sad, dark stories. Despite the title story, Taylor can write noir. “The White Rose of Memphis” is an intriguing story of a couple who stay at a hotel in Memphis where a couple was once victimized. The hotel now offers couples the “White Rose of Memphis Experience”.
Taylor puts a new spin on stories and victims in this collection. There’s something for everyone, from a new spin on a old fairy tale, a new spin on childhood trauma, to the light Castle Thief account. Fans of short stories might want to sample The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions.
Art Taylor’s website is https://arttaylorwriter.com/
The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions by Art Taylor. Crippen & Landru, Publishers, 2023. ISBN 9781936363735 (paperback), 214p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent an ARC of the book, with no promise of a review.
Of course, I read his first Crippen & Landru collection and enjoyed it. I must admit that I was not very familiar with his work before that. I expect this one will be waiting for me when we get home next month. Looking forward to it as with all the Crippen & Landru collections.
Jeff, I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with the Crippen & Landru collections until this last six months or so. I can see why you’re a regular subscriber.
Thanks, Jeff! Hope you enjoy!
Every word Art writes is worth reading. I have admired his writing for a long time.
No problem, Sandra. I hope you get a chance to read this collection.
Sorry about my name on my comment. Don’t know what happened.
Thanks so much for the generous review here, Lesa! And for the shout-out on social media too. Been prepping for classes (never a slow moment!) so just getting to the review here, and so much appreciate. I’m glad you enjoyed the title story in particular, and I hope that other readers will hang in there for the shifts in tone—moving toward noir as the collection progresses, as you said. So grateful that you read and enjoyed.
You’re welcome, Art. I always have a hard time reviewing collections, but I enjoy them. Good luck!
Crippen & Landru’s website lists 142 titles. I have read them all.
You’re probably their favorite customer, Jeff!
Well, one of them. It’s so unusual for me. I have shelves and shelves of books and sometimes I look at one of the bookcases and think, “well, I’ve read most of those” (the small bookcase in the entrance hall).