Mystery Writers of America Presents: Manhattan Mayhem

In honor of the Mystery Writers of America's 70th anniversary, MWA Grand Master Clark has assembled an impressive roster of talent for this strong anthology, which features 17 crime stories set in Manhattan. Some are contemporary, while others reach into the island's storied past. Lee Child's series hero, Jack Reacher, finds inaction to be the right choice in "The Picture of the Lonely Diner," set in the Flatiron District. The mother of S.J. Rozan's series character Lydia Chin proves a discreet and effective sleuth in Chinatown in "Chin Yong-Yun Makes a Shiddach." Jeffery Deaver's clever Greenwich Village tale, "The Baker of Bleecker Street," centers on WWII espionage. Persia Walker handles Harlem ("Dizzy and Gillespie"); T. Jefferson Parker does Little Italy ("Me and Mikey"); Angela Zelman exposes Wall Street ("Wall Street Rodeo"); and Julie Hyzy takes a walk in Central Park ("White Rabbit"). Other contributors include Margaret Maron, Nancy Pickard, Brendan DuBois, and Thomas H. Cook. The MWA has once again produced an anthology that's a must for every mystery fan. (June)