Small Felonies 2

Per the author’s preface, this welcome follow-up to 1988’s Small Felonies from MWA Grand Master Pronzini constitutes a “second slumgullion.” Written in the tradition of Fredric Brown and Gerald Kersh, these 50 crime stories run about 2,000 words each, and twist endings in the manner of O. Henry predominate. “Lines” takes place in a one speed-bump town in the Nevada desert, where a small-time L.A. hood tracks down his straying girlfriend to kill her. And as he does so, the few other characters in the story take over and ensure that the proceedings will go on forever, Twilight Zone style. In “Wishful Thinking,” a husband keeps telling a neighbor he’s killed his wife, but it’s only a fantasy. Then the wife tells the neighbor she shot her husband, but she’s also fantasizing. The action rushes to an ambiguous if satisfying ending. A nice variety of crime scenarios play out, even some science fictional. Pronzini’s series sleuth, the Nameless Detective, appears in three tales, and no less than 14 are written with SF author Barry N. Malzberg, who also provides a short afterword about knocking out short-shorts with his pal. Not just Pronzini fans will want to take a look. (Apr.)