Joint Review: Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box

Edited by:  Brad Meltzer
published by:  Grand Central Publishing
publish date:  April 30, 2013

With this anthology, bestselling author Brad Meltzer introduces twenty-one original stories from today's most prominent mystery writers.  There's nothing more mysterious than a locked box. Whether it's a literal strongbox, an empty coffin, the inner workings of a scientist's mind, or an underground prison cell, there are those who will use any means necessary to unlock the secrets of...THE MYSTERY BOX.

I'm about 50/50 on The Mystery Box.  I thought there were some really good stories in this book.  There were a few that I skipped over though.  Then there were a few that I made it all the way through and just felt cheated by.  The rule was that each story had to have a Mystery Box.  In some stories the mystery box was very literal, but in some it was very subjective.

The stories I liked best out of this collection were "Waco, 1982" by Laura Lippman, "Heirloom" by Joseph Finder, "Mokume Gane" by Tom Rob Smith, "The Very Private Detectress by Catherine Mambretti and "Remmy Rothstein Toes the Line" by Karin Slaughter.

I am also about 50/50.  I didn't listen to all of the stories as I thought some were a bit boring. I think my favorites match Autumn's. I loved Heirloom. I thought it was really well written and creepy.  Waco, 1982 was the best out of them all.  

The thing I found hard to get used to was the different voices for each story.  I think that was what made me not want to listen to a few stories.  I didn't like the narrator.  It is interesting how each author interpreted the use of a box.  But, not interesting enough to make me like all of the stories.