For the thousands of devotees of crime fiction, the CWA anthology offers a chance to sample short stories by well-known names and old favourites, as well as those by new and lesser known talents. Edited by Martin Edwards, this year's anthology is as ever full of tales of mystery and imagination. Contributors were asked to come up with stories based on the theme scenes of crime and readers can chose from fifteen wonderful stories by authors such as Ruth Rendell, Jurgen Ehlers, Ian Rankin, Martin Edwards, Peter Lovesey, and Edward D Hoch.

Each story is preceeded by a short introduction, and a biographical note on the author is also provided. All of the stories bar one have been specially written for this anthology

Praise for previous CWA anthologies:
'Enterprising anthology... thoroughly entertaining. You get the feeling Christmas has come early.' Philip Oakes, Literary Review
'Kate Charles ... contributes Sheep's Clothing which demonstrates how engaging a short story can be. Another charmer is editor Edwards' artful Where Do You Find Your Ideas?.' Publishers Weekly

A great way for lovers of crime fiction to discover writers new to them.
Short stories are an entertaining and inspiring alternative to full length novels

In a remote part of Greenland an old man records the secrets of his youth during the long hours of daylight and hides from the people he knows would rather see him dead. When an open attempt is made on his life, Sgt Tomas Larsen is sent to investigate. The puzzle for Larsen is not only trying to find the would-be assassins, but also trying to discover the true identity of the old man.
Meanwhile earth tremors have become a frequent occurrence around Ikerasak and the authorities decide the community must be evacuated. But Larsen and the old man are trapped in the mountains - so too are others. People who Larsen believes already have one death on their hands.

Introducing Inspector Faro's daughter, Rose McQuinn

In a desperate attempt to recover from the loss of her husband and her baby son, Rose McQuinn returns home to Edinburgh from the American Wild West. Before she knows it she has stepped into the shoes of her father, the legendary detective Inspector Faro, and is investigating the strange behaviour of Matthew Bolton, husband to Rose's childhood friend Alice. Alice is convinced Matthew is having an affair, but Rose suspects he may have been involved in somethig much more sinister - the brutal and still unsolved murder of the Elliot's servant girl.

'Research is used, not misused by the skilled and highly professional Ms Knight to create a series of fascinating and original riddles, flowing dialogue and likeable central characters make for a novel as brisk and bracing as a wind off the Forth.' Scotland on Sunday

Following the death of Sir Bertram's widow, his two daughters are to inherit the large house in Holland Park and its precious contents, and their cousin Vicky is to act as executor. Yet days after the funeral, a stranger turns up claiming to own the house and everything in it. The search to establish the rightful owner of the house forces Vicky to delve into the family's past and slowly the story of a long-hidden act of vengeance begins to emerge.
A compelling novel of family secrets and betrayal set cleverly against the impending total eclipse of August 11, 1999.

'Jessica Mann's name on the cover is a sign of quality crime fiction.' Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph
'Should have a place of honour on the national reading list.' Tim Heald, Express

Dr Fraser Callan has always had grave reservations about the trial of a new drug for leukaemia. So much so that he tried voicing his concerns to his colleague and friend Dr John Somersby. But Somersby never managed to take any action. He was murdered, the motive never explained and his murderer never found. Time has passed, the trials continue and Fraser can't be sure whether there was any connection between Somersby's murder and the drug Alkovin. But when his fiancée develops leukaemia and there is another murder, he knows he has to find out. Particularly when he becomes the prime suspect for the second death.

Aussie social historian Sheila McKenna is in the UK to research a book when she buys an old penny - one that has been used as a farewell token by a Victorian convict about to be transported. Starting from the inscription on the coin, she sets out to track down the convict's family. Soon someone is trying to stop her with increasing violence. One of six families has something in its past which can affect its future. And someone in that family may kill to protect the secret. Sheila and her lawyer fiancé Chris Tyroll run the gauntlet of ingenious and deadly traps before the past reveals all.