The Mammoth Book of Best British Mysteries Read online

  The Mammoth Book of

  BEST BRITISH

  MYSTERIES

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  The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Unsolved Mysteries

  The Mammoth Book of

  BEST BRITISH

  MYSTERIES

  EDITED BY MAXIM JAKUBOWSKI

  ROBINSON

  London

  Constable & Robinson Ltd

  3 The Lanchesters

  162 Fulham Palace Road

  London W6 9ER

  www.constablerobinson.com

  First published in the UK by Robinson,

  an imprint of Constable & Robinson Ltd 2008

  Collection and editorial material copyright

  © Maxim Jakubowski 2008

  All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  A copy of the British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 978-1-84529-711-4

  eISBN 978-1-78033-281-9

  Printed and bound in the EU

  1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

  CONTENTS

  Copyright and Acknowledgments

  INTRODUCTION

  Maxim Jakubowski

  THE .50 SOLUTION

  Lee Child

  THE DEBT

  Simon Kernick

  THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS QUORUM

  Colin Dexter

  THE BOOKBINDER’S APPRENTICE

  Martin Edwards

  TROUBLE IS A LONESOME TOWN

  Cathi Unsworth

  GREEN TARTS

  Deryn Lake

  DAPHNE McANDREWS AND THE SMACK-HEAD JUNKIES

  Stuart McBride

  ONCE UPON A TIME

  Peter Turnbull

  THAT’S THE WAY HE DID IT

  Amy Myers

  THE LONG BLACK VEIL

  Val McDermid

  THE CURIOUS CONTENTS OF A COFFIN

  Susanna Gregory

  THE SIXTH MAN

  Bill James

  PROVENANCE

  Robert Barnard

  JADE SKIRT

  Simon Levack

  THE FERRYMAN’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER

  Peter Robinson

  TELL ME

  Zoë Sharp

  COLOUR ME BLOOD

  Jerry Sykes

  PROS AND CONS

  Donna Moore

  SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE TITANIC SWINDLE

  Len Deighton

  LOVE

  Martyn Waites

  JUST FRIENDS

  John Harvey

  SAY THAT AGAIN

  Peter Lovesey

  CONTINUITY ERROR

  Nicholas Royle

  THE LAST KAYFABE

  Ray Banks

  TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

  Ken Bruen

  THE 45 STEPS

  Peter Crowther

  STEPPING UP

  Mark Billingham

  TOM OF TEN THOUSAND

  Edward Marston

  A CASE OF ASYLUM

  Michael Jecks

  THE DEATH OF JEFFERS

  Kevin Wignall

  DISTILLING THE TRUTH

  Marilyn Todd

  WISH

  John Rickards

  THE BRICK

  Natasha Cooper

  THE KILLER BESIDE ME

  Allan Guthrie

  UNCLE HARRY

  Reginald Hill

  IN SOME COUNTRIES

  Jerry Raine

  BRYANT AND MAY’S MYSTERY TOUR

  Christopher Fowler

  COPYRIGHT AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  THE .50 SOLUTION by Lee Child, © 2006 by Lee Child. First published in BLOODLINES, edited by Jason Starr and Maggie Estep. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Darley Anderson Literary Agency.

  THE DEBT by Simon Kernick, © 2005 by Simon Kernick. First published as a promotional BMW audio story. Reprinted by permission of the author and Transworld Publishers.

  THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS QUORUM by Colin Dexter, © 2006 by Colin Dexter. First published in THE VERDICT OF US ALL, edited by Peter Lovesey. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  THE BOOKBINDER’S APPRENTICE by Martin Edwards, © 2006 by Martin Edwards. First published in THE STRAND MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  TROUBLE IS A LONESOME TOWN by Cathi Unsworth, © 2006 by Cathi Unsworth. First published in LONDON NOIR, edited by Cathi Unsworth. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  GREEN TARTS by Deryn Lake, © 2006 by Deryn Lake. First published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF JACOBEAN WHODUNNITS, edited
by Mike Ashley. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  DAPHNE McANDREWS AND THE SMACK-HEAD JUNKIES by Stuart McBride, © 2006 by Stuart McBride, first published in DAMN NEAR DEAD, edited by Duane Swierczynski. reprinted by permission of the author.

  ONCE UPON A TIME by Peter Turnbull, © 2006 by Peter Turnbull, first published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author. THAT’S THE WAY HE DID IT by Amy Myers, © 2006 by Amy Myers. First published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author and her agent, the Dorian Literary Agency.

  THE LONG BLACK VEIL by Val McDermid, © 2006 by Val McDermid. First published in A MERRY BAND OF MURDERERS, edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns. Reprinted by permission of the author and her agent, Gregory & Co.

  THE CURIOUS CONTENTS OF A COFFIN by Susanna Gregory, © 2006 by Susanna Gregory. First published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF JACOBEAN WHODUNNITS, edited by Mike Ashley. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  THE SIXTH MAN by Bill James, © 2006 by Bill James. First published in THE SIXTH MAN AND OTHER STORIES. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  PROVENANCE by Robert Barnard, © 2006 by Robert Barnard. First published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Gregory & Co.

  JADE SKIRT by Simon Levack, © 2006 by Simon Levack. First published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Gregory & Co.

  THE FERRYMAN’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER by Peter Robinson, © 2006 by Peter Robinson. First published in A MERRY BAND OF MURDERERS, edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  TELL ME by Zoë Sharp, © 2006 by Zoë Sharp. First published in I.D., edited by Martin Edwards. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  COLOUR ME BLOOD by Jerry Sykes, © 2006 by Jerry Sykes. First published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  PROS AND CONS by Donna Moore, © 2006 by Donna Moore. First published in DAMN NEAR DEAD, edited by Duane Swierczynski. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE TITANIC SWINDLE by Len Deighton, © 2006 by Len Deighton. First published in THE VERDICT OF US ALL, edited by Peter Lovesey. Reprinted by permission of the author’s agent, Jonathan Clowes Ltd.

  LOVE by Martyn Waites, © 2006 by Martyn Waites. First published in LONDON NOIR, edited by Cathi Unsworth. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  JUST FRIENDS by John Harvey, © 2006 by John Harvey. First published in DAMN NEAR DEAD, edited by Duane Swierczynski. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  SAY THAT AGAIN by Peter Lovesey, © 2006 by Peter Lovesey. First published in THE IDEAS EXPERIMENT, edited by Michael Z. Lewin. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  CONTINUITY ERROR by Nicholas Royle, © 2006 by Nicholas Royle. First published in LONDON:CITY OF DISAPPEARANCES, edited by lain Sinclair. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  THE LAST KAYFABE by Ray Banks, © 2006 by Ray Banks. First published in THE MISSISSIPPI REVIEW. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  TO HAVE AND TO HOLD by Ken Bruen, © 2006 by Ken Bruen. First published in HARDLUCK STORIES. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  THE 45 STEPS by Peter Crowther, © 2006 by Peter Crowther. First published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PERFECT CRIMES AND IMPOSSIBLE MYSTERIES, edited by Mike Ashley. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  STEPPING UP by Mark Billingham, © 2006 by Mark Billingham. First published in DAMN NEAR DEAD, edited by Duane Swierczynski. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  TOM OF TEN THOUSAND by Edward Marston, © 2006 by Edward Marston. First published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF JACOBEAN WHODUNNITS, edited by Mike Ashley. Reprinted by permission of the author. A CASE OF ASYLUM by Michael Jecks, © 2006 by Michael Jecks. First published in I.D., edited by Martin Edwards. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  THE DEATH OF JEFFERS by Kevin Wignall, © 2006 by Kevin Wignall. First published in DUBLIN NOIR, edited by Ken Bruen. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  DISTILLING THE TRUTH by Marilyn Todd, © 2006 by Marilyn Todd. First published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  WISH by John Rickards, © 2006 by John Rickards. First published in DUBLIN NOIR, edited by Ken Bruen. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  THE BRICK by Natasha Cooper, © 2006 by Natasha Cooper. First published in ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. Reprinted by permission of the author and her agent, Gregory & Co.

  THE KILLER BESIDE ME by Allan Guthrie, © 2006 by Allan Guthrie. First published in DAMN NEAR DEAD, edited by Duane Swierczynski. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  UNCLE HARRY by Reginald Hill, © 2006 by Reginald Hill. First published in THE VERDICT OF US ALL, edited by Peter Lovesey. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  IN SOME COUNTRIES by Jerry Raine, © 2006 by Jerry Raine. First published in HARDLUCK STORIES. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  BRYANT AND MAY’S MYSTERY TOUR by Christopher Fowler, © 2006 by Christopher Fowler. First published in THE INDEPENDENT. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  INTRODUCTION

  Welcome to a new beginning, or should that be a new life of crime?

  Six years ago, slightly peeved that various best of the year anthologies published in America deliberately restricted themselves to publishing only stories by US authors, I made a proposal to a London publishing house for a similar series but this time exclusively devoted to British crime and mystery authors. Not only did I believe there was enough good material out there in magazine, anthology, radio and Internet territories to fill a respectable annual volume, but was also aware that many of these stories were, for market reasons, only available in the USA and thus unknown to a specifically British readership. Talk about not being a prophet in your own country!

  The initial volume, titled BEST BRITISH MYSTERIES, was a runaway success and was even advertised on TV come that Christmas and earned deserved plaudits for both the book’s concept and many of its illustrious contributors. The series has gone from strength to strength since then, adding first the number of the year from which the stories came from and, later, just a series number to distinguish the respective volumes. Rewardingly, many of the stories, albeit by British authors, had only appeared previously in the USA and thus became eligible for the Crime Writers’ Association best short story Dagger award, and have since dominated a large proportion of the annual shortlist.

  The principle is the same every year: read virtually all the crime and mystery stories published in a variety of sources, some predictable, others much less so, and I select the best. You will find, in these gripping pages, hardboiled tales, grisly murders, ingenious puzzles, cosy traditional tales of sleuthing and derring-do, memorable characters, heroes and dastardly villains, psychological landscapes of evil, thrills and spills and even laughs, etc . . . The idea is to present the whole breadth of what is being written in the mystery field today and a large field it is indeed, which continues to surprise and delight me on a daily basis.

  Some authors are indeed big names and familiar to many readers, while others are talented newcomers I expect you to hear more about as their next books confirm their undoubted talent, but first and foremost it is the intrinsic quality of their storytelling that caught my attention, and will I hope please you. Shock you maybe, surprise you even, but principally entertain you. The settings of the stories range far and wide both geographically and historically and demonstrate how far ranging the crime and mystery field can be in the hands of its superior craftsmen and craftswomen.

  Colin Dexter returns to the familiar and popular world of Inspectors Morse and Lewis, while Len Deighton – in his first short story in almost 20 years – welcomes back the familiar figure of Sherlock Holmes. Bill James ventures out again with those devious cops Harpur and lles and many other favourite authors trip the murderous light fantastic with glee and dark resolve. There i
s so much talent in British crime writing these days and I would encourage you to pursue some of these authors well beyond this book and explore full-length books by them, should their respective story catch your eye (or your gut . . .).

  Help British writers make crime pay and have a ball in the process. What a noble mission!

  Maxim Jakubowski

  THE .50 SOLUTION

  Lee Child

  Most times I assess the client and then the target and only afterward do I set the price. It’s about common sense and variables. If the client is rich, I ask for more. If the target is tough, I ask for more. If there are major expenses involved, I ask for more. So if I’m working overseas on behalf of a billionaire against a guy in a remote hideout with a competent protection team on his side, I’m going to ask for maybe a hundred times what I would want from some local chick looking to solve her marital problems in a quick and messy manner. Variables, and common sense.

  But this time the negotiation started differently.

  The guy who came to see me was rich. That was clear. His wealth was pore-deep. Not just his clothes. Not just his car. This was a guy who had been rich forever. Maybe for generations. He was tall and grey and silvery and self-assured. He was a patrician. It was all right there in the way he held himself, the way he spoke, the way he took charge.

  First thing he talked about was the choice of weapon.

  He said, “I hear you’ve used a Barrett Model Ninety on more than one occasion.”

  I said, “You hear right.”

  “You like that piece?”

  “It’s a fine rifle.”

  “So you’ll use it for me.”

  “I choose the weapon,” I said.

  “Based on what?”

  “Need.”

  “You’ll need it.”

  I asked, “Why? Long range?”

  “Maybe two hundred yards.”

  “I don’t need a Barrett Ninety for two hundred yards.”

  “It’s what I want.”

  “Will the target be wearing body armor?”

  “No.”

  “Inside a vehicle?”

  “Open air.”

  “Then I’ll use a three-oh-eight. Or something European.”

  “I want that fifty-caliber shell.”