This is a very good collection of short stories of the fictional crime genre. The term “mystery” has long since expanded to incorporate all aspects of crime and criminal activities, the mystery being less “whodunit” than what and why – the psychological element. This particular collection includes 20 short stories, including those by such notable authors as Doug Allyn, Dennis Lehane, Jeffery Deaver, Michael Connelly, and Thomas McGuane. In my 1 to 5 ranking system, most warranted 3 or 4 stars, and two reached the rarified heights of a 5.

Most of the stories reveal a dark side of human nature, often plumbing the depths of the human psyche. One such story (and one of the best in the collection, in my view) is Lee Martin’s "A Man Looking for Trouble" – a portrayal of deception, infidelity, and murder that I found especially disturbing because it seems so real. In sharp contrast to its tone, Molly's Plan" (by John M. Floyd) tells of a wonderfully humorous and clever bank robbery that succeeds. Likewise, Jeffrey Deaver’s “The Adventure of the Laughing Fisherman” is an amusing homage to Sherlock Holmes. Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane team up for a contribution in which their protagonists (Harry Bosch, from LA, and Patrick Kenzie from Boston) join forces to find a serial killer. Another outstanding contribution is “Staircase to the Moon” in which Theresa Lehr draws on her experience living in Japan and working as a pearl diver. At the other extreme is one by Joyce Carol Oates that reportedly functioned as catharsis for the author but had no redeeming qualities for the reader.

Below is a list of the 20 stories and their authors, with my rankings (zero to 5 stars):

"The Snow Angel" (Doug Allyn) 4*
"Cowboy Justice" (Andrew Bourelle) 3*
"Rosalee Carrasco" (Tomiko M. Breland) 4*
"Wet with Rain" (Lee Child) 2*
"Red Eye" 4* (Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane)
"Harm and Hammer" (Joseph D'Agnese) 3*
"The Adventure of the Laughing Fisherman" (Jeffery Deaver) 4*
"Crush Depth" (Brendan Dubois) 3*
"Molly's Plan" (John M. Floyd) 4*
"A Bottle of Scotch and a Sharp Buck Knife" (Scott Grand) 3*
"Shared Room on Union" (Steven Heighton) 2*
"Afterlife of a Stolen Child" (Janette Turner Hospital) 2*
"Apocrypha" (Richard Lange) 3*
"Staircase to the Moon" (Theresa E. Lehr) 5*
"A Man Looking for Trouble" (Lee Martin) 5*
"Many Dogs Have Died Here" (James Mathews) 2*
"Motherlode" (Thomas McGuane) 3*
"A Kidnapping in Koulev-Ville" (Kylie Minor) 4*
"The Home at Craigmillnar" (Joyce Carol Oates) 0*
"The Shot" 4* (Eric Rutter) ( )

An extra star for Jeffrey Deaver's "The Case of the [something or other] Fisherman" -- a really wonderful Sherlock pastiche. ( )

This collection of mystery short stories from 2015 is much as you would expect from the great Otto Penzler series. Some of the stories stick with you, others are quickly forgotten. I find it interesting to encounter authors I may not have in other settings. Several of the stories tend toward "psychological" mysteries rather than more classic puzzles. ( )