Criminal Tendencies: Great Stories from Great Crime Writers

"Divided equally between reprints and original entries, this fine anthology showcases many of today's top British crime writers, from seasoned veterans like Peter Lovesey and Reginald Hill to newer names like Zo Sharp and Roz Southey. The creepy opening tale, Carla Banks's Twilight Zone — like 'Out of Her Mind,' which features a writer and a knife-wielding killer, contrasts nicely with the humorous story that soon follows, Simon Brett's 'Work Experience,' in which burglars plot to rip off a coin dealer's cache stored above a police station. On balance, the 26 selections tend to the scary side, as shown by Ann Cleves's 'Games for Winter,' in which a teacher's decision to try his survival skills in a remote part of Alaska has fateful consequences. In one of the book's best tales, Sophie Hannah's unsettling 'The Octopus Nest,' a babysitter's chance look at a couple's photo album reveals a stalker. Proceeds from the volume benefit breast cancer charities in the U.K. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

An anthology of crime fiction to raise money for breast cancer. Val McDermid. Reginald Hill, and Peter James are just some of the 24 top selling crime writers who have contributed stories to Criminal Tendencies, an exciting new crime short collection. Alongside the big names will be stories from first-time authors Chris Nickson and Caroline Shiach, winners of Criminal Tendencies 2009, Creme de la Crime's latest international search for new crime writing talent. For every copy sold in the U.S. $1 will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Coalition.