Murder in Vegas: New Crime Tales of Gambling and Desperation [Hardcover]

Michael Connelly (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2005

Las Vegas. Lost Wages. Sin City. An artificial oasis of pleasure, spectacle, and entertainment, the gambling capital of America has reinvented itself so many times that its doubtful that anyone knows for sure what's real and what isn't in the miles of neon and scorching heat. Las Vegas is considered the ultimate players destination-no matter what your game. Almost anything is available-for a price, mind you, and sometimes losers walk away from the tables with even less than just an empty wallet or purse-sometimes they don't walk away at all.

Now the International Association of Crime Writers and New York Times-bestselling author Michael Connelly have gathered twenty-two crime and mystery stories about the ultimate playground, Las Vegas, and what can happen behind the glitz and glamour. From a gambler who must-must-win at the roulette table to stay alive to a courier who's only mistake was accepting a package with Las Vegas as the final destination, come to the true city that never sleeps, where fortunes are made and lost every day, and where snake-eyes aren't found just on a pair of dice.

Featuring stories by:James Swain, S.J. Rozan, Wendy Hornsby, Michael Collins, T.P Keating, J. Madison Davis, Sue Pike, Joan Richter, Libby Hellmann, Tom Savage, Edward Wellen, K.j.a. Wishnia, Linda Kerslake, John Wessel, Lise McClendon, Ronnie Klaskin, Ruth Cavin, A.B. Robbins , Gay Toltl Kinman, Micki Marz, Rick Mofina, Jeremiah Healy

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In a witty, engaging introduction, Connelly, author of the celebrated Harry Bosch series, makes the case for why Las Vegas serves as such an excellent backdrop for crime fiction. It's an easy case to make: bright lights, pretty girls, all that money, and all that desperation set the stage for any number of crimes. In this collection of 22 new stories by a mix of well- and lesser-known authors, murder takes the spotlight from slot machines and chorus girls. Contributions from James Swain, author of the acclaimed Tony Valentine series, and Edgar winner S. Z. Rozan will attract the most attention, but nearly all the tales manage to use the usual Vegas topics--desert heat, the Mafia, big scores gone wrong--in new and unusual ways. In Wendy Hornsby's "Dust Up," for instance, thugs in the process of whacking a turncoat mistake a birdwatcher for a federal agent; the birdwatcher, in turn, thinks the thugs are poachers out to eliminate an endangered bird. Only in Vegas. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"This series can be counted on to showcase the best of mainstream crime fiction."---Booklist on The Best American Mystery Stories 2003, edited by Michael Connelly and Otto Penzler

"The Narrows, Michael Connelly's best crime novel since City of Bones, unfolds within his increasingly seductive world. ... The Narrows is so enveloping that it may send readers back to the early lives of these characters. "
—The New York Times

"Mr. Connelly's terrific 14th novel...a suspenseful book marked by flashes of insight and moments of pathos, as well as by dry wit and graceful prose." — Wall Street Journal on The Narrows

"This is scarifying in a big way—a Thomas Harris kind of scary, which is high praise indeed."
— Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly on The Narrows

"Connelly is a master and this novel is yet another of his masterpieces."---Publishers Weekly
on The Narrows

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (February 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765307391
• ISBN-13: 978-0765307392
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,396,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stories of Deception, Desperation, and Death, November 5, 2005

By 

L. Kelly (Lakewood, CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder in Vegas: New Crime Tales of Gambling and Desperation (Hardcover)

"Murder in Vegas" is an interesting anthology of short stories set in and around Las Vegas, all of which contain a murder. The similarity between the stories stops there, with the authors choosing a number of plot lines to tell their tale. We have stories of desperate gamblers, beautiful show girls, down and out druggies, and even a story about bird-watching in the desert. My favorite story was "Killer Heels Kill Twice as Dead", by T.P. Keating, an author who I'd not read before. In this wicked tale of revenge, a smart show girl tries to get out of an unfair contract she signed under duress. She's out for revenge, and the story is a good one.

One of the most enjoyable things about reading an anthology such as this is the exposure to new authors. In addition to T.P. Keating, I also really enjoyed the stories by Wendy Hornsby and Ruth Cavin, other authors whose work I'd not read before.

Not every story in this collection really appealed to me, but there were enough good ones to definitely recommend the collection. If you're looking for to immerse yourself in the glamour and desperation of Las Vegas (without risking your money at the gambling tables), definitely read this book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Mixed Bag, May 4, 2009

By 

G. Porfert (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder in Vegas: New Crime Tales of Gambling and Desperation (Mass Market Paperback)

Anthologies with a particular theme can be a great idea, and Las Vegas seems a natural for a mystery anthology. If you're Michael Connelly, you could contact some top mystery writers and ask them to write some short stories for a new anthology, or you could search the literature for any mystery short story having some kind of Vegas connection. Connelly seems to have gone that route, with mixed results. Some of these stories are quite good, while others seem barely intelligible. Perhaps the biggest advantage of the short story format is that you do get the good with the bad!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine collection of new crime tales performed by audio veterans, January 13, 2011

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder in Vegas: New Crime Tales of Gambling and Desperation (Audio CD)

Michael Connelly edits MURDER IN VEGAS, a fine collection of new crime tales performed by audio veterans Phil Gigante and Joyce Bean, who bring to life tales of gambling and Vegas culture. Works by James Swain, Michael Collins and others provide a satisfyingly diverse collection of scenarios and intrigue.