In the Still of the Night (Five Star First Edition Mystery) [Hardcover]

Dorothy Salisbury Davis (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The veteran mystery novelist--her first novel was published in 1949--turns in an excellent performance in this collection of stories originally published between 1986 and 1998. Two of the stories feature Julie Hayes, the newspaper columnist and part-time sleuth who's appeared in several novels, but the rest will be unfamiliar to those of the author's fans who have only read her longer works. They'll meet a magician who chances upon a murder victim; a man whose conscience won't let him drive away from a road accident; a woman who unwittingly picks up an unusual hitch-hiker; and other troubled folks. Since the stories are fairly long--there are only eight of them, in a book of more than 280 pages--Davis is able to develop her characters fully and make each story nearly as detailed as a novel. Fans of her novels will no doubt be equally pleased with these shorter pieces, and short-story aficionados will enjoy this opportunity to see what one of the genre's grand masters can do with the form. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: Five Star (ME) (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078623007X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786230075
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #845,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Spooky, May 31, 2006

By 

Neal J. Pollock (VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Still of the Night (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

This collection includes 8 lengthy short stories previously published from 1986 to 1997. They are not really mystery stories--more like suspense stories. The writing is quite good, her characters are sometimes unusual (a magician & his educated assistant), & it's a fast read even for a small book. The subtitle, "Tales to lock your doors by" reveals their spooky nature--reminiscent of the Twilight Zone or Tales from the Crypt. Unfortunately, they lack the final note given by Rod Serling or the Cryptmaster providing closure to each tale. Almost all of them just leave the reader hanging. I liked the last one "Miles to Go" the best. Of course much of the suspense is based upon wrong assumptions or conclusions by the reader--carefully taken down a country road by the writer. But, I could see through most of it. I haven't read any of Davis' novels. Hopefully, they are better, as I really didn't care much for this book. I leave it with the feeling, "So what?" But, I can see that other folks might like it a lot--like certain Saturday Night Live skits. I did get one quote from it: "One thing about growing up, you didn't enjoy getting spooked anymore." Maybe the book isn't meant for adults?

5.0 out of 5 stars An Old Crime Mistress Returns in Top Form, March 19, 2001

By 

Sara Paretsky (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Still of the Night (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

Dorothy Salisbury Davis, now in her eighties, is one of the giants of 20th-century crime fiction. In her first new book in many years, she has put together a collection of short stories which are beautiful little masterpieces. My personal favorite, Maggie and Christopher, tells a tale of a magician and his assistant traveling the backroads of the Midwest during the Depression of the 1930's. The writing has the deceptive simplicity that comes from a highly-honed craft.