Customer Reviews

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

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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?

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.