Thou Shalt Not Kill: Biblical Mystery Stories [Hardcover]

Anne Perry (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2005

The greatest story ever told; the rise and fall of civilizations, empires, kings, despots, prophets and disciples; tales of love, betrayal, revenge, war, and disaster, the most fundamental and eternal myths and fables of Judeo-Christian society; the end of the world -the Bible has all of these. And now acclaimed mystery author Anne Perry has culled together an extraordinary list of writers—from Sharyn McCrumb, Carole Nelson Douglas, Robert Barnard, Marcia Talley, Susan Moody and Peter Lovesey to Sharan Newman, Nancy Pickard, Reginald Hill, Gillian Linscott, Simon Brett, and Peter Robinson—to contribute all new mystery and crime stories inspired by and based on these most ancient of biblical tales.

From Sampson and Delilah to David and Goliath; from Mount Sinai to the Last Supper, Thou Shalt Not Kill explores the stories of the bible as chilling expressions of the most basic instincts found in the Good Book. With fifteen unique and inspired twists on the traditional mystery story, Thou Shalt Not Kill is an inimitable edition to any library.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Perry's impressive all-original anthology of 15 biblically based whodunits spans the ages from ancient times to the present. Topnotch entries include Gillian Linscott's "A Blessing of Frogs," about the murder of a baker within a pharaoh's household; Peter Tremayne's "Does God Obey His Own Laws? A Sister Fidelma Story," featuring his brilliant Irish nun; Lillian Stewart Carl's "Way Down in Egypt's Land," a marvelous tale about 19th-century slavery; and Ralph McInerny's winning "Fear and Trembling: A Father Dowling Mystery." The opener, Simon Brett's "Cain Was Innocent," with its biting dialogue bordering on the blasphemous and swipes at the current U.S. president, may put off some readers. Perry's "Lost Causes," about a British barrister who defends a man accused of murdering his brother, makes a splendid finale. (Jan.)
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From Booklist

Perry has gathered together an impressive group of crime writers (including Simon Brett, Sharyn McCrumb, Peter Robinson, and Nancy Pickard) to retell stories from the Bible as mysteries. Certainly, the greatest stories ever told give them plenty to work with. Brett leads off with an irreverent reexamining of the case against Cain's murder of Able, set in heaven, where new transparency laws allow two cops to get to the bottom of the matter. One of the most disturbing stories comes from Robinson in "Birthday Dance," where the tale of the beheading of John the Baptist is recast in the style of The Sopranos. Some of these 15 stories stretch the bounds of the mystery genre, but all of them are intriguing in their own way, with twists and turns abounding. Perry's introduction, in which she looks at each story individually, adds to the pleasure of the collection. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 284 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf (October 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786715758
• ISBN-13: 978-0786715756
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #869,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding creative retellings, July 9, 2010

By 

Meredith L. Burton "Bookworm" (Lynchburg, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thou Shalt Not Kill: Biblical Mystery Stories (Hardcover)

I love when authors examine biblical stories in different ways. "Thou Shalt Not Kill," edited by Anne Perry, is a thrilling anthology of unforgettable mysteries rooted in Scripture. The writers within this collection force readers to look at familiar stories in unique ways. It is truly shameful that this brilliant collection is not in audio book format! Some of my favorite stories in the collection include:

1. "Way Down in Egypt's Land,: by Gilian Karl. The story of Moses killing of the Egyption task master set during the time of American slavery.
2. "The People Outside," by Martin Edwards. Set in an English retirement community called Canaan, this story examines how one ill-intentioned whisper of a rumor can result in brutal consequences: a fantastic retelling of Naboth's Vineyard.
3. "Stranger's in a Strange Land," by Carole Nelson Douglas. The account of the disstruction of Sodom and Gommorah portraying the angels of God as undercover spy agents. This story might appear blasphemous, but it examines the role of women and their positions of servitude and raises questions that are not easily answered.
4. "Cain Was Innocent," by Simon Brett. This story is hilareous and turns all the characters inside out and upside down. Very enjoyable.
5. "Birthday Dance." The story of the beheading of John the Baptist in a mafia family setting. The events are told from the perspective of Herodias's eleven-year-old daughter. Very thought-provoking and horrifying.
6. "Lost Causes," by Anne Perry. This poignant story examines the themes of retribution, revenge, and the consequences of sin that pass from generation to generation. Retelling the horrific story of the rape of Tamar by her half-brother, Amnon, this story is unforgettable.

Please give this riveting anthology a chance. All the stories are fantastic. God bless.

5.0 out of 5 stars Thou Shall Not Kill, July 4, 2008

By 

B. Bell "book lover" (Lubbock, Tx, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thou Shalt Not Kill: Biblical Mystery Stories (Hardcover)

An excellent example of Anne Perry's collections. The book arrived in great shape and on time.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars frog's impression, November 4, 2006

By 

H. Brown "Kat" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thou Shalt Not Kill: Biblical Mystery Stories (Hardcover)

Very clever and I can check out all the other authors who collectively wrote this book.