American Mystery Classics

Fifteen suspenseful tales from the Golden Age of the mystery genre.

The art of the suspense story is incredibly varied. Rarely classified as whodunits, these narratives can be more accurately described as "when-will-it-be-dones." From hungry tigers stalking their prey to jealous lovers plotting revenge, the binding element of these stories is anticipation. Although humans have delighted in terrifying themselves with this type of anxiety-inducing tale since the caveman days, stories of suspense flourished in the interim between the World Wars.

In this collection, Edgar Award–winning anthologist Otto Penzler selects the highlights of the suspense genre during this Golden Age era. Familiar names such as Stanley Ellin, James M. Cain, and Ellery Queen appear alongside lesser known authors worth revisiting. Each of these writers has their own strategy for building tension, making this anthology a robust representation of the many ways to keep readers at the edge of their seats.