The stories of 24 fine crafters of crime fiction in this book will capture the attention of the most seasoned crime-story fan. Most of the stories are centered around a plot of sudden death, some deal with other serious transgressions of society's rules, but all circumvent the usual whodunit formula to probe the dangerous passions of the mind. Penned by some of the best writers of past and present. Selections include Muriel Spark's The Portobello Road; William Trevor's The Hotel of the Idle Moon; Paul Theroux's The Johore Murders; Isabel Allende's An Act of Vengeance; Alice Walker's How Did I Get Away with Killing One of the Biggest Lawyers in the State? It Was Easy; and many more.