FORGOTTEN BOOKS #544: ELLERY QUEEN’S GRAND SLAM: 25TH ANNUAL MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY Edited by Ellery Queen


I’m fond of the annual mystery anthologies that collect short stories from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Ellery Queen’s Grand Slam: 25th Annual Mystery Anthology (World Publishing, 1970) features several excellent short stories. The anthology starts off with three clever Ed Hoch stories. I’m a fan of stories about con men so Berkely Mather’s humorous “For Want of a Nail” tickled my funny bone with its memorable ending.

George Simenon’s “Inspector Maigret Hesitates” delivers a sinister tale. I’m a fan of Michael Gilbert’s Calder and Behrens stories of counterespionage and treachery so of course I found “The One-to-Ten Affair” a delight. Ellery Queen’s Grand Slam with 25 very enjoyable stories should delight you, too! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introductory shuffle / Ellery Queen — xi
Whodunit: Murder offstage / Edward D. Hoch — 1
Howdunit: Every fifth man / Edward D. Hoch — 8
Whydunit: The Nile Cat / Edward D. Hoch — 12
Coin of the realm / Stanley Ellin — 17
Poison in the cup / Christianna Brand — 30
Project murder / Steven Peters — 58
The unhappening / Jane Speed — 71
People keep dying round here / Rhona Petrie — 85
For want of a nail / Berkley Mather — 96
Paper tiger / R. Bretnor — 104
Inspector Maigret hesitates / Georges Simenon ; translated by Jean Stewart — 118
In the cmap of the enemy / Judith O’Neill — 131
The Aldorf syndrome / James Powell — 144
The quiet man / Anthony Gilbert — 164
The moment is near / Jean Anouilh ; translated by Miriam John — 176
The options of Timothy Merkle / A.H.Z. Carr — 193
The one-to-ten affair / Michael Gilbert — 214
The motive / Lawrence Treat — 234
The lying-in-state / Margery Allingham — 248
Ponsonby and the Shakespeare sonnet / Alan K. Young — 254
That was the day that was / Jacob Hay — 269
A crazy way to make a living / Ed Dumonte — 281
Love affair / Julian Symons — 285
Goodbye, Pops / Joe Gores — 296
Another turn of the screw / Nedra Tyre — 304

10 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN BOOKS #544: ELLERY QUEEN’S GRAND SLAM: 25TH ANNUAL MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY Edited by Ellery Queen

  1. Steve Oerkfitz

    A lot of good writers here. Stanley Ellin is one of my all time favorite short story writers. I don’t remember this one but I have his collected stories and need to read them again.
    In my teens I used to read every issue of EQMM in it’s entirety. Sadly to say I have little time for magazines now unless I see something by a favorite writer.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Steve, like you I used to read entire issues of GALAXY, IF, WORLDS OF TOMORROW, and EQMM from cover to cover. But, once the 1980s arrived–and Patrick and Katie showed up–those days were gone forever.

      Reply
  2. Jeff Meyerson

    Can’t remember if I read this one, but I have read the stories you mentioned, plus several others – Ellin (I did read the collected stories), Brand, Powell, and “Goodbye, Pops” by Joe Gores, which won an Edgar as Best Short Story of the Year.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I may have a paperback version of this anthology someplace. But I stumbled over this hardcover X-library version and read it in one day.

      Reply
  3. Michael Padgett

    I’ve never been into mystery short stories. I’d tried both EQMM and AHMM years ago and gave up pretty quickly. I did read the SF magazines for several years, but when my interest in SF began to fade in the 80s, short fiction was the first thing to go. When I started subscribing to THE NEW YORKER 30+ years ago I always read the short stories, but now I rarely do unless the author is a real favorite.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Michael, as you might remember Jeff Meyerson reads a short story every day. A couple decades ago, I was inspired to imitate Jeff’s habit. As you point out, some short stories are weak. But a good short story is priceless. Like you, I have my favorite short story writers. But, I’m always eager to discover a new, excellent short story writer.

      Reply
  4. Patti Abbott

    A good short story can be very satisfying but in this genre probably not as satisfying as a novel. Whereas literary stories can really soar.

    Reply
    1. Todd Mason

      “Goodbye, Pops” is an argument against your suggestion in re: cf short stories, Patti…though it might’ve helped it was one of the Gores short stories I was reading at age 10 and having my doors blown off. It’s the only one I know I’ve read from this volume…

      Reply

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