Praise for the anthology:
“* This edition of the Mystery Writers of America short-story anthology is based on a classic mystery trope: “when a stranger comes to town.” The 19 stories are by very different authors, some using suspense while others lean toward crime. Alafair Burke takes readers into the skies in “Seat 2C,” where a halt in travel gives a wealthy young woman time to consider how well she really knows her fiancé. In editor Koryta’s “P.F.A,” a young couple moves into a well-to-do neighborhood and receives unwanted attention from the narcissist next door. “Exit Now,” by Emilya Naymark, and “Relative Stranger,” by Amanda Witt, are takes on mistaken identity, one set in a corrupt carnival town and the other in a peaceful farmhouse. These stories expose the unease and anxiety an unknown entity can bring into our everyday lives.” – Library Journal, STARRED review
“This is the best kind of anthology, consistently excellent and inventive.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review
This collection offers the best of both worlds: expert storycraft from genre stars (Unger, Michael Connelly, and Steve Hamilton, among them) and standout entries from some new faces in crime fiction.” –Booklist
“Even with [Mystery Writers of America’s] stellar reputation, WHEN A STRANGER COMES TO TOWN is special…. Each author provides a twist or two not only in the plot, but also in what constitutes a ‘stranger.'” –Bookreporter
“When a Stranger Comes to Town will give you the very best of what crime fiction should deliver. Means, opportunity, and obsession—right?”-New York Journal of Books
“A top-drawer, themed anthology… Excellent stories about strangers, fear, and usually, murder.” -Mystery Scene Magazine
The latest Mystery Writers of America story collection, featuring terrifying tales of encounters with strangers from some of the top bestsellers and award winners in crime fiction
It’s been said that all great literature boils down to one of two stories—a man takes a journey, or a stranger comes to town. While mystery writers have been successfully using both approaches for generations, there’s something undeniably alluring in the nature of a stranger: the uninvited guest, the unacquainted neighbor, the fish out of water.
No matter how or where they appear, strangers are walking mysteries, complete unknowns in once-familiar territories who disrupt our lives with unease and wonder. In the newest collection of stories by the Mystery Writers of America, each author weaves a fresh tale surrounding the eerie feeling that comes when a stranger enters our midst, featuring stories by prolific mystery writers such as Michael Connelly, Dean Koontz and Joe Hill.