Why a Booktrail?
Crime spreads across the globe in this new collection of short stories from the Crime Writer’s Association, as a conspiracy of prominent crime authors take you on a world mystery tour.
CWA Short Story Anthology
What you need to know before your trail
Highlights of the trip include a treacherous cruise to French Polynesia, a horrifying trek in South Africa, a murderous train-ride across Ukraine and a vengeful killing in Mumbai. But back home in the UK, life isn’t so easy either. Dead bodies turn up on the backstreets of Glasgow, crime writers turn words into deeds at literary events, and Lady Luck seems to guide the fate of a Twickenham hood. Showcasing the range, breadth and vitality of the contemporary crime-fiction genre, these twenty-eight chilling and unputdownable stories will take you on a trip you’ll never forget.
Travel Guide
The Magical Mystery Tour – Your Boarding Pass:
Bethesda Maryland – Queen of Mystery
USA – Return to the Lake
Phuket, Thailand – Want to visit ‘ The least popular islands off Phuket with CL Taylor?
Brighton, England – The Last Supper – A few locations mentioned in this one – Brighton for the ice creams and where the story opens
Greece – The White Goddess –
“Perfection. Lazy days under the brilliant sun. The rickety footbridge from the jetty to the tiny taverna. An aroma of garlic and prawns and wild oregano making her mouth water. Her skin tight with salt and heat. Her hunger for him ever present, ravenous”
Thailand – High Flyer – Set on an airplane as a husband and wife travel to Thailand. Now is this the kind of journey you can see yourself going on?
England – Accounting for murder – Set in a fictional village called Silverbridge, this is a story cleverly told in receipts.
Edinburgh and Scotland – Travel is Dangerous – A visit to “God’s own f**** city” this time and across to Glasgow where something is amiss.
Valencia, Spain – Take the Money – A journey that starts well but which ends up a lot different to what you might hope for.
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USA , Mount Mitchell – No Way Home – A son goes to great lengths and scales the heights to please his father.
England – The Midlands – Mystery Tour – Starting in a little town in the Midlands, Books Bizarre opens its doors and invites people into a world of adventure.
Germany – Frankfurt – Wife on tour – Now here’s a plane journey you won’t forget in a hurry!
Prague – The Naked Lady of Prague – Take a guided tour of the city – one of the characters here does and it’s not the side of the city you expect to see revealed!
USA – Key West Florida – A man quits his job and flies south like the snowbirds to Key West, a place of dazzling beauty. But what kind of bird is a snowbird? And where does it go next?
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UAE – Dubai – Repentance Wood – Travelling out to Dubai sounds like fun. The landscape is amazing, the desert, the palm trees and the people you meet….
Europe – A Mouthful of Restaurant – A tour of Eating Europe…Best eat before you read this one as well!And then head to Paris in the search of Le Gout Moderne
On the High Seas – Cruising for a Killing – Off to a very remote island in the middle of the ocean for this story – Nuku Hiva in French Polynesia no less
South Africa – Three on a Trail – Imagine walking on the wild side across mountains and valleys on the Tsitsikamma Trail…where does it lead?
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Ireland – The Riddle of the Humming Bee – The Ulster Hall in Belfast is the stage for a very important show
Anywhere – Writer’s Block – Brilliantly clever and a very exciting opening first line…and as for that last one!!!??
Marrakesh – Lady Luck – You think you’re going on one kind of holiday but then Lady Luck has other ideas…
Iceland – Ragnar Jonasson – A short postcard has the most alarming message…
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Middle East – A Clever Evil – Somewhere in The old town, in the old city, there’s a news room and a story is brewing…
Chicago – The Prodigy – Your school days are often the best of your life – or maybe not
London – Slight Change of Plan – Two friends meet at Clapham Junction. Who knows where they will go next?
India – Mumbai – Bombay Brigadoon – A very comprehensive guide of the city as well as a very intriguing story!
Ukraine – Matricide and Icecream – All takes place on a train rattling through the valleys and landscape of Ukraine on its way to Mukacheve…it’s what happens before it gets there that’s most exciting
The Spoils – A fitting end to a magical mystery tour!
Booktrailer Review
Susan: @thebooktrailer
VERY excited to get my hands on this one. It’s a project that’s been brewing for a while and well, the kettle has whistled and announced it’s ready, the arrangment of teas has been prepared and each cup has a distinct and unique flavour.
There are some cracking good stories in this collection. Very reminiscent of Tales of the Unexpected and even darker! There’s not a bad apple in the bunch and the locations they take you to are unique, exciting and nicely evoked. Bombay Brigadoon is perhaps the most fully evoked with the sights and smells coming from the page, but the train journey in Matricide and Icecream, a whistling train journey through the Ukraine had me realising that it was the journey and not the destination that really mattered in this instance!
There are some very tongue in cheek mentions of writers, book tours and the demands of publishing which made me smile and a very good idea next time I check into a hotel with a key card or take a plane journey with someone. Brilliantly inventive each and every one and this was a mystery tour with a difference, a mystery tour which takes you across the world and back again, across the boundaries of right and wrong, across the whole spectrum of human emotions, all wrapped up in a bloody red bow.
Highly recommended. A brilliantly witty, dark and captivating collection.
Booktrail Boarding Pass: CWA Short Story Anthology
Destination:Worldwide Author/Guide: Various Departure Time: Various
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