The number of members of the Crime Writers’ Association, which celebrated its Diamond Jubilee last year, is now higher than ever, and this reflects the relentless (and very welcome) rise in interest in crime fiction across the world. The CWA may be primarily a British organisation, but its members come from many different countries. An Icelandic chapter was formed not long ago, and there are plans for a chapter based in France. This international dimension is reflected in the fact that two contributors to this book hail from Iceland and New Zealand, while others live in Greece and Abu Dhabi.
In putting this book together, I was keen to offer a flavour of the remarkable and fascinating diversity of the crime genre, as well as of the people who write it. Only four of those authors who featured in last year’s anthology, Deadly Pleasures, return this time, but I am confident that readers will find that the quality of the stories is as high as ever. Several contributors have never previously featured in a CWA anthology, and they range from relative newcomers such as Ricki Thomas to very well-established authors like Aline Templeton and Paul Johnston. From the many submissions I received, I have chosen a few very short, but I think highly effective, stories, and even a contribution in verse.
I am optimistic about the future of the short story, an optimism fired in part by the quality of the submissions, in part by broader trends. Markets in print magazines may be in short supply, but the opportunities for online and digital publication seem to be encouraging more and more writers to try their hand at the form, and sometimes in daring fashion – at least one CWA member has produced a short story via Twitter. As for the CWA Anthology, it has a long and proud history of showcasing splendid work by writers both famous and new to the genre, and I am confident that, changes in the publishing world notwithstanding, it will continue to go from strength to strength.
As usual, I must express my thanks to all the contributors, the publishers, and my colleagues on the CWA committee who have given this project their support. And now, without any more ado, on with the stories!
Martin Edwards