Sisters On The Case: Celebrating Twenty Years of Sisters In Crime

by: Sara Paretsky, editor

Published by: Obsidian

Reviewed by Cerri Ellis

In 1986, at the Baltimore Boucheron World Mystery Convention, Sara Paretsky and a small group of women mystery writers talked about the difficulties of trying to break into and establish a name in the traditionally male-dominated mystery genre. What started as a conversation that year, blossomed into an organization with well over 3,400 members in 48 chapters worldwide.

Sisters In Crime commemorated its twentieth anniversary last year and the fun continues with the release of Sisters On The Case: Celebrating Twenty Years of Sisters In Crime.
The 20-story anthology, edited by Sara Paretsky, offers a wide variety of tales from such mystery favorites as Barbara D’Amato, Dorothy Salisbury Davis, Kate Grilley, and Eve K. Sandstrom.

Being a mystery buff and a great fan of so many of the women contributors, it was difficult to select which stories to highlight.

A Family Sunday in the Park: V. I. Warshawski’s First Case by Ms. Paretsky shows readers a young Victoria–or Tori, growing up in South Chicago, her dad one of the city’s finest. Assigned to cover Marquette Park during the Martin Luther King and Al Raby protest march in 1966, the story depicts how adults attitudes and beliefs influence young minds, especially that of a girl like Tori.

When she hears her cousin’s Uncle Tomas threatening to kill her papa, she sets out to find him and warn him of the threat. In typical V.I. fashion, she runs head first into trouble, but still manages to solve the case.

Lady Patterly’s Lover is a wonderful addition, by former Sisters In Crime steering committee member and author, Charlotte MacLeod (deceased). Eleanor, Lady Patterly, plots murder with her lover as her paralyzed husband lay in bed. Will the suddenly devoted young wife actually commit cold blood murder, or will she have a change of heart?

Nancy Pickard’s story, I Killed, turns the usual clichéd mob story into a history lesson with wonderfully written dialogue and a nice twist at the end.

Not Just The Facts by Annette Meyers is a brilliant look at point of view, showing that there is more to bare bones than just the facts.

Armchair Interviews says: Whether you are a mystery buff, appreciate and support women writers, or simply enjoy great short stories, Sisters On The Case will make an excellent addition to your bookshelf.

Web site: http://www.SistersInCrime.org