At SleuthSayers today I list the best short mystery stories of the year.  This is my ninth annual list, and the longest ever.

"Family Secrets," by Eric Beetner, in Switchblade,  #3, 2017. Thuglit   is dead.  Long live Switchblade.  That was m first tho...

"The Spoils," by William Ryan, in CWA Anthology of Short Stories: Mystery Tour, edited by Martin Edwards, Orenda Books, 2017. ...

"Travel is Dangerous," by Ed James, in CWA Anthology of Short Stories: Mystery Tour, edited by Martin Edwards, Orenda Books, 20...

“Truth Comes Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind," by Thomas Pluck, in Alive in Shape and Color, edited by Lawrence Block, Pegasus Book...

"A Significant Find," by Jeffery Deaver, Alive in Shape and Color, edited by Lawrence Block, Pegasus Books, 2017. This is D...

"One at a Time," by Lissa Marie Redmond, in Down & Out Magazine, Issue 2. It's just my luck to get locked in a trunk ...

"Burnt Orange," by Shawn Reilly Simmons, in  Passport to Murder,  edited by John McFetridge, Down and Out Books, 2017. This is...

"Jerusalem Syndrome," in Passport to Murder, edited by John McFetridge, Down and Out Books, 2017. This is Davidson's seco...

"Black Friday," by R.T. Lawton, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, November/December 2017. I knew that if I wrote the...

"The Mechanical Detective," by John Longenbaugh, in Mystery Weekly Magazine, October 2017. The more observant among you may be...

"The Last Evil," by David Vardeman, in Mystery Weekly Magazine, November 2017. Hooboy.  What to say about this week's entr...

"Precision Thinking," by Jim Fusilli, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, November/December 2017. Last week I wrote about a ...

"The Black Hand," by Peter W.J. Hayes, in   Malice Domestic: Murder Most Historical, edited by Verena Rose, Rita Owen, and Shaw...

"PX Christmas," by Martin Limón, in The Usual Santas,   Soho Crime, 2017. Martin Limón writes exclusively about Asia and most ...

"Making It," by Michael Wiley, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September-October 2017. Last week I had the privilege o...

" e-Golem," by S.J. Rozan, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine,  September-October 2017. This is the fourth appearance h...

"A Pie to Die For," by Meg Opperman, in Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Issue 1. I have been asked recently about my policy so it...

"Do Not Pass Go," by James Blakey, in Mystery Weekly Magazine, September 2017. I admit it.  I am a sucker for this sort of th...

"Aramis and the Worm," by Michael Mallory, in ALfed Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, September/October 2017. My friend Michae...