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Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories Paperback – June 28, 2019

4.1 out of 5 stars 87 ratings

Who knew death could be so eclectic?

Relish this mesmerizing murder mystery mash-up of short stories.


Murder and mystery have been the staple of literature and films for years. This anthology of short stories will thrill and entertain you. Some will also make you laugh out loud. Others will stop and make you think.

Think of this murder mystery short story anthology as a book version of appetisers or starters, hors d'oeuvre, meze, or antipasti. It can be read as fillers between books or, as is the case in some countries, as a bookish meze - in its own right.

There’s murder mystery styles and locations to suit all tastes: detective fiction, serial killers, scifi, histfic, England, Los Angeles, San Francisco, The Great Lakes, Las Vegas, the Nevada desert, Mexico and more in an exquisite exposition of the art of short story telling.

These stories come from an international cast of authors; some with bestselling books, others are emerging or new talents. Their roots, cultures, and life experiences are as diverse as their writing styles.

But one thing binds them together: they know how to tell a story.

The ten authors who have contributed to the anthology are:


Stephen Bentley


Greg Alldredge


Kelly Artieri


Robbie Cheadle


Michael Spinelli


L. Lee Kane


Kay Castaneda


Aly Locatelli


Justin Bauer


Posthumously by 'G'


The stories include the 2019 SIA Award-Winning Murder Mystery Short Story 'The Rose Slayer' by Stephen Bentley.


Each author introduces his or her stories and the theme that lays behind them. By the time you finish the book, you will agree the result is a mesmerising murder mystery mash-up.


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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 28, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 258 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1074234340
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1074234348
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.65 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 87 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
87 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the anthology of murder mystery short stories to be an excellent compilation, with one mentioning it's a fantastic way to be introduced to new authors. However, the writing difficulty receives negative feedback, with one customer noting it's not easy to write.

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6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the anthology highly readable, describing it as an excellent compilation of stories that kept them enthralled, with one customer noting it's a fantastic way to be introduced to new authors.

"...Each of these stories is a lesson in making every word important, every word count...." Read more

"...ending, The slightly horror jive of Monitaur by Michael Spinelli kept me enthralled ,and he hit a home run with No Man’s Land involving a dangerous..." Read more

"...It’s a great assortment of short stories and a fantastic way to be introduced to new authors. I highly recommend “Death Among Us.”" Read more

"...The short stories fit the bill perfectly. It's not hard to understand why The Rose Slayer won an award in a Short Story Contest!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing difficulty"0 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing difficulty of the anthology, with some appreciating the multiple authors while others find it challenging to read.

"I love a good short story. And they are not easy to write - they require talent and the discipline of limitation that some of us find personally..." Read more

"...for the reviews of this on this site, trust me it's an insult to mystery writers everywhere...." Read more

"It's mutiple writers...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2019
    I love a good short story. And they are not easy to write - they require talent and the discipline of limitation that some of us find personally impossible to achieve. But I know it when I read it - and these ten authors all have it in spades. Each of these stories is a lesson in making every word important, every word count. I am pleased to recommend this collection to friends and family. This is a book I will want to read, again. These are stores succinctly told, little jewels of murder and mystery. I know you will love them.

    I received a free electronic copy of this collection of short stories on July 6, 2019, from Stephen Bentley and Hendry Publishing. These stories edited by Stephen Bentley, contain the works of 10 authors who were required to submit a story in 6,000 words, though that could be stretched over more than one story. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2019
    Many thanks to all these authors for sharing their diverse stories / BooksGoSocial / Netgalley for the digital copy of this murderous collection. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

    Each author introduces his or her stories and the theme that lays behind them. By the time you finish the book, you will agree the result is a mesmerising murder mystery mash-up.

    There’s murder mystery styles and locations to suit all tastes: detective fiction, serial killers, scifi, histfic, England, Los Angeles, San Francisco, The Great Lakes, Las Vegas, the Nevada desert, Mexico and more in an exquisite exposition of the art of short story telling.

    These stories come from an international cast of authors; some with bestselling books, others are emerging or new talents. Their roots, cultures, and life experiences are as diverse as their writing styles.

    My favorites ..... Stephen Bentley is the author of the first three books. He is a former UK undercover cop, police Detective Sergeant, and trial attorney. His stories are unique in that in each of the stories this line of dialogue is included ..... "When I saw the banquet of seven roses, I knew exactly who had murdered Mrs. O'Connell."

    I admit, I have never read these authors before, but you can bet I'll be checking out what else they have to offer.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2019
    I’m a mystery/suspense fan so these stories hit all the right notes for me. The collection is varied with several authors contributing multiple tales to the collection. Read one or two at a time or gobble several back to back. The authors are great at transporting you into twisted worlds of murder most foul. You’re bound to find your personal favorites, but there are several that really stood out for me.

    I was mesmerized by the historic angle Robbie Cheadle used in her all of her tales that address such unusual characters as chimney sweeps in Victorian England and monks, among others. She did an exceptional job of dropping her readers into the grimy period of the Industrial Revolution and other equally intriguing settings. Red Solo Cup by by Kelly Artieri has two couples undertaking a day boating. A twisty little tale with a cool title and an unexpected ending. She also does a great job with That's What Best Friends Do which has a kick-butt ending, The slightly horror jive of Monitaur by Michael Spinelli kept me enthralled ,and he hit a home run with No Man’s Land involving a dangerous fugitive. The dialogue is spot on.

    All the authors are to be commended for such a great collection. Enjoy!
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2019
    I bought this anthology because I was already a fan of Robbie Cheadle. I loved her historical fiction based on real-life stories as expected, but the other authors and their work also intrigued me. This collection is a great variety that includes horror, sci-fi, suspense, and mystery set in various locations that all held my attention. There’s a brief introduction to each author, and I enjoyed getting to know them before reading. It’s a great assortment of short stories and a fantastic way to be introduced to new authors. I highly recommend “Death Among Us.”
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2021
    Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories, my third highly enjoyable read from author Stephen Bentley, An author I'd not heard of before getting the opportunity to read & review these books! December seemed to be my month for new authors, January continued the trend, and now February. An enjoyable, well-written collection. I’m not big on short stories but this collection has given me some more interesting new authors to research & potentially read. Ralph Scott & Kendra Murray’s narration adds greatly to a good book's enjoyment. “I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." I own 8 other books by this author and look forward to reading more from this him. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2020
    This garbage is not mystery writing, it"s like some childish cutesie stuff. After reading the first 6 or 7 stories I threw it in the trash where it belongs! Don't fall for the reviews of this on this site, trust me it's an insult to mystery writers everywhere. I feel taken advantage of, and feel my money should be refunded by Amazon!

Top reviews from other countries

  • Sashadoo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Murder in short doses
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2019
    I loved this eclectic collection of short stories all linked by a single common thread...murder! I particularly enjoed the stories of Stephen Bentley, especially the cleverly crafted 'Eleanor Rigby', and the futuristic tale from Greg Alldredge. Can an artificial intelligence sex robot be a muderer, or is it all a cunningly concealed plot, an attempt to cover up someone else's crime?
    There's plenty more, with stories from around the world each with it's own unique 'brand' of murder stamped upon it. From sex killers to child muderers, it's all here. My only advice would be, turn away if you don't like the sight of blood. There's plenty of it, metaphorically speaking in the pages of Death Among Us, and each story is just the right length for a quick read before bedtime, or better yet , to give you a chill and a shiver to send you to dreamland. Just beware the dreams! A great read for all lovers of the genre, my congratulations to all the contributors for a superbly entertaining read.
  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Average
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 6, 2021
    Some stories are very good but not all of them, unfortunately. So I have mixed feelings. That's why I give 3 stars.
  • Tina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2019
    Great collection of short stories by various writers. Couldn't put the book down and read it in one sitting. Enjoyed each and every story and didn't want them to end 😊. This book is earmarked for a re read for definite ❤.