This is a really great resource for librarians, like myself, looking to expand their collection with new and popular titles. I have found many things within these pages to add to my public libraries shelves.

Every year I look forward to The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and the 2025 edition—curated by Don Winslow and Steph Cha—might be one of the strongest collections yet. It’s a masterclass in range: stories that are sharp and gritty, others quiet and haunting, and a few that left me grinning at their dark wit.

What I love most about this anthology is how it refuses to stick to one definition of “mystery” or “suspense.” You’ve got traditional crime tales sitting alongside experimental, voice-driven pieces, and somehow it all works together. Winslow and Cha clearly have a talent for spotting stories that not only grip you but also linger in your mind long after you’ve finished.

The variety in tone and setting kept me hooked—small-town secrets, urban noir, high-stakes cons, morally gray characters making impossible choices. Every story felt like it earned its place here, and there were zero skippable entries (a rarity for any anthology). Some hit hard with emotional weight, others with clever twists, but all delivered that satisfying jolt of tension I read this series for.

If you love crime fiction in all its forms—or just want a collection you can dip into and always find something excellent—this year’s Best American Mystery and Suspense is essential. It’s a perfect mix of new discoveries and seasoned favorites, all brought together under two editors who clearly know the genre inside and out.

** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review **
This year’s collection brings together a sharp, gripping set of crime and suspense stories that keep you guessing from start to finish. Each story is distinct in voice and style, ranging from gritty procedurals to atmospheric psychological tales. The opening chapters pull you in with fast-moving action, while the later ones lean into nuanced character work. I appreciated how the editors balanced well-known authors with fresh voices. Even the shortest pieces packed a punch, proving how much can be done in a few pages. It’s a strong, varied anthology that mystery fans will happily devour.

Any collection of crime stories is going to have its share of hits and misses -- but this collection hits a lot more than it misses. Of particular note are the stories by John Bosworth, Victor De Anda, Tod Goldberg, Stephanie Leder, JD O'Brien, Rob D Smith -- and the two walking away standouts for me were by Ivy Pochoda and Erika Krouse.

“The short story is among the most difficult of literary forms to write. Perhaps that makes short stories among the most rewarding to read.“*—excerpt from Don Winslow’s introduction.

I continue to be impressed with the direction of this series with Steph Cha as Series Editor.

My favorite stories are as follows:

“Neon Women” by Ann Aptaker: The ex-wife of a dead junkie hires a female private investigator to look into the man’s death. The cast of colorful characters and suburb seventies setting details make for a groovy gumshoe read.

“A Bad Place to Die” by John Bosworth: Corporate greed, environmental concerns, antisocial tendencies, a Seattle setting, and a grieving orca create a cool texture to a story about a hitman and his intended victim.

“In Kind” by Susan Love Brown: This stunning story, rich in family history, can be summed up with the following line of dialogue. “In the end people get what they give.”

“Grendel” by Craig Francis Coates: A college exam on BEOWULF serves as a ticking clock during the search for a man who fractured a stripper’s skull. The outstanding dialogue, characterization, and pacing make for a memorable read.

“Bad Man Down” by Victor De Anda: A hilarious tale of body disposal in the Salton Sea.

“The Bad Friend” by Caroline Kepnes: An encounter with an old friend provides poisonous perspective. The toxic friendship and the protagonist’s worldview make for an engrossing read. Kepnes deftly manages time in the story which spans decades.

“Eat My Moose” by Erika Krouse: An Air Force veteran with stage IV pancreatic cancer helps other terminally ill people die. This story is a beautifully written gut punch. Krouse is a master at characterization and showcasing the Alaskan setting.

“Jackrabbit Skin” by Ivy Pochoda: A tattoo artist who moves into an isolated desert community becomes wary of her neighbor. The world building, both the setting and the artistry of tattooing, and suspense elements are top notch.

“A Box Full of Soul” by Rob D. Smith: The story revolves around the robbery of a box of rare records. The characterization of Vera, Kevin, and former wrestler Cosmo makes the story a standout.

“Casadastraphobia” by Mary Thorson: A small town takes a fancy to a school girl, who is powerless to resist. Trena’s character arc is beautifully developed.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Mariner Books, an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text, and the quoted material might be altered or removed from the final version of the book.

Welcome to “The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2025”, edited by Don Winslow; series editor Steph Cha. I am a longtime follower of these books, I believe that this is my sixth collection that I’ve read. The stories usually are a reflection of the guest editor’s taste, last year’s entry was a bit depressing, this year the stories tend to be a bit darker.

“Never Mind in Two Thousand”: An older man who’s life is falling apart has to deal with new neighbors. Dark and sad.
“Neon Women”: PI pulp set in the 1970’s, dark and gritty, quite good.
“A Bad Place to Die”: A hitman starts to question if his latest assignment is worth taking out.
“In Kind”: A recollection of how the rich family in town came to their bitter end.
“Grendel”: A driver for some shady folks gets involved in some bad stuff while trying to study for a college test.
“Bad Man Down”: Two gangsters have a hard time trying to dispose of a body. Funny.
“Cruel to be Kind”: When the wrong guy becomes an obsession.
“A Dog's Year”: Doing a small job for your ex-cousin-in-law turns out to be a problem when there’s an unexpected death involved.
“Road to Nowhere”: A dark story about a band trying to make it big, if they can only get some cash and their bass back from a pawn shop.
“The Bad Friend”: An extremely long story about a woman making bad choices in men throughout her entire life, not really sure why it’s in this collection. Does not fit.
“Eat My Moose”: Two people assist others in committing suicide in Alaska. Not really a mystery, just depressing.
“Not a Dinner Party Person”: A sociopath working for a drug company tries to hold it together at her mother’s Hanukkah dinner party with her abusive brother-in-law. Dark, but funny.
“They Light Themselves on Fire”: A wife has issues dealing with her famous husband’s infidelity.
“Outlaw Country”: A self-styled country music singer wants to get an outlaw reputation, but two cops get in the way when things go too far. A fun story.
“Good Shoes”: Betrayal among thieves as the woman regrets her choice of a partner.
“The Darklight Gizmo Matter”: A PI gets a call from a wino who was immediately killed, leading to a bigger coverup.
“Jackrabbit Skin”: A tattoo artist moves out into the desert and learns the community’s view of outsiders
“A Box Full of Soul”: It should be easy to steal some valuable record albums from an old man, right?
“Dark Thread, Loose Strands”: A bully taunting a kid in school takes a very dark turn. Disturbing and not very clear.
“Casadastraphobia”: A very bad man gets away with terrorizing a town until he goes too far. Very disturbing,

As with any collection, some are better than others, some fit the theme more than others, there’s always a couple that make me smile. Another fine outing.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Mariner Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

This collection was a mixed bag of short stories. A few of the short stories stand out as well-crafted, suspenseful & full of twists, emotionally resonant, and truly memorable. For me these included “Jackrabbit Skin,” “Not a Dinner Party Person,” and “The Bad Friend.”

Unfortunately, most of the collection doesn’t have that same impact. Many stories feel flat, meandering, or just underdeveloped. Others were straight up boring or forgettable (which is especially disappointing given how strong the best stories are).

In short, this collection is a hit-or-miss experience. If you’re patient or willing to dig for the worthwhile stories, you’ll find a few worth your time. But if you're looking for consistent quality across the board, I’m afraid this collection isn’t it.

Thank you to Mariner Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This was a good book of short stories, but even with that there were better and worse ones. I guess some of them were also just not my style since this is supposed to be the best of the best.

My favorite ones were Neon Women and In Kind.

Some of the stories did feel a bit more noir than mystery and suspense, but I guess it's close enough.

Overall it's an enjoyable collection if you want to catch up on some good recent short stories.