Anthologies of Original P.I. Stories

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Listed chronologically

• Randisi, Robert, ed.
  The Eyes Have It: The First Private Eye Writers of America Anthology
  New York: The Mysterious Press, 1984.
  Buy this book
  As far as I know, the first anthology of all-original short stories featuring private eyes ever. Lawrence Block, Michael Collins, Lutz, Pronzini, Muller, Paretsky, Kantner, Greenleaf and Estleman, as well as others, strut their stuff. Edited by Robert J. Randisi, two-fisted, hard-working founder of The Private Eye Writers of America. The first of an amazing series.
  
  
• Randisi, Robert, ed.
  Mean Streets: The Second Private Eye Writers of America Anthology
  New York: The Mysterious Press, 1984.
  What sophomore slump? Randidi and crew hit another one over the fence.
  
  
• Randisi, Robert, ed.
  An Eye For Justice: The Third Private Eye Writers of America Anthology
  New York: The Mysterious Press, 1988.
  Buy this book
  Intro by Richard S. Prather kicks off another batch of typically excellent stories by the usual suspects.
  
  
• Randisi, Robert, ed.
  Justice For Hire: The Fourth Private Eye Writers of America Anthology
  New York: The Mysterious Press, 1990.
  The usual suspects, including Block, both Collinses, Estleman, Pronzini, Muller, Paretsky, etc., are joined by Healy, W.R. Philbrick, Wayne Dundee, Julie Smith and others.
  
  
• Randisi, Robert, and Marilyn Wallace, ed.
  Deadly Allies: Private Eye Writers of America and Sisters in Crime Collaborative Anthology
  New York: Doubleday, 1992.
  Buy this book
  The usual PWA suspects team up with various sisters in crime, in what appears to be a continuation of Randisi's bi-annual PWA anthologies. Includes Benjamin Schutz's Shamus-winning "Mary, Mary, Shut the Door" is here, as well as new stuff by susan Dunlap, Jan Grape, and a Ms. Tree prose story by Max Collins.
  
  
• Randisi, Robert, and Susan Dunlap, ed.
  Deadly Allies II: Private Eye Writers of America and Sisters in Crime Collaborative Anthology
  New York: Doubleday, 1994.
  The tradition continues...good stuff from Max Collins, Jan Grape, Estleman, Ben Schutz, Les Roberts, S.J. Rozan, Maxine O'Callaghan, John Lutz, Marcia Muller, Jeremiah Healy, and others.
  
  
• Collins, Barbara, and Robert J. Randisi.
  Lethal Ladies.....Buy this book
  New York: Berkeley Crime, 1996.
  Good PWA anthology of (mostly) original stories featuring (mostly) female eyes, including V.I. Warshawski, Jenny Gordon & C.J. Gunn, Freddie O'Neal, Angela Matelli and Lydia Chin.
  
  
• Spillane, Mickey and Max Allan Collins, ed.
  Private Eyes: Stories with a New Spin on a Hard-Boiled Tradition.....Buy this book
  New York: Signet, 1998.
  A collection of (mostly) original stories, edited by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, from Spillane himself (an undiscovered Mike Hammer story!-sort of), Pronzini, Kaminsky, Hoch, DeAndrea, both Michael and Max Allan Collins, Healy, Randisi, Thrilling Detective contributor Ted Fitzgerald (featuring his P.I. Matthew Gereghty) and several others. Excellent!
  
  
• Matthews, Christine, and Robert J. Randisi, editors.
  Lethal Ladies II.....Buy this book
  New York: Berkeley Crime, 1998.
  Good PWA anthology of (mostly) original stories featuring female eyes, including Delilah West, V.I. Warshawski, Jenny Gordon & C.J. Gunn, Freddie O'Neal and Lydia Chin.
  
  
• Randisi, Robert J., editor.
  The Shamus Game.....Buy this book
  New York: Signet, 2000.
  Randisi continues his bi-annual schedule with another PWA anthology of 14 original stories, including contributions by Max Allan Collins, Loren D. Estleman, Jeremiah Healy, Bill Pronzini, John Lutz, S.J. Rozan and all the usual suspects. Excellent, as always, and recommended.
  
  
• Bracken, Michael, ed.
  Fedora: Private Eyes and Tough Guys.....Buy this book
  Doylestown, PA: Wildside Press, 2001.
  Anthology with contributions from Nick Andreychuk, Michael Bracken, Ruthe Furie, Shelley Singer, Percy Spurlark Parker, Dan A. Sproul, Tom Sweeney, Mark Troy, Tim Wohlforth, Robert D. Hughes and others. As the blurb goes, "Fourteen hardboiled tales guaranteed to blow your hat off! " Includes Michael Collins' Edgar-nominated The Horrible, Senseless Murders of Two Elderly Women."
  
  
• Randisi, Robert J., editor.
  Mystery Street.....Buy this book
  New York: Signet, 2001.
  Another PWA anthology of 14 original stories, with an intro from Robert Crais, including contributions by Max Allan Collins, Loren D. Estleman, Jeremiah Healy, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Deborah Morgan, Jack Bludis, Patricia McFall, S.J. Rozan, Tom Sweeney, Jerry Kennealy and all the usual suspects. Excellent, as always, and recommended.
  
  
• Browne, D.L., and Kevin Burton Smith, editors,
  Down These Wicked Streets.....Buy this book
  Wicked Company, 2001.
  Forgive me for this pretty blatant plug, but I can't let this one slip by without comment. Regardless of my involvement in this book, I think it deserves mention on this site. It's the first-ever publication from the Wicked Company imprint (and the on-line writer's group) and boasts seven (count 'em -- seven!) private eye stories that run the gamut of the genre, from bleak, hard-boiled noir to engaging screwball comedy. Includes stories by Tribe, Katie de Koster, Chris McKenzie, Barry Evetts, Miles Archer, Sharon Potthoff and D.L. Browne, who co-edited the book with the Thrilling Detective Web Site's Kevin Burton Smith. In fact, both Tribe's black-hearted "Secret Smile" and co-editor Browne's "Just One of Those Things" have appeared on this site, so if you like this site...
  
  
• Bracken, Michael, ed.
  Hardbroiled.....Buy this book
  Holicong, PA: Betancourt & Company, 2003.
  Another great P.I. anthology from the hard-working Michael Bracken, with contributions from Stephen D. Rogers, Tom Sweeney, Dan Sontup, Jack Bludis, Art Montague, Carol Kilgore, Andrew McAleer, Linda Summers Posey, Dorothy Rellas, Kenneth Thornton Samuels, Nick Andreychuk, Tim Wohlforth, D. Jeanette McSherry and Robert Lopresti. The theme this time is food -- every story somehow involves not just a private eye, but food.
  For more, please read the review by James R. Winter.
  
  
• Bracken, Michael, editor,
  Fedore II: More Private Eyes and Tough Guys.....Buy this book
  Doylestown, PA: Betancourt & Company, 2003.
  Second collection in the accalimed series, featuring stories this time from Ann Aptaker, Michael Bracken, Gary R. Bush, Brian Evankovich, Justin Gustainis, Robert D. Hughes, O'Neil De Noux, Percy Spurlark Parker, Anthony Neil Smith, Dan Sontup, Dan A. Sproul, James Stevens-Arce, Tom Sweeney and Simon Wood.
  
  
• Deja, Thomas, editor,
  Down These Dark Streets
  Houston, TX: CyberPulp, 2003.
  An e-book anthology featuring stories about cons and private eyes in a hardboiled urban setting. Authors include Tim Wohlforth and Al Guthrie.
  
  
• Bracken, Michael, editor,
  Fedora III.....Buy this book
  Doylestown, PA: Betancourt & Company, 2004.
  Even more private eyes, even more tough guys from the best on-going P.I. short story series. Includes stories from Tom Sweeney, J.l. Abramo, Lee Goldberg and Michael Bracken, series editor.