Currently re-reading because the first mystery in the volume is The Maltese Falcon, this year's Big Read selection in Wichita. I wish this hadn't been chosen as a community read. It's drenched in unredeeming and unredeemed machismo and homophobia that are difficult to stomach. For all its merits as a classic in the genre, or even the representative classic of its genre, it's an unfortunate choice for a community event. I hope we'll see some discussion of the difficult aspects of the book, but I'm not holding my breath.

As I recall, the other mysteries in the volume are all pretty good, especially the Peter Wimsey story, which is one of the few genuinely light-hearted Wimseys.

nice anthology. Good selection of mysteries by well-known authors ( )