Whatdunits

by various authors, edited by Mike Resnick,

"True Faces", Pat Cadigan. The suspects of a murder are all aliens who are compulsive liars. Great.

"Gut Reaction", Jack C. Haldeman II. It was short & funny, like all JCH2 I've read.

"Loss Of Phase", Anthony R. Lewis. The detective is a dolphin a human society! Interesting.

"Its Own Reward", Katherine Kerr. Probably the most complex, yet subtle, story in the book. Great.

"Monkey See", Roger MacBride Allen. This story was very funny; an alien tries to prove that chimps are murderers.

"Heaven's Only Daughter", Laura Resnick. A bit of nepotism, but an enjoyable, simple story.

"Heaven Scent", Virginia Booth. Very good. The plant did it. Could've used more explanation tho.

"Lost Lamb", Barbara Delaplace. A good story. The only one I figured out before the ending.

"Cain's Curse", Jack Nimersheim. Different in that the 'detective' is a time-traveller sent to observe & confirm facts. Great court-room dialogue. One of the best.

"Murder On-Line", John DeChancie. I love DeChancie. Not quite what Resnick asked for, but different (a world where only the internet flourishes). Good.

"Color Me Dead", Sandra Rector & P.M.F. Johnson. Used all of Resnick's clues; interesting & entertaining.

"Signs And Stones", Judith Tarr. Very entertaining. The victim died simply because of its alien nature; the catalyst of its death had no intent.

"Murder Under Glass", Bob Liddil. A good story, using Resnick's clues & a little more. Slightly sexist.

"It's the Thought That Counts", Michael A. Stackpole. Not what Resnick specified, but a good story.

"The Colonel And the Alien", Ralph Roberts. An OK story; relied too much on futuristic devices & not enough on character power.

"Obscurocious", Ray Aldridge. An ingenious solution to impending destruction by aliens.

"An Incident At the Circus", Rick Katze. This man is not a pro writer. It shows. Bad syntax, incorrect grammar, total absence of character development, total absence of character feeling. AWFUL.

"Dead Ringer", Esther M. Friesner & Walter J. Stutzman. Again, not what MR specified, but very good and complex.

three stars