Quite Contrary

The unusual thing about the collection Quite Contrary is the range of subgenre. Although these are all crime stories, each is vastly different in its approach to the crime. One story, "A Step Above The Beasts," borders on horror, following the actions of a highly ethical murderer. "Time, The Thief," which is set in a piazza in Italy, shows the power of imagination, and comes dangerously close to being a romance. In several of the stories, notably "Five Points Of View," who the bad guy is may come as a surprise or even remain a mystery. There is humor here and even a bit of parody, as in "Detour On Mean Street," the dilemma of a hard-boiled PI caught up in a cozy. These stories have appeared in seven different publications. Two of them ("Quite Contrary" and "The Plot Thickens") won contests and one ("Quite Contrary") has since appeared in a mystery anthology printed in Japan.