Mystery Date

February 18, 2008
Real-world first dates may often end badly, but most of the entries in this gathering of supernaturally charged dating adventures end more than well enough to satisfy. The 17 stories range widely in scope and flavor. Standouts include Scott William Carter's tale of a haunted stereo, Diane Duane's crisp updating of a Scandinavian legend, Jacey Bedford's modern yet enchanting “The Urbane Fox,” and Diane A.S. Stuckart's clever “Who's Behind the Door,” which opens the volume with a clever riff on the vintage board game referenced in the anthology's title. Few stories are less than entertaining, though Laura Resnick's “By Any Other Name” revels a little too much in deliberate clichés, and no less than three selections involve ancient Greco-Roman myths. There are both dark tales and light among the offerings, and while fantasy dominates, horror and SF are both represented. As theme anthologies go, this one is unusually successful.