Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box

By: Brad Meltzer - editor

Narrated by: William Dufris, Karen White, Simon Vance, Malcolm Hillgartner, Scott Brick, John McLain, Kirby Heyborne, Richard Powers

Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

There’s nothing more mysterious than a locked box. Whether it’s a literal strongbox, an empty coffin, the inner workings of a scientist’s mind, or an underground prison cell, there are those who will use any means necessary to unlock the secrets of The Mystery Box.

With this anthology, best-selling author Brad Meltzer introduces 21 original stories from today’s most prominent mystery writers. In Laura Lippman’s "Waco 1982", a young reporter stuck with a seemingly mundane assignment on lost-and-found boxes unwittingly discovers a dark crime. In Joseph Finder’s "Heirloom", a scheming neighbor frightens the new couple on the block with an unnerving tale of buried treasure. In R. L. Stine’s "High Stakes", a man on his honeymoon gets drawn into a bizarre bet involving a coffin, a bet he may pay for with his life.

From the foothills of Mount Fuji to Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp, from a physics laboratory in wartime Leipzig to an unusual fitness club in Boca Raton, these sometimes terrifying, sometimes funny, and always suspenseful tales will keep you riveted. (The complete list of narrators includes Joe Barrett and Donald Corren.)

©2013 Mystery Writers of America, Inc. (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The consistently high quality of the 22 selections will lead many to hope the MWA will sponsor more volumes in this vein." ( Publishers Weekly, starred review of Mystery Writers of America Presents: The Prosecution Rests)

Something for everyone

With a huge number of short mysteries there is bound to be something in here for everyone. I admit some of them were a miss for me, but many of them were really great and took the idea and ran with it.

Stellar collection trashed by last story

I enjoyed every story until I was blindsided by the filthy language in the last story. What made it even worse was that it was written and narrated by women. I served in the artillery during the Vietnam era and never heard such a filthy mouth. What would have been 5 stars yet.

Odd collection

I agree with the other reviewers that many of the stories are contrived to fit the box theme. Many are not mysteries. However, I think the theme is interesting, and the collection worth the credit. All are well written and narrated.

The 1st story is my favorite. The Most Private Detective is my next most favorite. A number of others were very interesting as well.
The last one, about the world record, is explicit and raunchy, so beware.

Not the best

Would you try another book from Brad Meltzer (editor) and/or the narrators?

Like Brad Meltzer but this compilation wasn't as good as most of the Mystery Writers selections. Disappointing.

Would you recommend Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box to your friends? Why or why not?

Probably not. Just not that entertaining,

What aspect of the narrators’s performance would you have changed?

With this much variety, there were some really good and some not so much!

Was Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box worth the listening time?

Maybe

Any additional comments?

The compilations I have read before have been great! This one was kind of blah.

Would love to give 0 stars

I couldn't get through the book. I found one story bearable but really disliked the book as a whole. Not worth the price of purchase. Stories were vastly different and the one characteristic that was supposed to follow through all the stories was not really there.

Worth every penny!

Would you listen to Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box again? Why?

Yes, I definitely would listen to this title again. The collection of short storie was the best well rounded collection I have ever heard.

Any additional comments?

The short story “Remmy Rothstein Toes the Line (annotated)” by Karin Slaughter was by far the most interesting, funny, crazy, impossible to describe short story ever written in my opinion. Your missing out if you pass this one up.

A Collection of Misrepresented and Vacuous Stories

A mystery book with little to no mysteries involved in the process. I would not recommend.

Wonderful Collection

What made the experience of listening to Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box the most enjoyable?

The stories are great. Not all of them are equal and some I liked less, but there are so many of them that are excellent and extremely enjoyable to listen to.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

A very well narrated group of stories. Performances were generally fun to hear.

If you could rename Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box, what would you call it?

Pandora's Gift

Any additional comments?

I still haven't finished all of these wonderful contributions, but most have been very enjoyable. I would encourage any mystery lover to acquire this wonderful collection.

1 decent sci-fi story and 20 total crap

Seriously, I listened to every story and it was hours of boredom, during which I wondered several things. Why are most/almost all of these stories set between the 1790s and 1982? How are these people earning an income, because it sure as hell isn't from writing anything I want to read.

Would I return this book if I'd paid a whole credit for it? YES!

Why do audiobook recording studios have so few candidates to choose from when hiring narrators that a woman who can't pronounce the French word petit is narrating the story set in France? How do you write a mind-numbingly boring story set on France?

How do you write such a craptastic story that Simon Vance's narrating can't make it a worthy listening experience?

Oh well, I hoped I would find a new author to explore. I didn't. The interesting story was more X-Files Sci Fi than having any mystery element. There was another story which was absolutely stolen from a Star Trek movie and contained no mystery at all. Several stories didn't ever mention a box; all were supposed to be about a box... it's called a theme element, so the stories make a collection based on a theme.

T-E-D-I-U-M

What would have made Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box better?

Maybe try including more actual mysteries, like the title suggests. It sees like there were several titles that were suspenseful and engaging, bookending a bunch of what could only be described as filler.

What could Brad Meltzer (editor) have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

See previous answer.

Would you be willing to try another one of the narrators’s performances?

Sure. The performances weren't terrible.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Several of the stories weren't bad.

Any additional comments?

Far and away the worst audio book I have ever heard. Avoid.