The Rich and the Dead    edited by Nelson deMille Order:  USA  Can Grand Central, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, Softcover, CD Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Bob Walch This collection of twenty original tales by some of the best mystery writers working today will thrill any suspense fan. The unifying theme of these stories is, as the title suggests, that at least one of characters is rather wealthy if not obscenely rich. Also, in many cases their gains are either ill gotten or others lust for similar economic largesse; hence, these beautiful and extremely financially blessed individuals are at risk! Among the writers who contributed to this collection are Ted Bell, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Carolyn Mullen, S.J. Rosen, Jon Santlofer and Elaine Togneri. As you immerse yourself in these riveting short stories you'll meet a protection specialist who needs protection himself from one of his clients, a swaggering drug lord bent on punishing am underling, and a society columnist who must deal with the wrath his poisoned pen elicits from a distraught victim. In a single sitting you can read one or more of these stories. The only real problem will be that you'll get so carried away you'll finish the book faster than you really want to. 2nd Review by Lyn Seippel: Mystery Writers of America presents twenty mystery and crime stories written by some of the best of today's writers. Set among the world's wealthiest, they prove that the rich really are different, especially when crimes are involved. All of the stories have clever plots, but most of the characters are so unlikable that you have trouble caring whether they win or lose, or will live or die. The first exception is Karen Catalona's The Sadowsky Manifesto, in which a bankrupt literary agent sells a manuscript that he claims was written by a mass murderer. The manuscript is actually written by a mental patient who doesn't like the agent's misrepresentation of his book. When he is released from the institute for the criminally insane, he heads straight to New York to find Agent Max Bergen. Max and his elderly secretary Edna are so likable you can't help but hope they get away with their plan and even with murder. Another engaging story is written by Michael Connelly and features his series hero Harry Bosch. Blood Washes Off sets up a nice end to a Ponzi scheme and to the white collar criminal who swindled thousands of middle class Americans. The Rich and the Dead is edited by bestselling author, Nelson DeMille. If you're a mystery lover with only five minutes to read at a time, you'll want to have this anthology on hand. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews