Book Review: Murder in the Air by Various Authors (Destination Murders #4)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun short stories with characters you’ll enjoy

Cons: One story ends poorly

The Bottom Line:

These murders take flight

Mystery travels again

Eight fun short stories

High Flying Murder

Now that we are in June, everyone is in the summer frame of mind.  Once again, that means it is time to start planning vacations.  It also means it is time for another volume in the Destination Murders short story anthology.  This year, we get Murder in the Air, and it’s another winner.

Naturally, when I first heard the title, my mind went to airplanes, and we do have three stories that revolve around air travel, one commercial airline and two private jets.  But we also have a zipline, a gondola, a blimp, and a hot air balloon.  And then there’s the creative story set in space.  And there is a creative take on the theme I will let you discover on your own.  (No, the space setting isn’t it.)

As is the case with these collections, we have authors who have participated before and some that are new to the series.  Most of the authors are featuring characters they have written about in cozy mystery novels, but a couple are featuring characters they’ve been writing about for these collections, and one features what I believe is a new character.  Either way, you get the introduction and background you need for the story presented here.  And I enjoy getting to connect with these characters whether I’ve read a series with them or not.  After multiple stories with these characters in these anthologies, I feel like I know them.

 

So what happens in these eight stories?  Along the way we get:

A trip to Costa Rica for Barbara Marr could mean trouble since her mother is coming, too.  But it’s not her mother who winds up dead.

Jackie Norwood is thrilled that she has finally avoided a murder at a food festival she is attending only to have the passenger next to her on the ride home get deathly ill.

Samantha Kidd’s trip to Vegas for a sneaker trade show with her husband is dampened by murder.

Davis Way finds danger on a flight to participate in a diamond auction for her employer.

Sorrel must find out what happened when she is accused of murdering her space ship’s captain.  The biggest problem?  Sorrel blacked out and doesn’t know what happened herself.

Unlucky honeymooners Ross and Caroline try their third honeymoon only to have someone die on their gondola.

Lucy Berberian and Katie Watson are excited for their girl’s weekend on a modern blimp only to have the owner die.

Finally, Lorrie and her friends are off to a murder mystery event in Tennessee when a real dead body shows up.

As you can see, there is a wide variety of variations on the theme, which is always fun.  I look forward to seeing exactly how the authors will handle the theme and give us a great story.

Since I read short stories so seldom, I do have to put myself in the mindset again.  These often have fewer suspects, especially with all the recurring characters the authors are trying to juggle.  They also just don’t have time for as many twists.  These are minor complaints since I still had fun along the way.  Having said that, there was one story that had an abrupt ending.  But one story out of eight isn’t bad at all.

Because these are short stories, there isn’t time for tons of character development.  However, the characters all felt real enough for me to care about them and the outcome of the story.  I enjoyed my time with them, and it reminded me why I want to pick up the author’s novels I haven’t gotten to yet.  If only there were more hours in the day for reading.  It’s always fun to connect with the characters when I read one of these books.

The eight stories here are on the long end of the short story spectrum, which means they add up to a full length book.  You’re definitely getting your money’s worth.

If you are looking for a fun way to sample new to you authors or want a chance to connect with your favorites while waiting for the next book, Murder in the Air is the book for you.  Pack it in your suitcase for you vacation and enjoy.  Just maybe save it for reading when you are safely on the ground.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Included Stories:

“Done with the Wind” by Karen Cantwell

“Sugar High, Sugar Low” by Cathy Wiley

“Tread Man Walking” by Diane Vallere

“Double High Stakes” by Gretchen Archer

“(H)airless” by Rosalie Spielman

“Airlift” by Shawn Reilly Simmons

“A Contest Win to Die For” by Tina Kashian

“Hot Air and Good Times at Shelly’s Share Shed” by Eleanor Cawood Jones