Delta Blues »

An outstanding collection of short stories from writers aching to sing you the blues.

Publishers Weekly

The blues are at home anywhere, but the epicenter is Clarksdale, Miss., the setting for at least a third of the 19 original stories in this virtuoso crime anthology. Despite the common theme, this diverse volume ranges from Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly's “What His Hands Had Been Waiting For,” a memorably redemptive story set during the 1927 flood of the Mississippi, to John Grisham's long, haunting “Fetching Raymond,” in which members of a dysfunctional family trek to notorious Parchman Farm, the state penitentiary. James Lee Burke's “Big Midnight Special” is a powerful story about a Parchman Farm inmate driven too far. Several tales play off the legendary crossroads meeting of the devil and Robert Johnson, including Michael Lister's “Death at the Crossroads,” Charlaine Harris's “Crossroads Bargain,” and Daniel Martine's “Kidd Diamond.” Other contributors include Les Standiford, Ace Atkins, Nathan Singer, Dean James, and Haines. (May)

All the Way to Memphis Suzanne Hudson 19

Love in Vain David Sheffield 36

Nine Below Zero Ace Atkins 44

Cuttin' Heads Alice Jackson 50

Blind, Crippled, and Crazy Bill Fitzhugh 77

Big Midnight Special James Lee Burke 92

My Own Little Room in Hell Dean James 113

Dog Thunder Blues Nathan Singer 127

Songbyrd Dead at 23 Suzann Ellingsworth 144

Death at the Crossroads Michael Lister 162

Blues for Veneece Lynne Barrett 181

Crossroads Bargain Charlaine Harris 211

A Man Feeling Bad Toni L.P. Kelner 227

Kidd Diamond Daniel Martine 258

Run Don't Run Mary Saums 287

The Sugar Cure Carolyn Haines 301

Life and Casualty Les Standiford 319

Fetching Raymond John Grisham 332

What His Hands Had Been Waiting For Tom Franklin Beth Ann Fennelly 374