The Best American Crime Writing 2005

July 18, 2005
This is a solid and diverse collection of true-crime writing, if devoid of the memorable entries that marked the 2004 edition. The 16 pieces—some by familiar names such as noir master Ellroy, Freakonomics
coauthor Stephen J. Dubner and terrorism expert Lawrence Wright—span a wider range of criminal activities, however, from an anatomy of bar fights (perhaps the slightest of the pieces) to the evolving nature of al-Qaeda as evidenced by the March 11, 2004, Madrid train bombings. Three essays stand out in particular for conveying noteworthy aspects of the criminal mind in a short format. Texas Monthly
regular Skip Hollandsworth offers a compelling portrait of a respectable, church-going suburbanite who masterminded numerous burglaries. Dubner's piece also deals with a master burglar who specialized in designer silverware; Ivana Trump was among his victims. Justin Kane and Jason Felch outline the vicissitudes of an elaborate federal investigation of the Ukrainian underworld. Philip Weiss presents outstanding investigative work on a forgotten travesty of justice involving the Peace Corps (though it has less impact than his book on the topic, American Taboo
).
Anyone interested in true crime should find something to enjoy in this wide-ranging collection.

September 1, 2005
One of the strengths of this true-crime anthology series comes simply from its astonishing variety. This latest installment includes articles on terrorism, sexual slavery, medical malpractice, and Internet-virus creation\emdash in addition to standbys murder, larceny, fraud, and burglary. There's even an article about the old-fashioned art of tracking, still in use today at the U.S.-Mexico border. Of course, it's the quality of the writing that's touted here, and justifiably so. Peter Landesman's now-famous "The Girls Next Door\rdblquote\emdash which exposed our country's horrific problem with sex slaves\emdash is included, as is Clive Thompson's fascinating "The Virus Underground," which probes the reasons it's so dangerous to click on e-mail attachments nowadays. There are only two sour notes: "Punch Drunk Love," Jonathan Miles' lightweight ode to bar brawling, and the essay "Choirboys," James Ellroy's umpteenth recitation of his delinquent youth, performed this time to acknowledge his debt to Joseph Wambaugh. But give Penzler and Cook mulligans on those. It's risky to claim anything is the best, but it would be tough to better this collection. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)