Short mystery and detective stories from writers all around the globe are collected in the "Library of the World’s Best Mystery and Detective Stories," curated by Julian Hawthorne. The anthology’s pieces include a variety of locales, people, and topics. Others are set in Europe or other regions of the globe, while some of the tales are set in the United States. As diverse are the characters, who include both amateur and professional sleuths as well as commoners and aristocrats. Murder, theft, espionage, and other types of criminal activities are among the topics covered in the tales. The writing styles of the tales range from the traditional whodunit to the more contemporary thriller. Both well-known writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Agatha Christie as well as less well-known authors have stories in the book. Hawthorne begins each tale with an introduction, giving some background on the writer and the story. In general, the anthology is a must-read for lovers of mystery and detective fiction since it provides a window into the diverse variety of tales and literary techniques that have helped this genre become so well-liked throughout time.