The best American mystery stories, 2003

Jukebox king / Doug Allyn

Aardvark to Aztec / Christopher Chambers

The pickpocket / Christopher Cook

After you've gone / John Peyton Cooke

Hostages / James Crumley

Death on denial / O'Neil De Noux

The jeweler / Pete Dexter

Thugs: signification and the (de) construction of self / Tyler Dilts

War can be murder / Mike Doogan

Richard's children / Brendan DuBois

When the women come out to dance / Elmore Leonard

The confession / Robert McKee

Lavender / Walter Mosley

The skull / Joyce Carol Oates

The dead their eyes implore us / George P. Pelecanos

Sockdolager / Scott Phillips

The adventure of the agitated actress / Daniel Stashower

Home sweet home / Hannah Tinti

Controlled burn / Scott Wolven

That one autumn / Monica Wood.