Description:
In Every Day a Little Death, twenty authors-some from the world of crime fiction, some from the world of the theater-use Sondheim's lyrics as the inspiration for twenty tales of malfeasance, misdemeanor...and murder.
Brief description: Josh Pachter is the author of more than 130 short stories. In 2023, his first novel-Dutch Threat-was a finalist for the Agatha, Macavity, and Lefty awards. Three of the seven previous volumes in his "inspired by" series were Anthony finalists. He was the 2020 recipient of the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement.
Review Quotes:
"Stephen Sondheim loved puzzles and mysteries, and no doubt he would be pleased how his songs provide a jumping off point for twenty short stories of murder and espionage-sometimes dramatic, sometimes humorous-and inventively take readers to places his original works never imagined." (Wm F. Hirschman, editor of floridatheateronstage.com and member of the Executive Committee of the American Theatre Critics Association)
"This outstanding collection honors the legacy of the great Stephen Sondheim while richly exploring a new side of his themes. Sondheim fans should flock to these entertaining short stories that meld mysteries with Sondheim's music." (Oline H. Cogdill, mystery-fiction critic)
"What a delightfully macabre idea to pay tribute to Stephen Sondheim with a collection of crime fiction inspired by his many works. From a corpse lying at the feet of Gypsy Rose Lee in a Chicago dive bar to the mysterious death of an actor in Sweeney Todd to a dark twist on Sunday in the Park with George, there's plenty here to fascinate readers-and unnerve them, too. Attend these tales!" (Richard Schoch, author of How Sondheim Can Change Your Life)