Four Fingers Four-Minute Mysteries

Here are another 14 short murder mysteries, each solved in four minutes or less by a laidback Key West sleuth, an ex-NYPD homicide detective named Wharton "Four Fingers" Dalessandro. In between barhopping, playing chess, and occasional housepainting jobs, he never fails to solve the crime and nail the bad guy (or gal). One finger missing on his right hand doesn’t get in the way of this leftie Sherlock Holmes. "Clever mysteries that can be solved by astute readers in just a few minutes each … or sit back and enjoy this Key West detective’s astounding deductions,” says Hollis George, noted editorial director and anthologist.

Shirrel Rhoades is a writer, critic, filmmaker, former college professor, art collector, and publishing consultant. These days, he calls Key West home. He and his wife share their historic classic temple revival style house in Old Town with a number of dogs and cats and even a pretty TV anchorwoman. But that's another story.