I haven't actually read it yet.
But. I picked up a book at the library that I've had my eyes on. It's a story collection titled Murder by Magic, which I got primarily because it has a Lackey short story about characters a setting I recently became reaqainted with. (The stories didn't impress me when I first read them, but they've gradually grown on me, so I thought I'd give the new one a try. They're very much bird lover stories - and this one even more so - but that's not so bad.)
What I like about this collection is the concept - mystery stories in fantasy (be it high, historical, or urban) settings. Mystery novels were my first love, and though fantasy writers do not always write proper mysteries, sometimes they do. And then there's always the chance of stumbling upon an author whose work I might like.
I don't know if I'll make it through all twenty stories before I have to return the book, since I tend to read collections bit by bit, but if I like what I get to I'll probably buy it when it's out in paperback. A girl can never have too many short story collections, which are just the thing when you need something to read and don't want to commit to a full-length novel.
Genre fiction is a funny thing, and many of my favorites cross boundaries. (Which has occassionally led me places I never intended to go - Barbara Michaels historical thriller romances, for example - but even that is educational!)
