The Silver Waves of Summer, edited by David M. Olsen, Kelp Books 2021 short story anthology, mystery
The stories here are all set on or near the beach, as the title suggests. All but one is set in the late 1960s or the 1970s, and, since I grew up in southern California, I was able to recognize many places, named highways and so on, which added to the reading experience.
I bought this 99⊄ ebook on a whim. Of the eleven stories I’d rate nine fair and two stinkers.
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- “In the Bank” by Antoine Wilson
- “Off the 405” by Naomi Hirahara
- “Summer of ’86” by Todd Goldberg
- “Mody’s Dock” by Steve Winn
- “The Naked and the Dead” by Charles Ardai
- “The Five Thieves of Bombay Beach” by Rob Roberge
- “Lighthouse Seen for Miles” by Michael Scott Moore
- “The Crossing” by Oliver Brennan
- “Bad Moon Rising” by David Olson
- “Sundays are for Robberies” by Samantha Tkac (particularly brutal)
- “Wasteland” by Alex Webb Wilson
Tip the Wink 
I like that most of these are set in the late 1960s or the 1970s, although in the 60s I was still in Alabama. Still that sounds like a good time setting. Maybe I will give this one a try, although you don’t sound overly enthusiastic about it.
I started A Siege of Bitterns by Steve Burrows last night and I am enjoying it, although I am only a few chapters in so far.
You’re right, not that great. I posted on it because it is Wednesday and I had nothing else.
I like the cover!!
I wonder how much the tv series ANIMAL KINGDOM, even more than the film that spawned it, helped this book come to creation…(a good chunk of the latter seasons of the series are set in the late 1970s/earliest ’80s, and the consistent setting in around the edges of Cali surfing culture).
Like George, I like the cover. It really does look like something you would have seen on a ’60s paperback.
I’ve read some of the authors – Charles Ardai, of course, and Todd Goldberg (brother of the more widely known Lee) and Naomi Hirahara.