Francisco González ‘19 Awarded Distinguished Story in ‘The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021’

The short story “Annulment” by alumnus Francisco González ‘19 was recently named a Distinguished Mystery and Suspense Story in The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021.

Published by HarperCollins under The Best American Series, The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021 is a collection of twenty short stories revealing “boundless suspense in small, quiet moments, offering startling twists in the least likely of places.”

“Annulment” was chosen by series editor Steph Cha—the award-winning author of The Juniper Song Mystery Series and Your House Will Pay, alongside guest editor Alafair Burk, The New York Times bestselling author of 14 crime novels. The short story first appeared in the summer 2020 issue of The Southern Review.

The Best American series, which includes The Best American Short Stories, The Best American Food Writing, and The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, among others, is an annual showcase of the finest short fiction and nonfiction across the country. Series editors for each volume select notable works from hundreds of magazines, journals, and websites. The guest editor, a leading writer from each field, then selects the best pieces for publication.

Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021 came out to positive reviews. According to Booklist, "In this selection of tales exploring crime-sparking marginalization and thwarted desires, guest editor Alafair Burke and debut series editor Steph Cha have created a powerful vehicle for processing 2020’s volatility.”

Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021 is now available for purchase.

González lives in East Los Angeles. His work appears or is forthcoming in Arts & Letters, The Southern Review, ZYZZYVA, and elsewhere.