Of all the questions posed to an author or a reader, perhaps the most daunting—and revealing—is "what's your favorite story?"

Master's Choice offers a unique challenge to today's most acclaimed writers. Lawrence Block asked a wide range of authors to select not only their personal best, but also the one story by a fellow luminary that stirred the imagination, stimulated, provoked, and entertained them. Butmost of all, he asked them to name the single story that served as an inspiration in shaping their own unique literary worlds. The result is a rich and diverse collection, a stellar showcase of stories by the best of the best...