About Us
In 2003 Susan Oleksiw, Kate Flora, and Skye Alexander introduced Level Best Books with the publication of Undertow: Crime Stories by New England Writers. This group was later joined by Ruth McCarty. After seven anthologies, LBB was taken up by another group of editors: Mark Ammons, Kat Fast, Barbara Ross, and Leslie Wheeler. They later passed the baton to Verena Rose, Harriet Sackler, and Shawn Reilly Simmons. When the third group of editors turned their focus to novel-length fiction, several of us mourned the loss of an anthology dedicated to New England writers.
In 2021 Susan Oleksiw, Ang Pompano, and Leslie Wheeler created Crime Spell Books. As editors, writers, and readers, their special regard and affection for short fiction led to their decision to revive the original intent and publish an annual anthology of the best New England crime stories. The decision was met with gratifying support and enthusiasm, and they were delighted with the number of stories flowing in from all across our region. Thus, Bloodroot was born. At the end of 2021, Ang Pompano turned his attention to other work, including his novels. Christine Bagley joined us for our second and third years, and moved on to pursue other work.
In spring 2024, we were delighted to announce that Ang Pompano has rejoined the editorial team at Crime Spell Books. In 2025 we are delighted to announce that Christine Bagley has rejoined the team.
We are proud to announce that the fifth anthology of Best New England Crime Stories 2025, Snakeberry, will be published in November 2025.
Meet The Team
Christine Bagley
Co-publisher/Co-editor
Christine Bagley is the author of The Madness of Ida Mae and other stories of love, murder, & misfits, a short story collection published in 2024, by Level Best Books. Her work appears in both mystery anthologies and literary journals. A fiction contributor to the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, she also attended The Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill writing workshop. With a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Lesley University, she taught writing and presentation skills to Harvard Medical School foreign national scientists and physicians for nine years. Her publication credits include: Briar Cliff Review, Bryant Literary Review, Untoward Magazine, Fiction on the Web in the UK, and numerous stories in Best New England Crime Stories. She is a co-editor and co-publisher of Crime Spell Books, and was a finalist for the Al Blanchard Award for Short Crime Fiction. Her memberships include: Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime New England, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society. A voracious reader, she enjoys writing reviews on novels that impress her, and swims in any beach she can find. As an avid tennis fan, her and her husband attend national and international tennis tournaments throughout the year. She lives in Andover, MA, and writes with the birds outside her window.
Susan Oleksiw
Co-publisher/Co-editor
Susan Oleksiw writes two series. The Anita Ray series, set in South India with an Indian-American photographer, and the Mellingham series set in a New England town features Chief of Police Joe Silva. A stand-alone, Below the Tree Line, follows Felicity O'Brien, farmer and healer. Susan’s short fiction has appeared in AHMM and numerous anthologies. She published A Reader's Guide to the Classic British Mystery (1988) and co-edited The Oxford Companion to Crime and Mystery Writing (1999). She was a co-founder of Level Best Books, and is a co-founder and editor of Crime Spell Books.
Ang Pompano
Co-publisher/Co-editor
Leslie Wheeler
Co-publisher/Co-editor
Ang Pompano’s stories have been featured in numerous anthologies, including the Anthony Award-winning Mystery Most Edible. His novel, When It's Time for Leaving, was nominated for an Agatha Best First Novel Award. His second book, Diet of Death, was well received. His latest work, Blood Ties and Deadly Lies, is set in the Thimble Islands of Connecticut.
He has been on the planning committee of the New England Crime Bake writing conference for eighteen years. He served as a longstanding board member of Sisters in Crime New England and now serves on the board of the Connecticut chapter.
He lives in Connecticut with his wife and their two rescue dogs.
Leslie Wheeler is the award-winning author of the Berkshire Hilltown Mysteries (Rattlesnake Hill and Shuntoll Road), from Encircle) and the Miranda Lewis Living History Mysteries (Murder at Plimoth Plantation, Murder at Gettysburg, and Murder at Spouters Point). Her mystery short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies including The Best New England Crime Stories anthologies published by Level Best Books, where she was a co-editor for six years. She is delighted to return as a co-editor at Crime Spell Books, which now publishes these anthologies. Leslie is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and a founding member of the New England Crime Bake. She divides her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Berkshires, where she writes in a house overlooking a pond.