This is a collection of Sci-Fi crimes: beyond the average who-done-it, and nothing like Asimov’s crime stories.
“Nothing Personal”—children are dying and somewhere in there the detective bears some responsibility; and she’s afraid to understand what, much less why. And yet is still one of the better stories for what isn’t said.
“A Locked-Planet Mystery”—a ‘closed room’ crime, this one comes the closest to being “standard” crime. But I still can’t understand the ‘why’ of the crime: the author didn’t even bother with a motive for the murder!
“Hoxbomb”—potential galactic mutually-assured-destruction causes members of two interstellar civilizations to try to tolerate each other, despite their mutual hatred, and solve a genetic crime. Like the prior story, very simplistic…and again, no motive.
“The End of the World”—this one has more depth of character. Taking place on two time lines, it describes xenophobia, love and loss; it also is one of the good stories.
“Dark Heaven”—a crime that’s given tacit government permission…and suppression. My one complaint against Gregory Benford is that, whatever he writes, he must include some cosmic spiritual element…even if it’s not needed.
“Womb of Every World”—starts off as a sword-and-sorcery thriller and ends on a larger scale; kind of like Benford, but not so spiritual, and pulls it off. ( )