Accidents Happen and Other Stories

Praise for Accidents Happen

Unusual Suspects’ 2025 Mysteries to Get Excited About

“It’s a treat to encounter Batacan’s stories — stark reminders of her narrative propulsion and incisive attention to detail . . . [and] capability to turn out a gripping story while touching on Philippine politics and the contradictions of gender equality in the country.”
—Rolling Stone Philippines

“Provocative, uncommon, thought-provoking . . . Take note of author F. H. Batacan who may be on her way to becoming a giant in global crime fiction.”
—BookTrib

“Themes of death, violence, and injustice are woven through these 11 subtle yet thrilling tales from Batacan . . . Impressively, these tales feel both firmly tethered to their Philippines setting and universal in their portrayal of how violence haunts people’s lives. This excellent and elliptical collection will stay with readers long after they turn the final page.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“All manner of crimes determine the superbly satisfying stories in Filipino journalist F.H. Batacan’s magnificent story collection.”
—Shelf Awareness


Praise for F.H. Batacan

Winner of the Philippine National Book Award
Winner of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award
Winner of the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award

“A perfect opportunity for whodunit fans around the world to discover Manila as a setting, but also one for Filipino readers to see the city in a different half-light . . . Smaller and Smaller Circles is now not only the first Filipino crime novel, but also the terrific, treacherous touchstone for all such novels to follow.”
—Inquirer

“Reminds us that truth not only exists at the end of a story, but continuously through the present moment, woven as traces, hints and clues to be grasped at even as they pass.”
—The Spectator (UK)

“A fascinating snapshot of a country still struggling to come to terms with the poverty, corruption and brutality of the Ferdinand Marcos era.”
—The Irish Times