Who Killed Father Christmas & Other Seasonal Mysteries

We’re heading into that time of year – yup – the holiday season! For most, it’s a busy time of year – and for book lovers, it can be hard to find time to curl up with a good book. That’s why compilations are perfect reads – short stories make perfect reading during the most harried times of the year.

Who Killed Father Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries, fits the bill: 15 tales by 15 prominent mystery/crime authors from decades gone by. These 15 British Library Crime Classics, have been brought back for us to enjoy.

From the Golden Age of crime writing and beyond, you’ll discover a great variety of authors and their own unique styles – all considered “masters” in their genre. And each of them have a unique holiday themed tale to tell.

Patricia Moyes gives us a Yuletide caper with her short story aptly named: Who Killed Father Christmas? Garnett Radcliffe gives us story that echoes the old TV show “To Tell The Truth.” Four strangers share a train compartment – one of them is not who they appear to be. Will you be able to spot him?

J. Jefferson Farjeon’s Secrets In The Snow puts a young lady in a deadly situation. By ignoring a warning from Scotland Yard, she is hopelessly lost in the frigid snow.

Poisoned holiday food, stolen jewelry – my my – these stories feature a merriment of holiday crime! And no Christmas compilation would be complete without at least a couple ghost stories. Yes, you’ll find them here.

Anthony Gilbert gives us his short story, The Christmas Spirit. An apparition haunting the local pub may give you a bit of a tingle. Glyn Daniel’s Death At Christmas features a lonely man during Christmas missing his deceased wife, with an ending that might make you pause to digest.

Each of these stories begins with a brief bio of the author. The bios are riveted with interesting facts about their lives and their writing. Their tales take us back to simpler times, making these stories more interesting. Detectives and police didn’t have modern technology to help them. No cell phones, street cameras or computers – just their own solid detection skills (and plenty long hours) to crack a case.

Who Killed Father Christmas and Other Seasonal Tales edited by Martin Edwards is a holiday treat. Let John Dickson Carr, Peter Ellis, Will Scott, Michael Innes and all the other authors keep you entertained during those cold winter nights!

A copy of this book book and cover photo were provided by Poisoned Pen/Sourcebooks.