Monday, December 23, 2024
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning (2021) by P.J. Fitzsimmons
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning (2021) ...: P.J. Fitzsimmons is a ghostwriter for mainstream genres who " dreams of an alternative reality in which P.G. Wodehouse wrote locked roo...
SleuthSayers: Writing Advice from 1908, Part 2
SleuthSayers: Writing Advice from 1908, Part 2: Last Wednesday I offered you some words of wisdom from Writing the Short-Story by J. Berg Esenwein. Published in 1908, it was one of the f...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Mom Meets Her Maker: James Yaffe
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Mom Meets Her Maker: James Yaffe: I read My Mother, the Detective , a collection of the Dave and Mom stories by James Yaffe in 2019. The stories were first published in the...
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Fields Where They Lay by Timothy Hallinan
Timothy
Hallinan has given the mystery reading world three distinctly different and
very good series. The first is about Simeon Grist, a private investigator in
Los Angeles, the second is set in Bangkok where Hallinan lives part time, and
the third returns to Los Angeles, home of Junior Bender, a professional thief
and occasional private investigator.
Fields Where
They Lay
(Soho, 2016), Junior’s sixth adventure, finds him in thrall to a member of the
Los Angeles underworld, as he is so often. A Russian mobster with the unlikely
name of Tip Poindexter is the sole owner of a rundown shopping mall in suburban
Los Angeles. He decides it takes a thief to catch a thief so he strongarms
Junior into determining who is responsible for the rampant shoplifting in his
mall. The monthly loss reports are staggering but the store owners have not identified
a single bandit or a group of thieves.
When Junior
discusses security measures with each shop owner, he learns that most of them
do not expect to stay open after the holiday rush. Several storefronts are
already vacant and Junior is struck by how worn the facility appears, despite
the throng of shoppers intent on spending their money. Among the vacancies is
the only major department store that closed at the end of the previous holiday
season. The loss of the anchor tenant pushed the mall even closer to the brink
of failure.
While Junior
is looking for mall exits that are not under surveillance of the security
cameras, which is how he assumes the loot is leaving, he examines the dark
upper floors of the shuttered department store and stumbles on the body of one
of the shop owners. He has no alternative but to call the police, the last
thing Poindexter or Junior wants. In no time Junior’s assignment expands to
finding the killer.
The fading of
the shopping mall phenomenon is captured perfectly here, as is the hollow
desperation of the holiday commercial frenzy. The operational side of a mall is
explored, similar to Silvermeadow by Barry Maitland (Orion Publishing, 2000),
the reader is taken behind the scenes to regions not usually thought of by bargain
hunters. Junior’s cynicism is always front and center but never quite
overwhelms his essential humanity, which is the nicest thing about him. Junior’s
ex-wife and only child occupy a lot of his focus in every book; this time
Junior has also acquired a girlfriend. It’s easy to forget about the mystery
while Junior’s personal life and his trenchant observations about the season’s
consumerism are so entertaining but Junior gets to the bottom of both the
murder and the shoplifting in a thoroughly unexpected manner.
Starred
reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, and Library
Journal. A Kirkus Best Book of 2016 and a Publishers
Weekly Best Book of 2016.
·
Publisher: Soho Crime; First Edition
(October 25, 2016)
·
Language: English
·
Hardcover: 384 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1616957468
·
ISBN-13: 978-1616957469
Amazon
Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4gnc09X
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Mystery Fanfare: CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES: Short Story Anthologies and Novellas
Mystery Fanfare: CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES: Short Story Anthologies and N...: Here's my list of Christmas Mystery Short Story Anthologies and Novellas . There may be some overlaps from my other lists, as well...
Little Big Crimes: Eight Very Bad Nights, by Tod Goldberg
Little Big Crimes: Eight Very Bad Nights, by Tod Goldberg: " Eight Very Bad Nights, by Tod Goldberg , in E ight Very Bad Nights: A Collection of Hanukkah Noir, edited by Tod Goldberg, Soho Cr...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Ho-Ho-Homicide: "A Murder in Christmas Village" (2015) by Alex Colwell
Beneath the Stains of Time: Ho-Ho-Homicide: "A Murder in Christmas Village" (2...: I first read about Alex Colwell's short story, "A Murder in Christmas Village" (2015), on a now long since deleted website, ...
Sample Sunday: Excerpt: First Contact in Santa Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium
Normally, I would have been on top of
this, but I’m not doing too well. Earlier this month, the anthology, Santa
Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium. Edited by Jay Hartman, published by White
City Press, it includes my short story, First Contact. It is available at the publisher in
both digital and paperback versions and at other platforms.
First
Contact
It was 2 A.M. and the blood was still warm because the old AC in the Waffle House was barely working. It had been 112 just hours ago for the official high at the big airport and it was still 97 there this hour. My little part of NE Dallas always ran hotter year-round than DFW Airport, so I was pretty sure we might still be over 100. Summer in Texas, record heat and drought, sucks, and it was doing nothing to help my ever-present insomnia.
I’d always had it. But, after the kids moved out, and then
a few months later my wife passed, it got way worse. I didn’t want pills as
they did not work and made things worse. Years earlier, I had an intense love
affair with alcohol and it had helped some, but it also damn near destroyed my
marriage. I was not a happy drunk. An ultimatum was laid down and thank god I
had the good sense to stop. I also had the good sense that without her, if I
started drinking again, I might never to stop.
So, on the nights it was really bad when I could not
sleep and felt like I was coming out of my own skin, I got in my car and drove
around a little while before going to the nearby Waffle House. I’d hang out
awhile, eat, and surf on the iPad or bring a print book. This was one of those
bad nights. I was a semi regular late-night denizen so my presence did not stir
up the regulars or the two employees. Being the middle of the week meant it was
also far safer than the Friday and Saturday night crowd, dominated by drunks,
and folks who want to fight for no reason at all.
Jesse was on the grill, as usual, and had brought me a
burger with everything on it and fries earlier which has vanished pretty fast.
He was back trying to pick up Shelly, despite the fact that I was pretty sure
she played for the other team. It wasn’t ever going to happen. He was in the
friend zone and would never get out.
The two regulars finished their meals and headed out
into the night. A DPD car rolled through the nearby intersection with its
flashers going and then they went dark. Anything to not stop for the red light
that went far longer than it should. A typical Texas summertime night.
I shifted a little more in my usual back booth as the paltry
AC wheezed above me spewing what it could to ease the temp downwards. I’d had
enough of social media and got off in order to read the latest Terry Shames
book. Texas author Bill Crider had Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Shames had Sheriff
Samuel Craddock. Both had gotten me through many a dark period. Craddock was
out talking a case over with his cows. As usual, they seemed far more
interested in eating than helping. It came to mind that maybe I needed some
cows to talk to when things were working me over. I doubted that my northeast
Dallas neighbors would be too happy with that idea.
As I always did, I was sitting facing the door when he
walked into the place. Dressed all in black, the man had black sunglasses on
over his eyes too. Dressed in a black t-shirt, black pants, and black boots was
one thing, but the accompanying black jacket seemed totally ridiculous in this
heat. I could barely stand the heat and humidity and I was in a t-shirt and
jeans.
Not that I had much time to think about any of it as
this guy, who looked like something out of Hollywood casting for a tough guy in
a direct to digital release movie, came straight at me. At a little after 2
A.M. in the morning, with the searing drought in full effect and that had meant
70 something plus days in a row with no rain at all, he looked like he was here
to rob the place.
Or kill me.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3ZEZjzV
Kevin R. Tipple ©2024
Multiple term past President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, Kevin R. Tipple reviews books and short stories, watches way too much television, and offers unsolicited opinions on anything. His short fiction has appeared in magazines such as Lynx Eye, Starblade, Show and Tell, and The Writer’s Post Journal, among others. Mystery Weekly Magazine published his story, The Damn Rodents Are Everywhere, in May of 2021 and soon had to change their name to Mystery Magazine. His short story, The Beetle’s Last Fifty Grand, appears in the 2022 anthology, Back Road Bobby and His Friends, and everyone involved seems to have survived the experience unscathed. His short story, Visions of Reality, appears in Crimeucopia-Say It Again. Earlier this year, the Notorious in North Texas: Metroplex Mysteries Volume III anthology was released and includes his short story, Whatever Happened To…? Also released earlier this year is the anthology, Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, which includes his crime fiction short story, The Hospital Boomerang. Fully trained before marriage, Kevin can work all major appliances and, despite a love of nearly all sports, is able to clean up after himself.
Saturday, December 21, 2024
SleuthSayers: Here It Comes, Ready or Not
SleuthSayers: Here It Comes, Ready or Not: I have often been asked, over the years, for advice on how to submit short stories to publications--mostly magazines. I don't know how...
KRL Update 12/21/2024
Since KRL will be taking a vacation and not posting a new issue next weekend, up this weekend we have our end of December Mystery Catchup with reviews and giveaways of "A Slay Ride Together With You" Year-Round Christmas Mystery Series by Vicki Delany, "All’s Fair in Love and Treachery" by Celeste Connally, "The Night Woods" by Paula Munier, and "Murder on the Page" by Daryl Wood Gerber https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/end-of-december-mystery-catchup/
And a review and giveaway of "Ghosts of Waikiki" by Jennifer K. Morita along with an interesting interview with Jennifer https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/ghosts-of-waikiki-by-jennifer-k-morita/
And a review and giveaway of "Silent Are the Dead" by D.M. Rowell https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/silent-are-the-dead-by-d-m-rowell/
We also have the latest Queer Mystery Coming Attractions from Matt Lubbers-Moore, and this month also includes a short interview with author Rob Osler https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/queer-mystery-coming-attractions-january-2025/
And reviews of the 3rd season of "Whitstable Pearl" and "The Chelsea Detective Christmas Special" both on Acorn TV https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/whitstable-pearl-season-3-the-chelsea-detective-christmas-special-on-acorntv/
For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, you can find the player here for the latest episode which features the Christmas short story "Some Things Don't Change at Christmas" written by KM Rockwood and read by local actor Parker Forrest Lewis https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/new-mysteryrats-maze-podcast-featuring-some-things-dont-change-at-christmas/
We also have another local true crime story by Sarah Peterson-Camacho https://kingsriverlife.com/12/21/the-shellshock-murders-from-wwii-hero-to-unlikely-serial-killer-part-1/
And up during the week we posted a mystery short story by Richie Narvaez https://kingsriverlife.com/12/18/internal-monologue-of-a-creative-writing-professor-mystery-short-story/
And another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Linda Kay Hardie about the anthology "The Perp Wore Pumpkin", which is not only a fun anthology, but purchasing this book can also help people in need https://kingsriverlife.com/12/18/in-pumpkin-pie-season-spice-up-your-dessert-recipe-with-chiles-seriously/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week, we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Killer Under Contract" by Catherine Bruns https://www.krlnews.com/2024/12/killer-under-contract-by-catherine.html
And a review and giveaway of "Mystery in Marseille" by Nupur Tustin https://www.krlnews.com/2024/12/mystery-in-marseille-bite-sized-art.html
And a review and giveaway of "The Arizona Triangle" by Sydney Graves https://www.krlnews.com/2024/12/the-arizona-triangle-by-sydney-graves.html
Happy Holidays!
Lorie
Scott's Take: Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight by Jeff Parker Illustrator Michele Bandini
Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight
by Jeff Parker, illustrated by Michele Bandini, is a very fast read that I did
through the DC Infinite app. It has Batman, Santa, Superman, Zatanna, Green
Arrow, Robin and more facing off against Nordic vampires during the holiday
season.
This is a fast paced four issue read designed to be
fun and light hearted. Full of cameos by various heroes, the action moves fast.
The art is pleasant and works for this story.
There is a sequel which is still in the process of
coming out this holiday season called Batman- Santa Claus: Silent Knight
Returns by Jeff Parker and a new artist Lukas Ketner which features
Robin teaming up with Santa to rescue their fellow heroes from a new villain.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3DjQmEY
Scott A. Tipple ©2024
Friday, December 20, 2024
Mystery Fanfare: WINTER SOLSTICE CRIME FICTION // WINTER SOLSTICE MYSTERIES
Mystery Fanfare: WINTER SOLSTICE CRIME FICTION // WINTER SOLSTICE M...: I love the Winter Solstice. I love light, so I'm glad the days will now begin to lengthen. I put together a huge list of Christ...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Cave of Bones: A Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito Novel by Anne Hillerman
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Cave of Bones: A Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito No...: Reviewed by Jeanne Officer Bernadette Manuelito does not like public speaking. She’d much prefer working a case, but this time she’s...
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: HELLBOY: THE LOST ARMY
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: HELLBOY: THE LOST ARMY: Hellboy: The Lost Army by Christopher Golden (1997) Ah, Hellboiy, one of the great comic book heroes of the end of the 20th century, and...
FFB Review: Faithless in Death: In Death Series by J.D. Robb
The paperwork after the events in Shadows in
Death is incredible and never ending in Faithless in Death
by J.D. Robb. It is the spring of 2061 and Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD came
in early to work the numbers. Minutes after she has finished and submitted the
reams of paperwork accounting for everything, she is contacted by dispatch
regarding a possible homicide.
When her and her partner, Detective Delia Peabody,
arrive on scene, it does not take long for the pair to determine that there it
is most definitely a homicide.
Ariel Byrd, an artist who sculpted, is very much dead.
The back of her head is caved in. Probably by way of the mallet of some sort, on
the floor next to her, with visible blood and gray matter on it. She died in
her studio in the West Village.
What is weird is that the 911 call reporting the scene
came from a home in the Upper East Side. Gwendolyne Huffman, known to many as
Felicity, called it in. She has an explanation for how and why she knew that
Bryd was dead. But, is her story believable?
What follows is a complicated case that uncovers a
horrific situation regarding a cult, sex trafficking, and a lot more. While the
year is 2061, a lot of what is going on in this read published a few years ago
very much resonates in the here and now of 2024.
While the usual caveats apply regarding the character head hopping, that soon falls away as the police procedural read grabs and does not let go. Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb is another entertaining and good read. Make sure you read Lesa Holstine's review.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3VXINcF
My Large Print hardback came from the Vickery Park
Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Jungle Red Writers: Matching Pipe to Psychopath
Jungle Red Writers: Matching Pipe to Psychopath: HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: One of my favorite things in the world to say is: Reds and readers, here is Tracy Clark ! Tracy, as you well know, is a...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: We Have Always Lived in the Castle: Shirley Jackson
Bitter Tea and Mystery: We Have Always Lived in the Castle: Shirley Jackson: This is the first paragraph of We Have Always Lived in the Castle . It establishes the narrator and tells us a good bit about her. “My na...
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
SleuthSayers: Writing Advice From 1908
SleuthSayers: Writing Advice From 1908: A few months ago John Floyd asked if I would be interested in a very old book about creative writing. Mary Lou Condike had found it and...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Alias Simon Hawkes (2002) by Philip J. Carraher
Beneath the Stains of Time: Alias Simon Hawkes (2002) by Philip J. Carraher: I generally prefer homages, parodies and spoofs over outright pastiches, because pastiches seldom measure up to the original and rarely add ...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Five Tuesdays in Winter by ...: Lily King is a new author for me. She has written several novels, but she came to my attention when I read about her short story book, Five ...
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: ATTACK OF THE BANDITO HORDE
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: ATTACK OF THE BANDITO HORDE: "Attack of the Bandito Horde" by "Romer Zane Grey" (house name used this time by Bill Pronzini & Jeffrey N. Wallman;...
Short Story Wednesday: Tooth and Claw: A Longmire Story by Craig Johnson
Tooth and Claw: A Longmire Story by Craig
Johnson takes readers to late December 1970 and the North Slope of Alaska. Long
before Walt Longmire became Sheriff in Wyoming, he was head of security at an
oil rig. Henry Standing Bear has come up from the lower 48 to see him and finds
Walt drinking heavily and isolating himself. Vietnam took a toll and Walt is
coping by drinking and staying away from the woman he loves, Martha.
The isolation and the cold makes some
people snap. The latest causality of a breakdown was George Frazier. Frazier
works for Walt and was supposed to be on the security detail for a U.S. Geological
Survey team doing core testing out on the ice the next day. The day before the
Winter Solstice and it will have just 3 hours and 42 minutes of daylight.
With Fraizer out, that means Walt
Longmire has to go on what should be a relatively easy run. Relatively easy for
the artic weather conditions. Henry Standing Bear tags along as he had been
complaining about not doing anything, but playing chess in Longmire’s cramped
quarters. Good thing he goes too because what should have been a relatively
easy same day excursion turns into fight for survival against a massive polar
bear that, seemingly, can’t be killed. Throw in a ghost ship, bad weather, and
members of the excursion party being killed left and right, and the result is
one heck of a pulp adventure read.
Tooth and Claw: A Longmire Story by Craig
Johnson is one heck of a good read. A fast-moving novella, it comes down to the
most primitive battle there is --- man vs nature. The getting there is very
much well worth it.
Make sure you read Scott Montgomery’s far more detailed review here at his The Hard Word site as well as the author’s recent appearance at The Poisoned Pen and shared by Lesa Holstine here.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/41xy5Oo
While I had hoped to read this months ago via NetGalley, the publisher, Penguin Group Viking, denied me as they often do, so I had to wait for Dallas Public Library to get it. They finally did. My reading copy was a digital one through the Libby/OverDrive app and read in one day.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2024
Monday, December 16, 2024
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Shock and Paw by Cate Conte
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Shock and Paw by Cate Conte: Shock and Paw by Cate Conte Reviewed by Jeanne It’s Christmas time on Daybreak Island, Massachusetts, and things are getting festive...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Memory Reboot: Case Closed, vol. 92 by Gosho Aoyama
Beneath the Stains of Time: Memory Reboot: Case Closed, vol. 92 by Gosho Aoyama: The 92nd volume of Gosho Aoyama 's Case Closed series customarily begins with the conclusion to the story that closed out the previous ...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Books Read in November 2024
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Books Read in November 2024: November was a very good reading month; I enjoyed reading all the books. I finished an excellent nonfiction history book that I had starte...
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Dangerous Women by Mark de Castrique
Mystery writer
Mark de Castrique is a veteran of the broadcast and film production business.
In Washington DC, he directed news and public affairs programs and received an
Emmy Award for his documentary film work.
He’s written a
number of thrillers and mysteries including the Blackman Agency Investigations
series, the Buryin’ Barry series, and some stand-alone novels. In Secret
Lives (Poisoned Pen Press, 2022) he introduced Ethel Fiona Crestwater,
a seventy-five-year-old retired FBI agent who now rents rooms in her Arlington,
Virginia, house to FBI and Secret Service agents, and Crestwater’s double first
cousin twice removed Jesse.
Crestwater
returns in Dangerous Women (Poisoned Pen Press, 2023) when one of her boarders
is injured in what appears to be a mugging gone wrong. Her companion is killed
and his backpack with laptop and papers from their office is taken, but a
wallet full of cash remained. Both were law clerks to Supreme Court justices; a
high-visibility case with far-reaching environmental and energy impacts is
under consideration by the jurists. The decision is expected imminently; the
outcome is being watched by Native Americans, ranchers, mineral rights groups, fossil
fuels special interest groups, and dozens of associated factions. It wasn’t
hard to reach the conclusion that someone tried to find out how the decision
might be trending and went too far.
The
attack took place in the District of Columbia but it involved the Supreme
Court, which has its own police force. The question of jurisdiction was being
debated when Crestwater alerted the Director of the FBI, who used to be one of
her roomers, and he decided that the FBI would lead the investigation, since
the crime appeared to affect Federal executives and cross state lines. Crestwater
as usual ignored them all and dove headfirst into the deep political waters
roiling around the investigation.
This
is a dynamic, tightly plotted political thriller. The issues under
consideration are timely and relevant. The combination of Crestwater and her
much younger cousin is positively inspired. He provides enthusiasm and energy,
and she has decades of investigative experience and knowledge of the government
to draw on. Propulsive action and crisp writing raise the caliber of this book
to above the ordinary, as does the insider knowledge on display. Natives to DC
and Arlington will appreciate the references to the streets and the landmarks
of the region. Fans of the Joe DeMarco series by Mike Lawson should definitely
take a look at this book. Starred review from Publishers Weekly.
The third book in the series is scheduled for
release in fall 2025.
·
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (October
24, 2023)
·
Language: English
·
Paperback: 320 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1728258332
·
ISBN-13: 978-1728258331
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3VAveQX
Aubrey Nye
Hamilton ©2024
Aubrey
Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and
reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Little Big Crimes: Johnny Christmas, by Ivy Pochoda
Little Big Crimes: Johnny Christmas, by Ivy Pochoda: "Johnny Christmas," by Ivy Pochoda, in E ight Very Bad Nights: A Collection og Hanukkah Noir, edited by Tod Goldberg, Soho Crime,...
KRL Update 12/14/2024
Up on KRL this week reviews and giveaways of 3 more Christmas mysteries-"Death of a Gingerbread Man" A Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mystery by Lee Hollis, "Murder at a Scottish Christmas" by Traci Hall, and "The Christmas Jigsaw Murders" by Alexandra Benedict https://kingsriverlife.com/12/
And a review and giveaway of another Christmas mystery, "I'll Be Home for Mischief" by Jacqueline Frost https://kingsriverlife.com/12/
We also have a review and giveaway of another holiday mystery, "Sleep in Heavenly Pizza" by Mindy Quigley, together with some fun holiday recipes from Mindy! https://kingsriverlife.com/12/
Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Patricia Crisafulli about her latest book "The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm" https://kingsriverlife.com/12/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of yet another Christmas mystery-"Home for the Homicides" by Rosalie Spielman https://www.krlnews.com/2024/1
And a review and giveaway of "Hot Chocolate and A Festive Fatality" by VictoriaTait https://www.krlnews.com/2024/1
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder" by SA Kazlo https://www.krlnews.com/2024/1
Happy Holidays!
Lorie
Paula Messina Reviews: Silent Nights Editor Martin Edwards
Please welcome Paula Messina back to the blog today...
Silent Nights by Paula Messina
Christmas
is a time of mysteries. Will Aunt Matilda finally stop making that fruit cake
everyone detests? Will Uncle Virgil get through Christmas dinner sober? Will
those pesky reindeer for once land on the roof without causing several thousand
dollars of damage?
Will
anyone suggest an anthology filled with great Christmas short stories?
Silent Nights
satisfactorily answers the last question. Edited by Martin Edwards, this
anthology has fifteen stories from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction set
during the Yuletide. Some of the stories and their authors will be familiar.
Others might ring a bell. Still others are highly unlikely to be familiar.
Nearly
one hundred years after his death, Conan Doyle is still one of the most popular
writers of English literature. “The
Blue Carbuncle,” the story of the Christmas goose that got away, is most likely
familiar to readers. In this case, familiarity does not breed contempt. Holmes
and Watson are as comforting and welcomed as old slippers, tobacco included or
not. The pair’s deep, abiding friendship is just one of the reasons readers
flock back to Holmes and Watson again and again. Crackling good mysteries is
the ultimate one.
Whether
familiar or not, the stories of G.K. Chesterton (“The Flying Stars”), Dorothy L. Sayers (“The Necklace of
Pearls”), and Margery Allingham (“The Case Is Altered”) are pleasant reminders
of why this trio is still widely read.
While
I thoroughly enjoyed the stories by the well-known writers, I found the most
joy in being introduced to those writers who now haunt the denizens of the
forgotten. In his introduction, Edwards says Nights “aims
to introduce a new generation of readers to some of the finest detective story
writers of the past.”
“Parlour Tricks” by Ralph Plummer, as
Edwards notes, “deserves to be rescued from oblivion.” Edwards knows “nothing
of Plummer’s life.” His short story involves hotel guests unable to leave, a
theft, conjuring, and what could qualify as the most creative use of forensics
in the genre.
“Cambric Tea” by Marjorie Bowen might
lead you to reassess your relatives. Maybe they aren’t nearly as bad as you
think. Regardless, think twice before drinking any proffered tea on Christmas
day.
In
Ethel Lina White’s
“Waxworks,” Sonia, an ambitious, young journalist, spends the night locked in
the Waxwork Collection of Oldhampton to determine if two recent nocturnal
deaths were murder. Sonia quickly fears she won’t survive the night.
The
last story, “Beef for
Christmas,” by Leo Bruce stars Sgt. Beef, whom Edwards describes as “an
engaging vulgarian with a passion for playing darts.” I recently discovered
Sgt. Beef when I read Case
for Three Detectives, an hilarious send-up of Golden Age
mysteries. (See my review on Kevin’s
Corner at https://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2024/11/paula-messina-reviews-case-for-three.html.)
Bruce is just one of the writers presented in Silent Nights that I intend to become
more intimately acquainted with.
It’s also enjoyable to learn more about
these writers in Edward’s two-paragraph bios. How did H.C. Bailey (“The Unknown
Murderer”) go from being admired by no less than Agatha Christie to being
forgotten? J. Jefferson Farjeon’s Mystery in White
was a best seller in its day. His offering here, “The Absconded Treasurer” is so obscure that “not even the
British Library possesses a copy.”
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how well known these authors and their short stories are. A good story is always in fashion. A great way to enjoy the season is by reading Silent Nights while sitting by a roaring fire in the comfort of an overstuffed chair with a cup of nutmeg-dusted eggnog.
Amazon
Associate Publishing News: https://amzn.to/3VtxEAS
Paula Messina ©2024
Paula Messina in a Native New Englander. Her writing has
appeared in various publications including Devil’s Snare,
Wolfsbane, Black Cat Weekly, Ovunque Siamo,
and THEMA. Her current project is a
novel set in Boston during 1944.
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