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Who Killed Father Christmas?: And Other Seasonal Mysteries
The murder of Father Christmas in the grotto of London’s busiest toy shop is just one of many Yuletide disasters in this new collection of short stories from the Golden Age of crime writing and beyond. Martin Edwards has curated a special collection with something for every reader of mystery and detective fiction, including classic offerings from masters of the genre such as John Dickson Carr, Michael Gilbert and Ellis Peters alongside gems from the 1980s and 1990s by Patricia Moyes and Catherine Aird.
Presenting fifteen stories of festive fraud, poisoned pies and cold comeuppances, this anthology parcels up a quintessentially perilous classic-crime Christmas – and offers the answer to the question burning like a fire in the Who Killed Father Christmas?
Presenting fifteen stories of festive fraud, poisoned pies and cold comeuppances, this anthology parcels up a quintessentially perilous classic-crime Christmas – and offers the answer to the question burning like a fire in the Who Killed Father Christmas?
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2023
65 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Martin Edwards
357 books839 followersMartin Edwards has been described by Richard Osman as ‘a true master of British crime writing.’ He has published twenty-three novels, which include the eight Lake District Mysteries, one of which was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Prize for best crime novel of the year and four books featuring Rachel Savernake, including the Dagger-nominated Gallows Court and Blackstone Fell, while Gallows Court and Sepulchre Street were shortlisted for the eDunnit award for best crime novel of the year. He is also the author of two multi-award-winning histories of crime fiction, The Life of Crime and The Golden Age of Murder. He has received three Daggers from the Crime Writers’ Association and two Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America and has also been nominated three times for Gold Daggers. In addition to the CWA Diamond Dagger (the highest honour in UK crime writing) he has received four other lifetime achievement awards: for his fiction, short fiction, non-fiction, and scholarship. He is consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics, a former Chair of the CWA, and since 2015 has been President of the Detection Club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 31, 2023
It wisnae me!
The latest in the British Library’s Crime Classics anthologies of vintage short stories, the title gives away that this one has a Christmas theme. Christmas always puts me in the mood for murder somehow, so this is the perfect reading to fit in between wrapping, decorating and food preparation. Or to get lost in and forget that all those things should be being done! There are 15 stories in this one. A couple of them are from a later date than we usually think of for vintage mysteries – I wondered if perhaps the well is finally running dry after years of these collections from the BL and other publishers. However, the later ones fitted in well and it’s nice to see some fresh faces in amongst the series regulars. There’s some humour, occasional touches of spookiness, darker tales, and lots of snow! There were only a couple of stories that I thought were a bit weak, while several got the full five stars from me. So overall this is a solid collection with plenty of highlights that make it an entertaining seasonal read.
Here’s a brief idea of some of the stories I enjoyed most, which will give you some idea of the variety in the collection:
Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon – A coach gets caught in a snowdrift. Our heroine, Janet, is on the way to visit people for Christmas and she knows it’s not far, so she decides to get out and walk. She doesn’t know the way but she’s heard another passenger say he’s heading to the same village, so she follows him. But it’s cold and dark and the snow is deep and still falling, and the man is an unpleasant sort. After being rude to her, he manages to lose her. She takes refuge in a cottage whose only occupant is a strange little man who says he’s the caretaker. But then the caretaker disappears… and then the man from the bus turns up… Lots of suspense in this one and a good plot, and Janet is a very likeable heroine. A true woman in peril but this woman has spirit!
Who Killed Father Christmas? by Patricia Moyes – Our narrator, Mr Borrowdale, is a student who has taken a job over the Christmas holidays working in the toy department in Barnum’s department store. So he’s first on the spot when Santa is discovered in his grotto, murdered! (I swear I have an alibi!) Inspector Armitage is given the investigation, and it transpires that Santa was actually an undercover cop looking into suspected hanky-panky at the store. The plot is quite simple, but it’s a lot of fun, especially the narrator’s rather snobby outlook on his fellow workers, and I do feel murdering Santa in his grotto is the perfect way to start the holiday! Bwahaha!
Death at Christmas by Glyn Daniel – Told by Dilwyn Rees, a don at one of the big universities, Oxford or Cambridge, unspecified. His college has its Christmas dinner, during which a colleague, Peter Dickson, tells Rees of how he feels haunted at Christmastime, because that’s the time of year his wife died. After dinner, Dickson insists on driving home despite the snow that is making the roads treacherous. Next day Rees learns that he is dead. This is more of a spooky ghost story than a traditional mystery, but it does have a crime element to it. Very well written, quite dark and atmospheric – excellent!
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters – The star of the show for me! Our heroine Sara is a primary school teacher and when we meet her she is organising the annual Christmas party for the village children. Every year presents for the children are left under the big open-air tree – no one in the village would ever dream of stealing them. But this year something else is stolen – a precious manuscript, the only item of value owned by the local museum. The Ivo of the title is a young boy that Sara has grown fond of – an orphan, fostered out to an elderly woman in the village. Sara herself is torn between two men – both suitable, both attractive. So with the search for the stolen manuscript which turns into a thrilling chase, a lovely heroine with a romantic dilemma, and an endearing little boy with a sad story (but a happy ending!) – come on! How could you get a better Christmas story than that? Even I felt like singing carols by the time I’d finished it!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
The latest in the British Library’s Crime Classics anthologies of vintage short stories, the title gives away that this one has a Christmas theme. Christmas always puts me in the mood for murder somehow, so this is the perfect reading to fit in between wrapping, decorating and food preparation. Or to get lost in and forget that all those things should be being done! There are 15 stories in this one. A couple of them are from a later date than we usually think of for vintage mysteries – I wondered if perhaps the well is finally running dry after years of these collections from the BL and other publishers. However, the later ones fitted in well and it’s nice to see some fresh faces in amongst the series regulars. There’s some humour, occasional touches of spookiness, darker tales, and lots of snow! There were only a couple of stories that I thought were a bit weak, while several got the full five stars from me. So overall this is a solid collection with plenty of highlights that make it an entertaining seasonal read.
Here’s a brief idea of some of the stories I enjoyed most, which will give you some idea of the variety in the collection:
Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon – A coach gets caught in a snowdrift. Our heroine, Janet, is on the way to visit people for Christmas and she knows it’s not far, so she decides to get out and walk. She doesn’t know the way but she’s heard another passenger say he’s heading to the same village, so she follows him. But it’s cold and dark and the snow is deep and still falling, and the man is an unpleasant sort. After being rude to her, he manages to lose her. She takes refuge in a cottage whose only occupant is a strange little man who says he’s the caretaker. But then the caretaker disappears… and then the man from the bus turns up… Lots of suspense in this one and a good plot, and Janet is a very likeable heroine. A true woman in peril but this woman has spirit!
Who Killed Father Christmas? by Patricia Moyes – Our narrator, Mr Borrowdale, is a student who has taken a job over the Christmas holidays working in the toy department in Barnum’s department store. So he’s first on the spot when Santa is discovered in his grotto, murdered! (I swear I have an alibi!) Inspector Armitage is given the investigation, and it transpires that Santa was actually an undercover cop looking into suspected hanky-panky at the store. The plot is quite simple, but it’s a lot of fun, especially the narrator’s rather snobby outlook on his fellow workers, and I do feel murdering Santa in his grotto is the perfect way to start the holiday! Bwahaha!
Death at Christmas by Glyn Daniel – Told by Dilwyn Rees, a don at one of the big universities, Oxford or Cambridge, unspecified. His college has its Christmas dinner, during which a colleague, Peter Dickson, tells Rees of how he feels haunted at Christmastime, because that’s the time of year his wife died. After dinner, Dickson insists on driving home despite the snow that is making the roads treacherous. Next day Rees learns that he is dead. This is more of a spooky ghost story than a traditional mystery, but it does have a crime element to it. Very well written, quite dark and atmospheric – excellent!
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters – The star of the show for me! Our heroine Sara is a primary school teacher and when we meet her she is organising the annual Christmas party for the village children. Every year presents for the children are left under the big open-air tree – no one in the village would ever dream of stealing them. But this year something else is stolen – a precious manuscript, the only item of value owned by the local museum. The Ivo of the title is a young boy that Sara has grown fond of – an orphan, fostered out to an elderly woman in the village. Sara herself is torn between two men – both suitable, both attractive. So with the search for the stolen manuscript which turns into a thrilling chase, a lovely heroine with a romantic dilemma, and an endearing little boy with a sad story (but a happy ending!) – come on! How could you get a better Christmas story than that? Even I felt like singing carols by the time I’d finished it!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
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January 1, 2024Super fun collection of British mysteries written by various British authors between 1930's-80's.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
December 13, 2023
Overall, this collection was a mixed bag, which is a typical experience for a short story anthology. I found most of the writing to be average, some of it more of a tell, not show, variety. Most of the stories weren't memorable and some were quite simplistic and just not that interesting. That being said, a few stories stood out to me.
On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe - 2 stars
The Christmas Thief by Frank Howel Evans - 3 stars
The Christmas Spirit by Anthony Gilbert - 2.5 stars
Among Those Present Was Santa Claus by Vincent Cornier - 3 stars
Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Catherine Aird - 3.5 stars
Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon - 3.5 stars
Who Killed Father Christmas? by Patricia Moyes - 3 stars
Death at Christmas by Glyn Daniel - 4 stars
Scotland Yard's Christmas by John Dickson Carr - 2.5 stars
The Bird of Dawning by Michael Gilbert - 2.5 stars
The Christmas Train by Will Scott - 2.5 stars
The Grey Monk by Gerald Verner - 3 stars
Who Suspects the Postman? by Michael Innes - 3 stars
Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case by Peter Todd - 2 stars
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters - 4 stars
On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe - 2 stars
The Christmas Thief by Frank Howel Evans - 3 stars
The Christmas Spirit by Anthony Gilbert - 2.5 stars
Among Those Present Was Santa Claus by Vincent Cornier - 3 stars
Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Catherine Aird - 3.5 stars
Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon - 3.5 stars
Who Killed Father Christmas? by Patricia Moyes - 3 stars
Death at Christmas by Glyn Daniel - 4 stars
Scotland Yard's Christmas by John Dickson Carr - 2.5 stars
The Bird of Dawning by Michael Gilbert - 2.5 stars
The Christmas Train by Will Scott - 2.5 stars
The Grey Monk by Gerald Verner - 3 stars
Who Suspects the Postman? by Michael Innes - 3 stars
Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case by Peter Todd - 2 stars
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters - 4 stars
December 29, 2023
Very enjoyable collection of Christmas mysteries, with a variety of authors some who I’ve not read stories by previously. Unlike previous short story collections from BLCC this one is not organized in chronological order and I think that has helped it have a bit more variety from story to story. And the last story “A Present for Ivo” was a wonderful story to end it.
I’m always pleased that there are still some Christmas stories that are from the Golden Age that I have read! And hope that there will be another collection of short stories- or even a novel to come.
I’m always pleased that there are still some Christmas stories that are from the Golden Age that I have read! And hope that there will be another collection of short stories- or even a novel to come.
February 24, 2024
I enjoy reading this series, but it's really obvious how much barrel scraping is going on at this point. I think the editor genuinely enjoys looking for hidden stories, past just wanting new ones people haven't seen before. Although I agree it's interesting, the stories are often clearly low effort stuff even when written by good mystery authors. A good amount of these are pulled from old periodicals and it's understandable they were previously uncollected (or only obscurely so). Several don't really fit the mystery genre - one of the longest, A Present for Ivo, is clearly intended as a tribute to old boy's adventure stories, including a scene very familiar from The 39 Steps, with minimal mystery content. The most interesting one here is Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case, purely for being a 1916 parody of Sherlock Holmes:
Nothing here is actually bad, I had fun reading it, but nothing that really sticks out. Maybe 2 stars is a bit harsh but... it's just hard to recommend it over everything else in the world.
“True! But why tomorrow precisely?”
“Ah, there we go a little deeper, Jotson. I deduce that Christmas occurs tomorrow from a study of the calendar!”
“The calendar!” I exclaimed, in astonishment.
“Exactly!”
“As you know, Sholmes, I have endeavoured to study your methods, in my humbler way, yet I confess that I do not see the connection—”
“Probably not, Jotson. But to the trained, professional mind it presents no difficulties. Christmas, you are aware, falls upon the twenty-fifth day of the month!”
“True!”
“Look at the calendar, Jotson!”
I obeyed.
“It tells you nothing?”
“Nothing!” I confessed.
Sholmes smiled again, a somewhat bored smile.
“My dear fellow, the calendar indicates that today is the twenty-fourth!”
“Quite so. But—”
“And as Christmas falls upon the twenty-fifth, it follows—to an acute mind accustomed to rapid deductions—that tomorrow is Christmas!”
I could only gaze at my amazing friend in silent admiration.
Nothing here is actually bad, I had fun reading it, but nothing that really sticks out. Maybe 2 stars is a bit harsh but... it's just hard to recommend it over everything else in the world.
December 25, 2023
An entirely charming and cozy collection of Christmas crime and mystery stories. Martin Edwards' continued efforts in collecting these are truly impressive.
Favourite stories: "On The Irish Mail" by Garnett Radcliffe, "The Christmas Thief" by Frank Howel Evans, "The Christmas Spirit" by Anthony Gilbert, "Gold, Frankincense, and Murder" by Catherine Aird, "Secrets in the Snow" by J. Jefferson Farjeon, "Who Killed Father Christmas?" by Patricia Moyes, "Death at Christmas" by Glyn Daniel, "The Bird of Dawning" by Michael Gilbert, "The Christmas Train" by Will Scott, and "A Present for Ivo" by Ellis Peters (so nearly all)
Favourite stories: "On The Irish Mail" by Garnett Radcliffe, "The Christmas Thief" by Frank Howel Evans, "The Christmas Spirit" by Anthony Gilbert, "Gold, Frankincense, and Murder" by Catherine Aird, "Secrets in the Snow" by J. Jefferson Farjeon, "Who Killed Father Christmas?" by Patricia Moyes, "Death at Christmas" by Glyn Daniel, "The Bird of Dawning" by Michael Gilbert, "The Christmas Train" by Will Scott, and "A Present for Ivo" by Ellis Peters (so nearly all)
January 1, 2026
Like many short story anthologies, my enjoyment of each individual story was hit or miss. I like how there was a short author bio prior to each story as most were unknown to me at the reading. I absolutely loved the longer closing story which made the entire collection worth the read. As you can imagine, the book is filled with both dead and bad Santas.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
December 11, 2023
A very entertaining collection of Christmas mysteries!
This is my second collection of golden age Christmas mysteries edited by Martin Edwards and it was even more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I found myself wanting to pick it up during the day and looking forward to the next entry.
My favorite stories include:
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters
The Christmas Train by Will Scott
The Christmas Thief by Frank Howel Evans
Who Killed Father Christmas by Patricia Moyes
I love discovering the work of new crime/mystery authors that I've never read before! A brilliant and festive assortment of holiday stories!
Many thanks to the British Library for sending this copy to me for review!
This is my second collection of golden age Christmas mysteries edited by Martin Edwards and it was even more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I found myself wanting to pick it up during the day and looking forward to the next entry.
My favorite stories include:
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters
The Christmas Train by Will Scott
The Christmas Thief by Frank Howel Evans
Who Killed Father Christmas by Patricia Moyes
I love discovering the work of new crime/mystery authors that I've never read before! A brilliant and festive assortment of holiday stories!
Many thanks to the British Library for sending this copy to me for review!
October 22, 2023
Fifteen festively-felonious stories make up this welcome anthology from Martin Edwards and BLCC. The decision to abandon a chronological arrangement of the items works well in this volume which ranges through the twentieth century,from 1911 to 1995,and,thus, unusually , includes the work of a living writer.
This collection is strong in overall quality, (although I did not enjoy the Conan Doyle parody),with some rarities and “finds”, but with few real “crackers”.
In order of appearance:-
On the Irish Mail:Garnett Radcliffe (1931)-Slight, amusing, and highly-unlikely crime on Christmas Eve…and after.
The Christmas Thief:Frank Howel Evans (1911)-A cheery tale of derring-do in which two impoverished young lads track down a criminal gang.
The Christmas Spirit:Anthony Gilbert (1952)-Ghostly crime at a country inn.Quite atmospheric.
Among Those Present was Santa Claus:Vincent Cornier(1952)-Father Christmas turns detective when a “burglary game” gets real. Neat and nicely-written.
Gold, Frankincense and Murder:Catherine Aird (1995)-Set in the late 1930s, a tale of poisoning on Christmas Eve.The solution is too clearly signalled.
Secrets in the Snow:H Jefferson Farjeon(1942)-
Atmospheric and snow-laden tale of a young woman encountering crime on Christmas Eve.
Who Killed Father Christmas?:Patricia Moyes (1980)- The toy department of a large London store is the scene of a murderous plot with a deft twist.
Death at Christmas:Glyn Daniel(1959)- With echoes of the work of M.R.James, an atmospheric and unsettling tale.
Scotland Yard’s Christmas:John Dickson Carr(1959)-Unconvincing , if Christmassy, explanation of the diamond thief’s disappearing act-with an accomplice named Rawson repeating the trick.
The Bird of Dawning:Michael Gilbert(1956)-The cock crowing twice gives Henry Bohun a clue in solving of a case of apparent suicide on Christmas morning.
The Christmas Train:Will Scott(1933)-“The Laughing Crook” and a jewellery robbery on a snowy train journey.
The Grey Monk:Gerald Verner(1934)-Superintendent Budd investigates a murderous Christmas ghost.
Who Suspects the Postman?:Michael Innes (1958)-John Appleby has the solution to a robbery “in the bag”.
Herlock Sholmes’ Christmas Case:Peter Scott(1916)- Inconsequential parody by the author best known for the Billy Bunter series.
A Present for Ivo:Ellis Peters(1958-59)- Heartwarming tale of theft and deception set round a children’s Christmas party.
My favourites are the stories by Evans, Gilbert, Cornier, Daniel and Peters but all are full of Christmas spirit in different ways.
This collection is strong in overall quality, (although I did not enjoy the Conan Doyle parody),with some rarities and “finds”, but with few real “crackers”.
In order of appearance:-
On the Irish Mail:Garnett Radcliffe (1931)-Slight, amusing, and highly-unlikely crime on Christmas Eve…and after.
The Christmas Thief:Frank Howel Evans (1911)-A cheery tale of derring-do in which two impoverished young lads track down a criminal gang.
The Christmas Spirit:Anthony Gilbert (1952)-Ghostly crime at a country inn.Quite atmospheric.
Among Those Present was Santa Claus:Vincent Cornier(1952)-Father Christmas turns detective when a “burglary game” gets real. Neat and nicely-written.
Gold, Frankincense and Murder:Catherine Aird (1995)-Set in the late 1930s, a tale of poisoning on Christmas Eve.The solution is too clearly signalled.
Secrets in the Snow:H Jefferson Farjeon(1942)-
Atmospheric and snow-laden tale of a young woman encountering crime on Christmas Eve.
Who Killed Father Christmas?:Patricia Moyes (1980)- The toy department of a large London store is the scene of a murderous plot with a deft twist.
Death at Christmas:Glyn Daniel(1959)- With echoes of the work of M.R.James, an atmospheric and unsettling tale.
Scotland Yard’s Christmas:John Dickson Carr(1959)-Unconvincing , if Christmassy, explanation of the diamond thief’s disappearing act-with an accomplice named Rawson repeating the trick.
The Bird of Dawning:Michael Gilbert(1956)-The cock crowing twice gives Henry Bohun a clue in solving of a case of apparent suicide on Christmas morning.
The Christmas Train:Will Scott(1933)-“The Laughing Crook” and a jewellery robbery on a snowy train journey.
The Grey Monk:Gerald Verner(1934)-Superintendent Budd investigates a murderous Christmas ghost.
Who Suspects the Postman?:Michael Innes (1958)-John Appleby has the solution to a robbery “in the bag”.
Herlock Sholmes’ Christmas Case:Peter Scott(1916)- Inconsequential parody by the author best known for the Billy Bunter series.
A Present for Ivo:Ellis Peters(1958-59)- Heartwarming tale of theft and deception set round a children’s Christmas party.
My favourites are the stories by Evans, Gilbert, Cornier, Daniel and Peters but all are full of Christmas spirit in different ways.
March 3, 2026
This was a lot of fun; these Christmas collections from the British Library Crime Classics series are always a treat, and series editor Martin Edwards often unearths obscure or little-known titles that are short story gems. The standouts for me were "Death at Christmas" by Welsh writer Glyn Daniel, which had a chilling touch of the supernatural; "The Christmas Train" by Will Scott, an amusing crime caper with a twist; and the final story, from one of my favorite mystery writers, Ellis Peters. "A Present for Ivo," a bibliomystery, features a charming orphan who receives a special book for Christmas, his sweet but resourceful schoolteacher, and two young men who are seemingly vying for her affections. When little Ivo is kidnapped, Sara loses no time in pursuing the perpetrators and figuring out the "why" of this mystery. It was delightful in a way that reminded me of Peters's George Felse series, which features Felse's son Dominic as a frequent protagonist. A delightful collection overall!
December 28, 2023
This was a 5 star collection as the stories were very festive and I really liked that the stories were not in chronological order, as in previous anthologies. I thought the stories seemed to "shine" much better.
My favourite was the title story by Patricia Moyes which led me to seek out her novels. I'm surprised that I have never come across them before and immediately bought the first book in her Henry Tibbett series.
I also liked:-
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters (recently read in another anthology
Secrets in the Snow by J Jefferson Farjeon
The Bird of Dawning by Michael Gilbert
On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe
plus the two ghostly tales by Anthony Gilbert and Glyn Daniel.
My favourite was the title story by Patricia Moyes which led me to seek out her novels. I'm surprised that I have never come across them before and immediately bought the first book in her Henry Tibbett series.
I also liked:-
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters (recently read in another anthology
Secrets in the Snow by J Jefferson Farjeon
The Bird of Dawning by Michael Gilbert
On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe
plus the two ghostly tales by Anthony Gilbert and Glyn Daniel.
December 24, 2025
3.5 ⭐️s rounded up to 4 ⭐️s
A collection of short mysteries set during the holiday season! As typical with short story collections, there were some that I truly enjoyed, while others were just okay. Definitely recommend if you enjoy traditional mysteries!
My favorite stories were:
🎄On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe
🎄Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon
🎄Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters
Thank you partner Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted finished copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
A collection of short mysteries set during the holiday season! As typical with short story collections, there were some that I truly enjoyed, while others were just okay. Definitely recommend if you enjoy traditional mysteries!
My favorite stories were:
🎄On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe
🎄Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon
🎄Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters
Thank you partner Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted finished copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
November 6, 2023
A good seasonal collection of stories
December 28, 2023
Would have been 4 ⭐️ - but I wouldn’t have included the Grey Ghost story. The casual anti semitism was unpleasant and I couldn’t see any literary merit in it being included.
Read
December 7, 2025A fun Christmas season book.
November 9, 2023
I feel a little guilty about only giving this three stars but that is supposed to represent 'I like it' and that is really all I can say. I think this is the fifth in the British Library series of Christmas short story collections and I think the concept is running out of steam. Each story was very easy to read but every one was very short - which sounds self evident but the previous volumes usually had at least a couple of longer stories to break the monotony. A couple of the stories included edged towards the supernatural rather than crime and I had read the majority of them before.
December 26, 2024
Originally started in Dec 2023, dropped after 'Scotland Yard's Christmas', and then continued later.
On the Irish Mail / Garnett Radcliffe, 1931. ⭐⭐ A young man travelling back home for Christmas is accosted by a detective who insists that one of the men in his compartment is a disguised thief.
The Christmas Thief / Frank Howel Evans, 1911. ⭐ A Boys' Own adventure featuring your usual suspicious foreigners, elaborate deathtraps and two plucky lads to save the day.
The Christmas Spirit / Anthony Gilbert, 1952. ⭐⭐ Is this the regular spooky old ghost returning to a spooky old pub, or is there something more sinister to be discovered? Well, yes.
Among Those Present was Santa Claus / Vincent Cornier, 1952. ⭐⭐⭐A retired copper plays Santa Claus at a Christmas party featuring a 'burglary game'. You could argue that's entrapment.
Gold, Frankincense and Murder / Catherine Aird, 1995. ⭐⭐ Food poisoning strikes down a Christmas Eve gathering. Rather too heavily clued.
Secrets in the Snow / J. Jefferson Farjeon, 1942. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A modern young woman hops off a stranded bus to walk, in the snow, to a Christmas party. That's got to be an amazing party. She is unfairly delayed by an escaped convict and a detective in hot pursuit. I appreciated the solemn tone of the ending, since it would have been easy to end it on a jolly festive note.
Who Killed Father Christmas? / Patricia Moyes, 1980. ⭐⭐⭐ The first visitor to Santa's grotto in the toy section of an upmarket department store finds that Santa has been impaled. Well, really! You might as well have gone to Woolworths. Not clued enough to be fair, I didn't think.
Death at Christmas / Glyn Daniel, 1959. ⭐⭐⭐ A ghost story, rather than a mystery.
Scotland Yard’s Christmas / John Dickson Carr, 1959. ⭐ Very weak characterisation and a solution that doesn't hold up to consideration. If it was allegedly impossible for the suspect to disappear from a phone box under observation without anybody realising, how come nobody saw him changing clothes in there? Usually they've got windows.
The Bird of Dawning / Michael Gilbert, 1956. ⭐⭐ A man kills himself at his employer's Christmas party? Fair enough, I've been tempted.
The Christmas Train / Will Scott, 1933. ⭐ A criminal sets out to steal some valuable jewels. Sadly, makes the protagonist look smarter by making every other character an idiot.
The Grey Monk / Gerald Verner, 1934. ⭐ A rich man's butler is shot by an apparent spectre.
Who Suspects the Postman? / Michael Innes, 1958. ⭐ Well, everybody, with that title.
Herlock Sholmes’ Christmas Case / Peter Scott, 1916. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very entertaining parody.
A Present for Ivo / Ellis Peters, 1958. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An adventure tale rather than a mystery, with the requisite Peters romance. (But I don't mind them so much when Peters does it.) A stolen antique book accidentally finds its way into the hands of a small child, and his teacher plunges headlong into danger to rescue him. He's not a very annoying child, either, so that seems reasonable. Some fictional children, you'd just let the robbers have them, wouldn't you?
On the Irish Mail / Garnett Radcliffe, 1931. ⭐⭐ A young man travelling back home for Christmas is accosted by a detective who insists that one of the men in his compartment is a disguised thief.
The Christmas Thief / Frank Howel Evans, 1911. ⭐ A Boys' Own adventure featuring your usual suspicious foreigners, elaborate deathtraps and two plucky lads to save the day.
The Christmas Spirit / Anthony Gilbert, 1952. ⭐⭐ Is this the regular spooky old ghost returning to a spooky old pub, or is there something more sinister to be discovered? Well, yes.
Among Those Present was Santa Claus / Vincent Cornier, 1952. ⭐⭐⭐A retired copper plays Santa Claus at a Christmas party featuring a 'burglary game'. You could argue that's entrapment.
Gold, Frankincense and Murder / Catherine Aird, 1995. ⭐⭐ Food poisoning strikes down a Christmas Eve gathering. Rather too heavily clued.
Secrets in the Snow / J. Jefferson Farjeon, 1942. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A modern young woman hops off a stranded bus to walk, in the snow, to a Christmas party. That's got to be an amazing party. She is unfairly delayed by an escaped convict and a detective in hot pursuit. I appreciated the solemn tone of the ending, since it would have been easy to end it on a jolly festive note.
Who Killed Father Christmas? / Patricia Moyes, 1980. ⭐⭐⭐ The first visitor to Santa's grotto in the toy section of an upmarket department store finds that Santa has been impaled. Well, really! You might as well have gone to Woolworths. Not clued enough to be fair, I didn't think.
Death at Christmas / Glyn Daniel, 1959. ⭐⭐⭐ A ghost story, rather than a mystery.
Scotland Yard’s Christmas / John Dickson Carr, 1959. ⭐ Very weak characterisation and a solution that doesn't hold up to consideration. If it was allegedly impossible for the suspect to disappear from a phone box under observation without anybody realising, how come nobody saw him changing clothes in there? Usually they've got windows.
The Bird of Dawning / Michael Gilbert, 1956. ⭐⭐ A man kills himself at his employer's Christmas party? Fair enough, I've been tempted.
The Christmas Train / Will Scott, 1933. ⭐ A criminal sets out to steal some valuable jewels. Sadly, makes the protagonist look smarter by making every other character an idiot.
The Grey Monk / Gerald Verner, 1934. ⭐ A rich man's butler is shot by an apparent spectre.
Who Suspects the Postman? / Michael Innes, 1958. ⭐ Well, everybody, with that title.
Herlock Sholmes’ Christmas Case / Peter Scott, 1916. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very entertaining parody.
A Present for Ivo / Ellis Peters, 1958. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An adventure tale rather than a mystery, with the requisite Peters romance. (But I don't mind them so much when Peters does it.) A stolen antique book accidentally finds its way into the hands of a small child, and his teacher plunges headlong into danger to rescue him. He's not a very annoying child, either, so that seems reasonable. Some fictional children, you'd just let the robbers have them, wouldn't you?
September 30, 2024
Well, as I write this review at the end of September, the kids have been back at school since the beginning of the month, and the Christmas stuff is already in the shops. So I don't see why I shouldn't read a collection of Christmas murder and mystery stories in September if I want to.
I love short stories, and I love murder mysteries. What's not to like about this collection?
Each story is preceded by some information about the author, their other works, and the circumstances about why the story was written. That's interesting background in itself. I enjoyed learning more about some of the authors I already knew, and the characters they created, and I enjoyed being introduced to other authors I wasn't familiar with, including some who don't normally dabble in the genre.
The story I enjoyed the least was "Scotland Yard's Christmas". You often have to suspend a degree of belief when reading a murder mystery, but in this case, I found the plot rather convoluted, and even more unbelievable than usual. I'm still not sure how the crooks tried to pull off the crime or how they were rumbled, and to be honest, I didn't really care. The notes said that various editors had added explanatory sections to the original text as was first published, so it obviously wan't just me that struggled.
Contrast that with "The Christmas train", by Will Scott, an inter-war writer. I really enjoyed his characterisation of Jeremiah Jones, the "laughing crook". At the first reading, I was slightly confused about what happened (as indeed was Inspector Beecham of Scotland Yard), but I enjoyed the characters and the storytelling, so I simply read it again and paid better attention the second time, an option that wasn't available to poor Inspector Beecham. And indeed, it was very cleverly done, with a chuckle too.
If I had to choose a favourite (which I rarely do when I review short stories), I'd choose "Herlock Sholmes Christmas case". As you'd guess from the title, this is a very clever pastiche of Sherlock Holmes, with his friend Dr Jotson, and living on Shaker Street. In a few short sections, the author, Peter Todd, creates a mystery and unleashes Herlock's deduction powers to solve the mystery, to the amazement of Dr Jotson and to the amusement of myself. Why have I never heard about this amazing alternative detective and his sidekick?
I love short stories, and I love murder mysteries. What's not to like about this collection?
Each story is preceded by some information about the author, their other works, and the circumstances about why the story was written. That's interesting background in itself. I enjoyed learning more about some of the authors I already knew, and the characters they created, and I enjoyed being introduced to other authors I wasn't familiar with, including some who don't normally dabble in the genre.
The story I enjoyed the least was "Scotland Yard's Christmas". You often have to suspend a degree of belief when reading a murder mystery, but in this case, I found the plot rather convoluted, and even more unbelievable than usual. I'm still not sure how the crooks tried to pull off the crime or how they were rumbled, and to be honest, I didn't really care. The notes said that various editors had added explanatory sections to the original text as was first published, so it obviously wan't just me that struggled.
Contrast that with "The Christmas train", by Will Scott, an inter-war writer. I really enjoyed his characterisation of Jeremiah Jones, the "laughing crook". At the first reading, I was slightly confused about what happened (as indeed was Inspector Beecham of Scotland Yard), but I enjoyed the characters and the storytelling, so I simply read it again and paid better attention the second time, an option that wasn't available to poor Inspector Beecham. And indeed, it was very cleverly done, with a chuckle too.
If I had to choose a favourite (which I rarely do when I review short stories), I'd choose "Herlock Sholmes Christmas case". As you'd guess from the title, this is a very clever pastiche of Sherlock Holmes, with his friend Dr Jotson, and living on Shaker Street. In a few short sections, the author, Peter Todd, creates a mystery and unleashes Herlock's deduction powers to solve the mystery, to the amazement of Dr Jotson and to the amusement of myself. Why have I never heard about this amazing alternative detective and his sidekick?
January 9, 2026
It seems like every year at Christmas the British Library’s Crime Classics issues a collection of Christmas-themed short stories, with “Who Killed Father Christmas?” being the latest. As with any collection, this turns out to be a mixed bag, although some of the stories are much more recent and hardly qualify as “Crime Classics”. Maybe the series has gone to the well once too often?
“On the Irish Mail” by Garnett Radcliffe – a predictable con game on a Christmas train trip.
“The Christmas Thief” by Frank Howel Evans – two poor boys do a good turn at Christmas.
“The Christmas Spirit” by Anthony Gilbert – does a ghost story provide an opportunity for robbery?
“Among Those Present Was Santa Claus” by Vincent Cornier – an odd story, not very likable, about a burglary game at Christmas.
“Gold, Frankincense, and Murder” by Catherine Aird – so-so story about a poisoning at a Christmas party.
“Secrets in the Snow” by J. Jefferson Farjeon – mistaken identity and missing persons in a snow storm.
“Who Killed Father Christmas?” by Patricia Moyes – teddy bears and a murdered Santa at a department store.
“Death at Christmas” by Glyn Daniel – another odd story about the death of a wife mourned over the Christmas holiday, with unexpected results
“Scotland Yard's Christmas” by John Dickson Carr – not Carr’s best work, a story about disappearing people and missing diamonds.
“The Bird of Dawning” by Michael Gilbert – was the hanging during a Christmas weekend in the country really a suicide? Pretty good story.
“The Christmas Train” by Will Scott – a gentleman tries to outwit the police and capture the stolen diamonds.
“The Grey Monk” by Gerald Verner – a grey monk haunts the house and kills the butler.
“Who Suspects the Postman?” by Michael Innes – how can a large vase disappear in the middle of a party?
“Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case” by Peter Todd – parity of Sherlock Holmes, quite annoying.
“A Present for Ivo” by Ellis Peters – might be the best story of the bunch, a stolen manuscript gets mixed up with a toy giveaway.
“On the Irish Mail” by Garnett Radcliffe – a predictable con game on a Christmas train trip.
“The Christmas Thief” by Frank Howel Evans – two poor boys do a good turn at Christmas.
“The Christmas Spirit” by Anthony Gilbert – does a ghost story provide an opportunity for robbery?
“Among Those Present Was Santa Claus” by Vincent Cornier – an odd story, not very likable, about a burglary game at Christmas.
“Gold, Frankincense, and Murder” by Catherine Aird – so-so story about a poisoning at a Christmas party.
“Secrets in the Snow” by J. Jefferson Farjeon – mistaken identity and missing persons in a snow storm.
“Who Killed Father Christmas?” by Patricia Moyes – teddy bears and a murdered Santa at a department store.
“Death at Christmas” by Glyn Daniel – another odd story about the death of a wife mourned over the Christmas holiday, with unexpected results
“Scotland Yard's Christmas” by John Dickson Carr – not Carr’s best work, a story about disappearing people and missing diamonds.
“The Bird of Dawning” by Michael Gilbert – was the hanging during a Christmas weekend in the country really a suicide? Pretty good story.
“The Christmas Train” by Will Scott – a gentleman tries to outwit the police and capture the stolen diamonds.
“The Grey Monk” by Gerald Verner – a grey monk haunts the house and kills the butler.
“Who Suspects the Postman?” by Michael Innes – how can a large vase disappear in the middle of a party?
“Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case” by Peter Todd – parity of Sherlock Holmes, quite annoying.
“A Present for Ivo” by Ellis Peters – might be the best story of the bunch, a stolen manuscript gets mixed up with a toy giveaway.
January 3, 2026
Martin Edwards works hard. He has published over twenty-five mystery novels. He has written seven excellent scholarly books on mystery stories. He is president of the Detection Club, a prestigious club of English mystery writers that was established in 1930. He is a prolific editor of story collections. He has published over sixty anthologies of mystery stories.
He is the editor for the British Library Crime Classics. He has produced collections of mystery stories involving sports, book collecting, police, London, foreign countries, theater, the academic world and many more. He picks stories mostly from the first sixty years of the twentieth century and he always has a nice cross section of well-known writers and obscure or forgotten writers. He also introduces each story with a short informative forward. He is a professional.
He has done five collections of Christmas stories. I have been meaning to try them. I have had the first one unread on my shelf for ten years. I saw the new one this year and dived in. Shame on me for waiting. It has fifteen Christmas related stories which were originally published between 1911 and 1995.
I rate stories from one to five. Five is the best. I am a tough grader. I gave this collection 2-5s,3-4s,8-3s and 2-2s. That is pretty good. No complete clinkers. Most of the stories are solid and five are very good or excellent.
The title story, "Who Killed Father Christmas?" by Patricia Moyes is one of the five-star stories. It has a great Christmas setting. It is about a Santa in a department store on the day before Christmas. It has a very clever plot with a great twist. The other five-star is the Michael Innes story, "Who Suspects the Postman". It involves a Chinese Vase stolen at a Christmas party. Innes has a nice light English wit.
A few of the stories are more tales or anecdotes than mysteries and there is a poorly done Sherlock Holmes parody but overall, this is an entertaining seasonal collection.
He is the editor for the British Library Crime Classics. He has produced collections of mystery stories involving sports, book collecting, police, London, foreign countries, theater, the academic world and many more. He picks stories mostly from the first sixty years of the twentieth century and he always has a nice cross section of well-known writers and obscure or forgotten writers. He also introduces each story with a short informative forward. He is a professional.
He has done five collections of Christmas stories. I have been meaning to try them. I have had the first one unread on my shelf for ten years. I saw the new one this year and dived in. Shame on me for waiting. It has fifteen Christmas related stories which were originally published between 1911 and 1995.
I rate stories from one to five. Five is the best. I am a tough grader. I gave this collection 2-5s,3-4s,8-3s and 2-2s. That is pretty good. No complete clinkers. Most of the stories are solid and five are very good or excellent.
The title story, "Who Killed Father Christmas?" by Patricia Moyes is one of the five-star stories. It has a great Christmas setting. It is about a Santa in a department store on the day before Christmas. It has a very clever plot with a great twist. The other five-star is the Michael Innes story, "Who Suspects the Postman". It involves a Chinese Vase stolen at a Christmas party. Innes has a nice light English wit.
A few of the stories are more tales or anecdotes than mysteries and there is a poorly done Sherlock Holmes parody but overall, this is an entertaining seasonal collection.
December 26, 2023
This anthology features 15 short mysteries that all take place around Christmas. This was a fun, quick read for the festive period though I found the second half to be better than the first half. Individual ratings for each story below:
On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe - 3⭐
The Christmas Thief by Frank Howell Evans - 4⭐
The Christmas Spirit by Anthony Gilbert - 4.5⭐
Among Those Present was Santa Claus by Vincent Cornier - 3.5⭐
Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Catherine Aird - 4⭐
Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon - 3.5⭐
Who Killed Father Christmas? By Patricia Moyes - 5⭐
Death at Christmas by Glyn Daniel - 3⭐
Scotland Yard's Christmas by John Dickson Carr - 2⭐
The Bird of Dawning by Michael Gilbert - 3⭐
The Christmas Train by Will Scott - 3.5⭐
The Grey Monk by Gerald Verner - 2⭐
Who Suspects the Postman? By Michael Innes - 2⭐
Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case by Peter Todd - 2⭐
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters - 4⭐
On the Irish Mail by Garnett Radcliffe - 3⭐
The Christmas Thief by Frank Howell Evans - 4⭐
The Christmas Spirit by Anthony Gilbert - 4.5⭐
Among Those Present was Santa Claus by Vincent Cornier - 3.5⭐
Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Catherine Aird - 4⭐
Secrets in the Snow by J. Jefferson Farjeon - 3.5⭐
Who Killed Father Christmas? By Patricia Moyes - 5⭐
Death at Christmas by Glyn Daniel - 3⭐
Scotland Yard's Christmas by John Dickson Carr - 2⭐
The Bird of Dawning by Michael Gilbert - 3⭐
The Christmas Train by Will Scott - 3.5⭐
The Grey Monk by Gerald Verner - 2⭐
Who Suspects the Postman? By Michael Innes - 2⭐
Herlock Sholmes' Christmas Case by Peter Todd - 2⭐
A Present for Ivo by Ellis Peters - 4⭐
January 3, 2024
A festival themed anthology from The British Library Crime Classics series. You have to be sober to write that and very sober to say it.
I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection. Of course, for me, some worked better than others and one, at least, didn't work at all. In my opinion, the best was left to last. The Ellis Peters was really well written and worked extremely well. I really only know Ellis Peters from her Cadfael books, i shall have to find some of her others after reading this story, A Present for Ivo.
So give this a go, you probably won't like all of the stories, as I said I didn't. But it will give you a few more names to look for in the series and elsewhere
I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection. Of course, for me, some worked better than others and one, at least, didn't work at all. In my opinion, the best was left to last. The Ellis Peters was really well written and worked extremely well. I really only know Ellis Peters from her Cadfael books, i shall have to find some of her others after reading this story, A Present for Ivo.
So give this a go, you probably won't like all of the stories, as I said I didn't. But it will give you a few more names to look for in the series and elsewhere
January 4, 2024
This book is a cosy, comfortable blanket that will wrap you up in its charm and quintessential Britishness. A unique collection of short festive crime stories of murder, poisoning, fraud, ghosts and much more written over the last 100 or so years, this book will transport you back in time. I also really enjoyed learning about each author and discovering their work - who knew Agatha Christie wasn’t the first crime writer to name their detective Poirot.
Because of the era some of the stories have been written in, a couple are dated or hard to follow but overall I found them unique and easy to read.
Because of the era some of the stories have been written in, a couple are dated or hard to follow but overall I found them unique and easy to read.
December 27, 2023
Rating 3
An okay collection of short stories for me, none of them really stand out as the best in the collection.
The ‘hit’ rate is certainly lower than in previous titles published by BLCC that I have read.
A number of these were more Christmas ghost/suspense stories and I generally don’t like them as much.
The stories themselves probably range from 2.5 to 3.5 ratings hence the final score.
Enjoyable enough read that passed the time but probably won’t remember any of the stories by the end of January.
An okay collection of short stories for me, none of them really stand out as the best in the collection.
The ‘hit’ rate is certainly lower than in previous titles published by BLCC that I have read.
A number of these were more Christmas ghost/suspense stories and I generally don’t like them as much.
The stories themselves probably range from 2.5 to 3.5 ratings hence the final score.
Enjoyable enough read that passed the time but probably won’t remember any of the stories by the end of January.
December 3, 2025
Another fine collection of crime mysteries from the British Library. All set around Christmas and covering over 70 years of publishing. As with all of these books you get some that aren’t quite for you, while others are an absolute joy. Particularly liked the Irish Mail instalment, and the Sherlock Holmes parody (one of the oldest in the book). Sometimes the criminals are a bit dim, I wonder if this was a particular trait in the early 20th Century. A good one to get my seasonal reading kicked off.
December 7, 2023
I knew I wasn’t a fan of this book because I hadn’t picked it up in days… let alone the fact that none of the 4.5 stories I read really grabbed my attention.
I have been spoiled by Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Any other mystery story never seems to hold up to that standard, even the lesser Holmes stories I’ve read. Which says a lot.
Maybe if I ever reread this collection it will be one story at a time rather than trying to power through the whole book.
I have been spoiled by Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Any other mystery story never seems to hold up to that standard, even the lesser Holmes stories I’ve read. Which says a lot.
Maybe if I ever reread this collection it will be one story at a time rather than trying to power through the whole book.
December 11, 2023
Who Killed Father Christmas is a fabulous collection of short stories for the season. When time starts to get squeezed at this time of year, I love to be able to read a little winter gem of an evening. This contains tales of festive fraud, poisoned pies, ghostly goings on and cold comeuppances.I have really enjoyed it and the variety of stories, all beautifully neat and tidy; and the titular killer? Well you shall have to read to find out... I didn't guess!
December 18, 2023
The British Library Christmas mystery collections get better and better! I really enjoyed this anthology. The stories were mostly pretty short, good for reading in the odd moments of a busy season, and ran a gamut of styles, but feeling pretty Christmasy. The longest story was by Ellis Peters, which had a pair of heroic small town schoolteachers, which I wasn't expecting, but there was a lot of that: unexpected detectives, and interesting windows into their times.
December 9, 2023
I half read or even skipped a fair few in this anthology, which is to say I found it a bit meh. The stories I somewhat enjoyed were:
“On the Irish Mail” - Garnet Radcliffe
“The Christmas Spirit” - Anthony Gilbert
“Secrets in the Snow” - JJ Farjeon
“Who Killed Father Christmas?” - Patricia Moyes
“Death at Christmas” - Glyn Daniel
“On the Irish Mail” - Garnet Radcliffe
“The Christmas Spirit” - Anthony Gilbert
“Secrets in the Snow” - JJ Farjeon
“Who Killed Father Christmas?” - Patricia Moyes
“Death at Christmas” - Glyn Daniel
January 1, 2024
My final book of 2023 and I really enjoyed this. There were some stories I liked more than others, but only one I thought was a bit stupid, so overall a great collection. I also enjoyed that there were plenty of shorter stories in here, so you can pick the book up and read one in 10 mins at times. Another great festive collection from the BLCC.
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