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Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries
Crimson Snow brings together a dozen vintage crime stories set in winter. Welcome to a world of Father Christmases behaving oddly, a famous fictional detective in a Yuletide drama, mysterious tracks in the snow, and some very unpleasant carol singers. There's no denying that the supposed season of goodwill is a time of year that lends itself to detective fiction. On a cold night, it's tempting to curl up by the fireside with a good mystery. And more than that, claustrophobic house parties, with people cooped up with long-estranged relatives, can provide plenty of motives for murder. Including forgotten stories by major writers such as Margery Allingham, as well as classic tales by less familiar crime novelists, each story in this selection is introduced by the leading expert on classic crime, Martin Edwards. The resulting volume is an entertaining and atmospheric compendium of wintry delights.
318 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2016
231 people are currently reading
1191 people want to read
About the author
Martin Edwards
357 books804 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 191 reviews
November 30, 2016
I'm so glad to have had the opportunity once again to preview one of Martin Edwards' story collections drawn from the "golden" era of British detective fiction. He manages to continue finding authors known and new to me who have really interesting contributions to the canon. This is the second Christmas collection I've read, after Silent Night: Christmas Mysteries, and I heartily recommend both.
I definitely liked at least three quarters of the eleven stories very much, and disliked none at all. My favorites were "The Case of the Man with the Sack"by Margery Allingham, "The Carol Singers" by Josephine Bell, "Deep and Crisp and Even" by Michael Gilbert, and "Death in December" by Victor Gunn. Once again, as after reading Mr Edwards' other anthologies, I will make a note of these authors and seek out other anthologies with their works. I will also wait (im)patiently for Edwards next collection!
4 to 4.5*
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I definitely liked at least three quarters of the eleven stories very much, and disliked none at all. My favorites were "The Case of the Man with the Sack"by Margery Allingham, "The Carol Singers" by Josephine Bell, "Deep and Crisp and Even" by Michael Gilbert, and "Death in December" by Victor Gunn. Once again, as after reading Mr Edwards' other anthologies, I will make a note of these authors and seek out other anthologies with their works. I will also wait (im)patiently for Edwards next collection!
4 to 4.5*
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
November 29, 2021
It's the time of year where I go all in for books with snow, cold air and holiday feels so it was fitting to read Crimson Snow, a collection of classic crime short stories. They were all quite good but as usual in a collection, individual tastes prevail. I think only one was set in November with no snow or ice in sight but somehow still felt in the right theme. My thoughts on each follow:
The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume - in which a tale of a ghost haunting a manse isn't the darkest thing going on.
The Chopham Affair by Edgar Wallace- in which a blackmailer gets his but so does another who crosses paths in the commission of another crime. A very well done tale that I very much enjoyed. The story mentions the police come to a conclusion about the who and how of the murders but it isn't laid out in the story (I usually am put off by that). The omniscient narrator tells the tale of what only one knew.
The Man With the Sack by Margery Allingham - in which Albert Campion accepts an invitation to a quiet family party with some awful and ostentatious guests, a diamond heist, a career thief and a satisfying conclusion. One of the best of the collection.
Christmas Eve by S.C Roberts - a play featuring Sherlock and Watson that was clever, short and won points for eliciting the requisite holiday feels and smile from m by the end.
Death in December by Victor Gunn - in which Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell solves a murder and deep con while at Cloon Castle, the family home of his junior, Johnny Lister over several days after a snowstorm that sequesters everyone. One of my favourites in this volume.
Murder at Christmas by Christoper Bush - in which a Christmas getaway of a private eye for a bit of golf with a Chief Constable friend is interrupted by a murder but a bit of holly helps uncover the killer.
Off the Tiles by Ianthe Jerrold - in which a fall from a roof in November turns out to be more sinister than originally thought. Clearly, deftly scaling rooves is for Santa and chimney sweeps.
Mr. Cork's Secret by Macdonald Hastings - in which insurance investigator Cork investigates theft of jewels and a murder on Christmas at a seaside hotel. Very neat and quite a bit of action. I liked the solution but didn't like that the story doesn't even pose the question that the press asked. It can be intuited but I felt it should just be put forth directly.
The Santa Claus Club by Julian Symons- in which Francis Quarles must figure out a locked room mystery that has Lord Acrise murdered during a dinner in plain sight. The culprit is a little obvious but it's a neat little read. I first came across this story in Murder on Christmas Eve: Classic Mysteries for the Festive Season by Cecily Gayford.
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert- in which a police detective's working a case while the flu works on him. Between this and Smallbone Deceased , I'm definitely a Gilbert fan.
The Carol Singers by Josephine Bell - perhaps the most poignant story here. the life and death of Mrs. Fairfield's made me stop and feel. The part of the story that covers the crime and resolution were very well done but Ill have to read more Bell simply on the basis of her painting a vivid character who will remain with me.
A good collection or some seasonal reading. I have plenty more British Library Crime Classics to go and more immediately, some perfect for this season so I read on. Recommended.
The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume - in which a tale of a ghost haunting a manse isn't the darkest thing going on.
The Chopham Affair by Edgar Wallace- in which a blackmailer gets his but so does another who crosses paths in the commission of another crime. A very well done tale that I very much enjoyed. The story mentions the police come to a conclusion about the who and how of the murders but it isn't laid out in the story (I usually am put off by that). The omniscient narrator tells the tale of what only one knew.
The Man With the Sack by Margery Allingham - in which Albert Campion accepts an invitation to a quiet family party with some awful and ostentatious guests, a diamond heist, a career thief and a satisfying conclusion. One of the best of the collection.
Christmas Eve by S.C Roberts - a play featuring Sherlock and Watson that was clever, short and won points for eliciting the requisite holiday feels and smile from m by the end.
Death in December by Victor Gunn - in which Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell solves a murder and deep con while at Cloon Castle, the family home of his junior, Johnny Lister over several days after a snowstorm that sequesters everyone. One of my favourites in this volume.
Murder at Christmas by Christoper Bush - in which a Christmas getaway of a private eye for a bit of golf with a Chief Constable friend is interrupted by a murder but a bit of holly helps uncover the killer.
Off the Tiles by Ianthe Jerrold - in which a fall from a roof in November turns out to be more sinister than originally thought. Clearly, deftly scaling rooves is for Santa and chimney sweeps.
Mr. Cork's Secret by Macdonald Hastings - in which insurance investigator Cork investigates theft of jewels and a murder on Christmas at a seaside hotel. Very neat and quite a bit of action. I liked the solution but didn't like that the story doesn't even pose the question that the press asked. It can be intuited but I felt it should just be put forth directly.
The Santa Claus Club by Julian Symons- in which Francis Quarles must figure out a locked room mystery that has Lord Acrise murdered during a dinner in plain sight. The culprit is a little obvious but it's a neat little read. I first came across this story in Murder on Christmas Eve: Classic Mysteries for the Festive Season by Cecily Gayford.
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert- in which a police detective's working a case while the flu works on him. Between this and Smallbone Deceased , I'm definitely a Gilbert fan.
The Carol Singers by Josephine Bell - perhaps the most poignant story here. the life and death of Mrs. Fairfield's made me stop and feel. The part of the story that covers the crime and resolution were very well done but Ill have to read more Bell simply on the basis of her painting a vivid character who will remain with me.
A good collection or some seasonal reading. I have plenty more British Library Crime Classics to go and more immediately, some perfect for this season so I read on. Recommended.
November 23, 2016
Martin Edwards’ first anthology of Golden Age mystery short stories set at Christmas proved to be a delight. Like most anthologies, Silent Night: Christmas Mysteries had a few lumps of coal amongst the lovely presents, but Edwards, an English solicitor and a mystery writer in his own right, did a great job selecting the stories.
Unfortunately, Edwards didn’t fare as well with his second anthology of British Yuletide mystery short stories, Crimson Snow. Only one author from Silent Nights reappears — Margery Allingham — and thank heavens for that! Her story, “The Man with the Sack,” is the only one that’s fabulous. While “The Chopham Affair” by Edgar Wallace and “Deep Crisp and Even” by Michael Gilbert both have interesting twists, “The Carol Singers” by Josephine Bell is barely mediocre, and the rest of the short stories are utterly forgettable.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, Edwards didn’t fare as well with his second anthology of British Yuletide mystery short stories, Crimson Snow. Only one author from Silent Nights reappears — Margery Allingham — and thank heavens for that! Her story, “The Man with the Sack,” is the only one that’s fabulous. While “The Chopham Affair” by Edgar Wallace and “Deep Crisp and Even” by Michael Gilbert both have interesting twists, “The Carol Singers” by Josephine Bell is barely mediocre, and the rest of the short stories are utterly forgettable.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2021
Eleven Christmas Mystery Shorts
Review of the Poisoned Pen Press paperback (2017) of the British Library Crime Classics original (2016)
[3.65 average, rounded up to 4]
I've made it a tradition in recent years to read a seasonally themed British Library Crime Classic mystery or anthology every Christmas time. I have even found translations of them in my heritage language of Estonian to add some variety. Crimson Snow is another themed anthology by Martin Edwards, following on his previous collection of Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries (2015). I enjoyed this one just as much, especially for the discovery of several writers and investigators previously unknown to me.
I thought it was odd that many of the stories had little or no details about their first publication dates, usually this series is very thorough about that sort of background information.
St. Moritz, Switzerland tourism poster, source of the cover image for "Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries" (where a slight reddish tint has been added to the picture). Image sourced from Pinterest
1. The Ghost's Touch [None = No original publication date or source is provided] *** by Fergus Hume (1859-1932). An army doctor spends Christmas with his Australian friend at a family homestead in England. This combines a ghost story with a mystery.
2 The Chopham Affair [None] **** by Edgar Wallace (1875-1932). A blackmailer is found dead along with another man and the police think they know the solution to the crime. A lawyer assists the police with their enquiries, but knows more than he is saying.
3. The Man With the Sack **** [First appeared in the Strand Magazine in 1936, and then later in the short story collection [book:Mr Campion: Criminologist|3326357] (1937)] by Margery Allingham (1904-1966). Allingham's regular investigator Albert Campion attends a Christmas party where a theft of household objects and jewels occurs and Santa Claus is one of the suspects.
4. Christmas Eve **** [none] by S.C. Roberts (1887-1966). A Sherlock Holmes pastiche written as a theatrical play. It hits all the right notes by capturing the characteristic banter between Holmes and Watson as well as adding some seasonal charity and cheer.
5. Death in December ***** [from [book:Ironsides Sees Red|13569283] (1943)] by Victor Gunn (1889-1965). Novella length at 75 pages. Features Gunn's regular detective, the cantankerous Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell and his assistant Sergeant Johnny Lister. This is a combined ghost and mystery story like No. 1, but the extended length here allows for more immersion in the 'isolated by a snowstorm in an old house/castle in the countryside' atmosphere. The crotchety "Old Iron" Cromwell was a new fave discovery for me. I wonder if I can track down any of the other books.
6. Murder at Christmas *** [none] by Christopher Bush (1885-1973). Bush's regular investigator Ludovic Travers goes on a Christmas vacation for golfing with his Chief Constable friend while his wife takes care of a sick aunt. The murder of a swindler soon follows. This provokes the question: They golf in England around Christmas time?
7. Off the Tiles *** [London Mystery Magazine (1950s)] by Ianthe Jerrold (1898-1977). Is it an accident or murder when a woman falls off a roof while walking along its gutter. Inspector James Quy and P.C. Baker investigate.
8. Mr. Cork's Secret **** [Lilliput Magazine (date unspecified)] by MacDonald Hastings (1909-1982). Hastings' regular sleuth, the insurance investigator Montague Cork, arrives at a London hotel on Christmas Eve just in time for a jewelry heist and a murder. First published as a mystery contest for the readers to answer what key information Cork withholds from disclosing at the end of the story, with the answer published months later. In this case, the author's answer and the 2 winning reader's answers are given at the back of the book.
9. The Santa Claus Club *** [none] by Julian Symons (1912-1994). A murder occurs during a festive meal with an assembled group of Santa Claus Club members and their guests. Symons' private investigator Francis Quarles is on hand to solve the crime immediately. This one was great on atmosphere, but ended too abruptly to be completely satisfactory.
10. Deep and Crisp and Even *** [none] by Michael Gilbert (1912-2006). Detective Sergeant Patrick Petrella joins a group of carolers before Christmas and thinks he has spotted a house burglar inside one of the various homes that they visit.
11. The Carol Singers ***** [none] by Josephine Bell (1897-1987). A single elderly woman is robbed and murdered by a vicious group of carolers. Pieces of her jewellery go missing by a separate circuitous route but the police are finally able to solve the case. This one was excellent for its societal view and insight into single elderly people during the holiday season.
Trivia and Link
The British Library Crime Classic series are reprints of forgotten titles mostly from the 1920's & 1930's, which the series describes as the "Golden Age of Crime". They are up to over 100 titles now (as of late 2021) and you can see a list at the British Library Shop (for North America they are reprinted by the publisher Poisoned Pen Press). There is also a British Library Crime Classics Goodreads Listopia.
Review of the Poisoned Pen Press paperback (2017) of the British Library Crime Classics original (2016)
[3.65 average, rounded up to 4]
I've made it a tradition in recent years to read a seasonally themed British Library Crime Classic mystery or anthology every Christmas time. I have even found translations of them in my heritage language of Estonian to add some variety. Crimson Snow is another themed anthology by Martin Edwards, following on his previous collection of Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries (2015). I enjoyed this one just as much, especially for the discovery of several writers and investigators previously unknown to me.
I thought it was odd that many of the stories had little or no details about their first publication dates, usually this series is very thorough about that sort of background information.
St. Moritz, Switzerland tourism poster, source of the cover image for "Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries" (where a slight reddish tint has been added to the picture). Image sourced from Pinterest
1. The Ghost's Touch [None = No original publication date or source is provided] *** by Fergus Hume (1859-1932). An army doctor spends Christmas with his Australian friend at a family homestead in England. This combines a ghost story with a mystery.
2 The Chopham Affair [None] **** by Edgar Wallace (1875-1932). A blackmailer is found dead along with another man and the police think they know the solution to the crime. A lawyer assists the police with their enquiries, but knows more than he is saying.
3. The Man With the Sack **** [First appeared in the Strand Magazine in 1936, and then later in the short story collection [book:Mr Campion: Criminologist|3326357] (1937)] by Margery Allingham (1904-1966). Allingham's regular investigator Albert Campion attends a Christmas party where a theft of household objects and jewels occurs and Santa Claus is one of the suspects.
4. Christmas Eve **** [none] by S.C. Roberts (1887-1966). A Sherlock Holmes pastiche written as a theatrical play. It hits all the right notes by capturing the characteristic banter between Holmes and Watson as well as adding some seasonal charity and cheer.
5. Death in December ***** [from [book:Ironsides Sees Red|13569283] (1943)] by Victor Gunn (1889-1965). Novella length at 75 pages. Features Gunn's regular detective, the cantankerous Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell and his assistant Sergeant Johnny Lister. This is a combined ghost and mystery story like No. 1, but the extended length here allows for more immersion in the 'isolated by a snowstorm in an old house/castle in the countryside' atmosphere. The crotchety "Old Iron" Cromwell was a new fave discovery for me. I wonder if I can track down any of the other books.
6. Murder at Christmas *** [none] by Christopher Bush (1885-1973). Bush's regular investigator Ludovic Travers goes on a Christmas vacation for golfing with his Chief Constable friend while his wife takes care of a sick aunt. The murder of a swindler soon follows. This provokes the question: They golf in England around Christmas time?
7. Off the Tiles *** [London Mystery Magazine (1950s)] by Ianthe Jerrold (1898-1977). Is it an accident or murder when a woman falls off a roof while walking along its gutter. Inspector James Quy and P.C. Baker investigate.
8. Mr. Cork's Secret **** [Lilliput Magazine (date unspecified)] by MacDonald Hastings (1909-1982). Hastings' regular sleuth, the insurance investigator Montague Cork, arrives at a London hotel on Christmas Eve just in time for a jewelry heist and a murder. First published as a mystery contest for the readers to answer what key information Cork withholds from disclosing at the end of the story, with the answer published months later. In this case, the author's answer and the 2 winning reader's answers are given at the back of the book.
9. The Santa Claus Club *** [none] by Julian Symons (1912-1994). A murder occurs during a festive meal with an assembled group of Santa Claus Club members and their guests. Symons' private investigator Francis Quarles is on hand to solve the crime immediately. This one was great on atmosphere, but ended too abruptly to be completely satisfactory.
10. Deep and Crisp and Even *** [none] by Michael Gilbert (1912-2006). Detective Sergeant Patrick Petrella joins a group of carolers before Christmas and thinks he has spotted a house burglar inside one of the various homes that they visit.
11. The Carol Singers ***** [none] by Josephine Bell (1897-1987). A single elderly woman is robbed and murdered by a vicious group of carolers. Pieces of her jewellery go missing by a separate circuitous route but the police are finally able to solve the case. This one was excellent for its societal view and insight into single elderly people during the holiday season.
Trivia and Link
The British Library Crime Classic series are reprints of forgotten titles mostly from the 1920's & 1930's, which the series describes as the "Golden Age of Crime". They are up to over 100 titles now (as of late 2021) and you can see a list at the British Library Shop (for North America they are reprinted by the publisher Poisoned Pen Press). There is also a British Library Crime Classics Goodreads Listopia.
Read
June 25, 2019A very decent collection. The British Library reprints can vary in quality and you sometimes wonder what they were thinking, but this one has a high strike rate and a couple of detectives I might read more of.
December 6, 2023
Mostly rather dark.
February 3, 2017
Deep and crisp and even...
The latest addition to the British Library themed anthologies of classic crime, this one includes eleven stories all set around the festive season. A great time for people to get together in family gatherings or country house parties, and bump each other off. Who amongst us hasn't thought that the one thing that would improve Christmas would be the quick dispatching of one of our nearest and dearest, or that the only way to pay for all those gifts would be to hasten the inheritance from one of our much loved rich relatives? Or is that just me? On the basis of the evidence in this book, I'm not alone in thinking Christmas is a particularly jolly time for a murder...
As with the earlier anthologies, this one is introduced and edited by Martin Edwards who also gives a short introduction to each story telling a little about the author. There's the usual mix of well-known authors – Margery Allingham, Edgar Wallace – and forgotten ones, and as always the quality of the individual stories varies. However, overall I thought this was a more consistent collection than the last couple – none of the stories rate as less than three stars for me and there are plenty of fours and a sprinkling of fives. The lengths also vary from a few pages to a couple of the stories being what I'd think of as novelette length – taking an hour or so to read.
There's a nice variety of whodunits and howdunits, some dark and serious, others lighter and more quirky, and a few with ghostly aspects to add to the winter chills. And there's fog and feverish policemen, and wicked carol-singers, and isolated houses with all access cut off by snow... perfect accompaniment to a mug of hot chocolate and a seat near the fire!
Here are a few of the ones I enjoyed most...
The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume – when the narrator is invited to spend the festive season as a guest in a haunted country house, one feels he should have swiftly invented a prior engagement. However, clearly he doesn't read crime novels, because off he goes, all cheerful and expecting to have a good time. Hah! After the fire, the ghost, and a meeting with the murderer at the dead of night, I suspect he changed his mind... The plot in this one is totally obvious, but nevertheless the author manages to get a nice atmosphere of tension going, and it's very well written.
Death in December by Victor Gunn – a great cross between ghost and crime story, this one is probably going to appear on a future Tuesday Terror! Post so I won't go into detail. It's one of the longer stories in the collection, giving time for a bit more characterisation than usual and both the detectives, grumpy Bill “Ironside” Cromwell and his sidekick, lovely Johnny Lister, are well drawn and fun. There are aspects of both who and how in this one, not to mention some genuinely scary bits, all topped off with a lot of humour. And a nice little bit of detection too...
Mr Cork's Secret by Macdonald Hastings – When Montague Cork's firm insures a valuable necklace, Montague begins to worry about its safety. So off he goes with his wife to a top London hotel where the owner of the necklace is expected to be staying. He's lucky to get a room at such short notice, especially at Christmas time. Not so lucky for the person who vacated the room, though – since he was carried out feet first by the police, headed for the morgue. Could the murder have anything to do with the necklace? It's up to Montague to find out... This has a nice twist in that when it was originally published the author held one fact back as part of a competition. Edwards has left it like that, but at the end of the book, gives the solution as provided by the author, along with the prize-winners' suggestions.
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert – PC Petrella is covering for his boss over Christmas, and takes his duties seriously. So it's unfortunate that he develops a feverish cold leaving him weak and a bit confused. But when he suspects a house in the neighbourhood has been burgled, he's determined to track the perpetrator, even when he's near collapse himself. Complete with carol-singing, dreadful weather and seasonal illness, this is a fun little story with a neat twist.
So plenty of good stuff here, and a lot of the stories make excellent use of either weather or the holidays to add to the atmosphere and tension. I'm thoroughly enjoying these anthologies – even the less good stories are always fun for seeing the different attitudes and writing styles of the time, and the little author bios add a bit of context, putting each story into its appropriate place in the development of crime fiction. I also like the way they're themed, and this theme in particular works well – I suppose that these would mostly have originally been published in Christmas editions of magazines, and perhaps that inspired the authors to show off their best. Next to the London-themed one, Capital Crimes this is probably my favourite of the collections so far. I do hope there will be more...
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
The latest addition to the British Library themed anthologies of classic crime, this one includes eleven stories all set around the festive season. A great time for people to get together in family gatherings or country house parties, and bump each other off. Who amongst us hasn't thought that the one thing that would improve Christmas would be the quick dispatching of one of our nearest and dearest, or that the only way to pay for all those gifts would be to hasten the inheritance from one of our much loved rich relatives? Or is that just me? On the basis of the evidence in this book, I'm not alone in thinking Christmas is a particularly jolly time for a murder...
As with the earlier anthologies, this one is introduced and edited by Martin Edwards who also gives a short introduction to each story telling a little about the author. There's the usual mix of well-known authors – Margery Allingham, Edgar Wallace – and forgotten ones, and as always the quality of the individual stories varies. However, overall I thought this was a more consistent collection than the last couple – none of the stories rate as less than three stars for me and there are plenty of fours and a sprinkling of fives. The lengths also vary from a few pages to a couple of the stories being what I'd think of as novelette length – taking an hour or so to read.
There's a nice variety of whodunits and howdunits, some dark and serious, others lighter and more quirky, and a few with ghostly aspects to add to the winter chills. And there's fog and feverish policemen, and wicked carol-singers, and isolated houses with all access cut off by snow... perfect accompaniment to a mug of hot chocolate and a seat near the fire!
Here are a few of the ones I enjoyed most...
The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume – when the narrator is invited to spend the festive season as a guest in a haunted country house, one feels he should have swiftly invented a prior engagement. However, clearly he doesn't read crime novels, because off he goes, all cheerful and expecting to have a good time. Hah! After the fire, the ghost, and a meeting with the murderer at the dead of night, I suspect he changed his mind... The plot in this one is totally obvious, but nevertheless the author manages to get a nice atmosphere of tension going, and it's very well written.
Death in December by Victor Gunn – a great cross between ghost and crime story, this one is probably going to appear on a future Tuesday Terror! Post so I won't go into detail. It's one of the longer stories in the collection, giving time for a bit more characterisation than usual and both the detectives, grumpy Bill “Ironside” Cromwell and his sidekick, lovely Johnny Lister, are well drawn and fun. There are aspects of both who and how in this one, not to mention some genuinely scary bits, all topped off with a lot of humour. And a nice little bit of detection too...
Mr Cork's Secret by Macdonald Hastings – When Montague Cork's firm insures a valuable necklace, Montague begins to worry about its safety. So off he goes with his wife to a top London hotel where the owner of the necklace is expected to be staying. He's lucky to get a room at such short notice, especially at Christmas time. Not so lucky for the person who vacated the room, though – since he was carried out feet first by the police, headed for the morgue. Could the murder have anything to do with the necklace? It's up to Montague to find out... This has a nice twist in that when it was originally published the author held one fact back as part of a competition. Edwards has left it like that, but at the end of the book, gives the solution as provided by the author, along with the prize-winners' suggestions.
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert – PC Petrella is covering for his boss over Christmas, and takes his duties seriously. So it's unfortunate that he develops a feverish cold leaving him weak and a bit confused. But when he suspects a house in the neighbourhood has been burgled, he's determined to track the perpetrator, even when he's near collapse himself. Complete with carol-singing, dreadful weather and seasonal illness, this is a fun little story with a neat twist.
So plenty of good stuff here, and a lot of the stories make excellent use of either weather or the holidays to add to the atmosphere and tension. I'm thoroughly enjoying these anthologies – even the less good stories are always fun for seeing the different attitudes and writing styles of the time, and the little author bios add a bit of context, putting each story into its appropriate place in the development of crime fiction. I also like the way they're themed, and this theme in particular works well – I suppose that these would mostly have originally been published in Christmas editions of magazines, and perhaps that inspired the authors to show off their best. Next to the London-themed one, Capital Crimes this is probably my favourite of the collections so far. I do hope there will be more...
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
January 13, 2021
Once again Martin Edwards has gathered together a delicious selection of holiday treats for the Golden Age mystery lover. We have Christmas ghosts, spurious Santas, mysterious strangers who leave no tracks in the snow-covered country-side, and criminous carolers...among other mysterious fare. Well-known authors such as Margery Allingham, Michael Gilbert, Julian Symons, Edgar Wallace, and Josephine Bell appear with those who may not be as familiar to mystery fans. All but two are seriously good mysteries and Josephine Bell closes the book out with a very dark and sad tale that brings home the plight of those who left alone on Christmas. There's even one story that offers a final challenge to the reader--with the answer at the end of the book. Can you figure out Cork's secret? Overall, an excellent collection for Christmas--or any time you're in the mood for a holiday mystery or twelve. ★★★★
A quick look at the stories enclosed.
"The Ghost's Touch" by Fergus Hume: In which a schemer is caught in his own ghostly trap.
"The Chopham Affair" by Edgar Wallace: a heartless blackmailer gets his just desserts from a very surprising source.
"The Man with the Sack" by Margery Allingham: Albert Campion puts a stop to a Christmas-time diamond theft.
"Christmas Eve" by S. C. Roberts: Sherlock Holmes and the puzzle of the purloined pearls.
"Death in December" by Victor Gunn: When Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell accepts his sergeant's invitation to spend Christmas at Cloon Castle, his family's country seat, he's gloomily anticipating a stay with silly party games, chitchat with people he doesn't know, and other social inconveniences. He immediately perks up when a mysterious figure crosses the drive between them and the castle--leaving behind no footprints. And there's soon more ghostly and murderous incidents to investigate. A fitting Christmas present for savvy detective.
"Murder at Christmas" by Christopher Bush: Ludovic Travers spends a week with his colleague for Christmas and golfing. While there he becomes involved in the murder of a swindler whose body is found in the woods.
"Off the Tiles" by Ianthe Jerrold: In the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, an artist falls to her death from the tiled roof. Some say it was suicide; some say it was a deadly accident--Inspector James Quy soon knows it is neither.
"Mr. Cork's Secret" by MacDonald Hastings: Montague Cork's insurance company underwrites a policy covering a fabulous ruby and diamond collection known by the unappealing (to me anyway) name of Alouette's Worms without his input. He's uneasy about the transaction and follows the jewels to the Paradise Hotel...where he becomes embroiled in murder and robbery.
"The Santa Claus Club" by Julian Symons: The wealthy business bigwig Lord Acrise receives a death threat which tells him that he will die at the annual Santa Claus Club dinner where all the members (all wealthy) dress up as old Saint Nick and hold a raffle in support of charity. He asks private investigator Francis Quarles to attend as his guest and quasi-bodyguard, but murder strikes despite the detective's presence.
"Deep and Crisp and Even" by Michael Gilbert: Sergeant Petrella trails a suspicious character encountered when he (Petrella) took part in a round of Christmas caroling. Just who is the man who gave drinks to the carolers in Mr. Hazel's house? [Just my two cents...I like Michael Gilbert a lot. This story? Not so very much.]
"The Carol Singers" by Josephine Bell: The death of an elderly woman on Christmas Eve results in a long investigation to bring the crime home to the villain/s of the piece.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
A quick look at the stories enclosed.
"The Ghost's Touch" by Fergus Hume: In which a schemer is caught in his own ghostly trap.
"The Chopham Affair" by Edgar Wallace: a heartless blackmailer gets his just desserts from a very surprising source.
"The Man with the Sack" by Margery Allingham: Albert Campion puts a stop to a Christmas-time diamond theft.
"Christmas Eve" by S. C. Roberts: Sherlock Holmes and the puzzle of the purloined pearls.
"Death in December" by Victor Gunn: When Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell accepts his sergeant's invitation to spend Christmas at Cloon Castle, his family's country seat, he's gloomily anticipating a stay with silly party games, chitchat with people he doesn't know, and other social inconveniences. He immediately perks up when a mysterious figure crosses the drive between them and the castle--leaving behind no footprints. And there's soon more ghostly and murderous incidents to investigate. A fitting Christmas present for savvy detective.
"Murder at Christmas" by Christopher Bush: Ludovic Travers spends a week with his colleague for Christmas and golfing. While there he becomes involved in the murder of a swindler whose body is found in the woods.
"Off the Tiles" by Ianthe Jerrold: In the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, an artist falls to her death from the tiled roof. Some say it was suicide; some say it was a deadly accident--Inspector James Quy soon knows it is neither.
"Mr. Cork's Secret" by MacDonald Hastings: Montague Cork's insurance company underwrites a policy covering a fabulous ruby and diamond collection known by the unappealing (to me anyway) name of Alouette's Worms without his input. He's uneasy about the transaction and follows the jewels to the Paradise Hotel...where he becomes embroiled in murder and robbery.
"The Santa Claus Club" by Julian Symons: The wealthy business bigwig Lord Acrise receives a death threat which tells him that he will die at the annual Santa Claus Club dinner where all the members (all wealthy) dress up as old Saint Nick and hold a raffle in support of charity. He asks private investigator Francis Quarles to attend as his guest and quasi-bodyguard, but murder strikes despite the detective's presence.
"Deep and Crisp and Even" by Michael Gilbert: Sergeant Petrella trails a suspicious character encountered when he (Petrella) took part in a round of Christmas caroling. Just who is the man who gave drinks to the carolers in Mr. Hazel's house? [Just my two cents...I like Michael Gilbert a lot. This story? Not so very much.]
"The Carol Singers" by Josephine Bell: The death of an elderly woman on Christmas Eve results in a long investigation to bring the crime home to the villain/s of the piece.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
December 19, 2016
Crimson Snow presents a series of festive cosy crime tales, all of which are, unsurprisingly, set in wintertime. The authors included are far outside the box; there are no Agatha Christies or Edmund Crispins here, and indeed, Edwards makes much of telling the reader that he has focused upon those stories and authors which have been lost to the annals of time, and rediscovered only recently during his extensive research for this tome. There is a Margery Allingham tale, albeit not one of her best, but Edwards certainly succeeds in presenting a range of 'new' old authors - Josephine Bell, Michael Gilbert, Victor Gunn, Macdonald Hastings, Ianthe Jerrold, Sydney Roberts, Julian Symons, Christopher Bush, Fergus Hume, and Edgar Wallace. 'No fewer than seven of the eleven authors featured here were members of the prestigious Detection Club, the world's first social network for crime writers,' Edwards goes on to tell us in his rather interesting introduction.
I come to collections like this with the utmost excitement at the possibility of discovering new authors. Each has been introduced before their story commences, which is quite a nice touch; biographical information is given, and a little in the way of thoughts about each tale and its writing process. Regardless, I found that the majority of the stories took a while to get going, and very few of them grabbed me right at the outset. There is certainly a varied mixture here, including even a play which takes Holmes and Watson as its protagonists.
Crimson Snow is nowhere near as enjoyable as I had thought and hoped that it would be. Ianthe Jerrold's tale was the real standout for me; she writes incredibly cleverly, if this entry is anything to go by. Overall, however, very little interest was sparked, and I found the entirety a little hit and miss as an anthology; aside from Jerrold and more Margery Allingham, I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to seek out the work of any of these authors.
I come to collections like this with the utmost excitement at the possibility of discovering new authors. Each has been introduced before their story commences, which is quite a nice touch; biographical information is given, and a little in the way of thoughts about each tale and its writing process. Regardless, I found that the majority of the stories took a while to get going, and very few of them grabbed me right at the outset. There is certainly a varied mixture here, including even a play which takes Holmes and Watson as its protagonists.
Crimson Snow is nowhere near as enjoyable as I had thought and hoped that it would be. Ianthe Jerrold's tale was the real standout for me; she writes incredibly cleverly, if this entry is anything to go by. Overall, however, very little interest was sparked, and I found the entirety a little hit and miss as an anthology; aside from Jerrold and more Margery Allingham, I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to seek out the work of any of these authors.
October 20, 2016
Twelve crime stories from masters of the genre are collected together in this book. Some authors represented here will be well known to readers of crime fiction, though some authors may be unfamiliar. All the stories are set in and around the Christmas season.
The story which has remained in my mind after I finished the book is The Carol Singers by Josephine Bell which involves a particularly unpleasant murder in circumstances which could easily have happened in the twenty first century.
The other story which sent a frisson down my spine is the first one in the collection called The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume - an author I hadn't heard of before.
If you're looking for a collection of crime stories to read after Christmas lunch then this would be ideal. All the stories are well written and have stood the test of time. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
The story which has remained in my mind after I finished the book is The Carol Singers by Josephine Bell which involves a particularly unpleasant murder in circumstances which could easily have happened in the twenty first century.
The other story which sent a frisson down my spine is the first one in the collection called The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume - an author I hadn't heard of before.
If you're looking for a collection of crime stories to read after Christmas lunch then this would be ideal. All the stories are well written and have stood the test of time. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
May 25, 2024
I always enjoy Golden Age stories collected by Martin Edwards. Here’s the list:
The Ghost’s Touch
The Chopham Affair
The Man with the Sack
Christmas Eve
Death in December
Murder at Christmas
Off the Tiles
Mr. Cork’s Secret
The Santa Claus Club
Deep and Crisp
Even The Carol Singers
Solution to Mr. Cork’s Secret
Excellent reading during a blizzard.
The Ghost’s Touch
The Chopham Affair
The Man with the Sack
Christmas Eve
Death in December
Murder at Christmas
Off the Tiles
Mr. Cork’s Secret
The Santa Claus Club
Deep and Crisp
Even The Carol Singers
Solution to Mr. Cork’s Secret
Excellent reading during a blizzard.
anthology-in-progress
September 25, 2024Table of Contents:
The Man with the Sack by Margery Allingham: 12.22.23
Death in December by Victor Gunn: 12.12.23
The Santa Claus Club by Julian Symons: 12.20.23
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert: 11.20.23
The Man with the Sack by Margery Allingham: 12.22.23
Death in December by Victor Gunn: 12.12.23
The Santa Claus Club by Julian Symons: 12.20.23
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert: 11.20.23
December 28, 2025
As with all story collections there are stronger tales and weaker tales, but this anthology offered up a very good and varied lot...
The Ghost's Touch - A very obvious plot but I am a sucker for a country house at Christmas! Percy is the ill healthed yet rich cousin invited to spend Christmas at Ringshaw Manor, by rich on paper Frank. But Percy's room is reputed to be haunted....
The Chopham Affair - A wonderful story with a cracking twist, a clever take on the 'locked room mystery' but how did lothario Alphonse and Car Thief and Thug Joe Stackett end up dead together in a snow cover car with no footprints around it?...
The Man With The Sack - Invited to a country house for Christmas, Campion, finds himself making small talk with the family and their new money annoying guests, but when he stops a man in a red suit carrying a sack on Christmas Eve, things take an interesting turn.
Christmas Eve - A play, so a bit boring to read and I may have skipped some of it! Also I don't really enjoy Sherlock Holmes...
Death In December - A wonderful detective pairing of Johnny Lister (basically a bright young thing, making his way in the world as a Scotland Yard Detective) and his boss, Chief Inspectior Bill 'Ironsides' Cromwell (Straight talking and rather hilariously grumpy.) They find themselves heading to Lister's family seat, Cloon Castle for merriment, Christmas and as it turns out ghosts and murder!
Murder at Christmas - Golf and murder, with a tenuous link to Christmas (after the play, this is my least favourite story)
Off The Tiles - A very short mystery involving a woman falling from a rooftop, quick, clever but quite forgettable.
Mr Cork's Secret - Drawn out and dull mystery.
The Santa Claus Club - A group of filthy rich people, doing their one good deed a year, but one of them is very much on the naughty list! Quick, witty but no real conclusion as to why it was done (unless you count the fact the victim was just awful)
Deep and Crisp and Even - Carol singers are invited into a home for a drink, but something is not right! Or is that just Petrella's flu kicking in?
The Carol Singers - A dark, yet festive tale involving robbery, murder, youths and social issues of the day. (Plus a twist I did not see coming!)
The Ghost's Touch - A very obvious plot but I am a sucker for a country house at Christmas! Percy is the ill healthed yet rich cousin invited to spend Christmas at Ringshaw Manor, by rich on paper Frank. But Percy's room is reputed to be haunted....
The Chopham Affair - A wonderful story with a cracking twist, a clever take on the 'locked room mystery' but how did lothario Alphonse and Car Thief and Thug Joe Stackett end up dead together in a snow cover car with no footprints around it?...
The Man With The Sack - Invited to a country house for Christmas, Campion, finds himself making small talk with the family and their new money annoying guests, but when he stops a man in a red suit carrying a sack on Christmas Eve, things take an interesting turn.
Christmas Eve - A play, so a bit boring to read and I may have skipped some of it! Also I don't really enjoy Sherlock Holmes...
Death In December - A wonderful detective pairing of Johnny Lister (basically a bright young thing, making his way in the world as a Scotland Yard Detective) and his boss, Chief Inspectior Bill 'Ironsides' Cromwell (Straight talking and rather hilariously grumpy.) They find themselves heading to Lister's family seat, Cloon Castle for merriment, Christmas and as it turns out ghosts and murder!
Murder at Christmas - Golf and murder, with a tenuous link to Christmas (after the play, this is my least favourite story)
Off The Tiles - A very short mystery involving a woman falling from a rooftop, quick, clever but quite forgettable.
Mr Cork's Secret - Drawn out and dull mystery.
The Santa Claus Club - A group of filthy rich people, doing their one good deed a year, but one of them is very much on the naughty list! Quick, witty but no real conclusion as to why it was done (unless you count the fact the victim was just awful)
Deep and Crisp and Even - Carol singers are invited into a home for a drink, but something is not right! Or is that just Petrella's flu kicking in?
The Carol Singers - A dark, yet festive tale involving robbery, murder, youths and social issues of the day. (Plus a twist I did not see coming!)
August 10, 2022
3.8 rounded up
January 14, 2023
This anthology might just have been the best out of the Christmas / winter crime anthologies by the British Library - so much so that I really regret not managing to fit in before Christmas. I will make sure to get a personal copy of it for next holiday season.
The short stories are very well selected - they always are but this time it has been especially well done. All are very cosy and bring the feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket near the fire with a hot drink in hand, listening to a story or watching the curated-for-the-holidays tv programme late night.
Favourite entries: "The Ghost's Touch" by Fergus Hume, "The Man with the Sack" by Margery Allingham, "Death in December" by Victor Gunn and "Mr. Cork's Secret" by Macdonald Hastings
The short stories are very well selected - they always are but this time it has been especially well done. All are very cosy and bring the feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket near the fire with a hot drink in hand, listening to a story or watching the curated-for-the-holidays tv programme late night.
Favourite entries: "The Ghost's Touch" by Fergus Hume, "The Man with the Sack" by Margery Allingham, "Death in December" by Victor Gunn and "Mr. Cork's Secret" by Macdonald Hastings
December 14, 2017
Crimson Snow is one of this month’s read at the Kindle English Mystery Club. Rather than a novel, it is a collection of classic short mysteries, all with a Christmas theme. My hands down favorite was a Christmas “ghost” story, The Ghost’s Touch. I always enjoy a Christmas ghost story and this one had fun twists and characters. There is also a selection from Margery Allingham featuring her sleuth Mr. Campion, The Man with the Sack, which was also quite good. Some of the other selections fell short, but overall it was a good Christmas mystery read.
March 2, 2019
This 11-story collection provides a nice mix of Christmas holiday mysteries, including one longer story and a Sherlock Holmes pastiche play. Well-known and lesser known authors are represented, from Edgar Wallace and Margery Allingham to Julian Symons and Michael Gilbert to Ianthe Jerrold, Josephine Bell, and others. The editor Martin Edwards has provided informative introductions for each story/author. I’ve read three of these British Crime Classic collections and was happy to see the local library has five more on the (virtual) shelf.
February 8, 2025
This is an excellent collection of classic British mysteries centered around the themes of Christmas and winter. There are many puzzle mysteries in this collection and several locked room mysteries as well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would love to have more.
December 29, 2018
It's a fun assortment of stories. I think a better reflection of the genre could have been found, though. Two of the stories were note-worthy, in my opinion.
December 5, 2019
Another well-chosen collection of stories set in Winter and the holiday season.
October 28, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this book through NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.
I love reading short stories and having one centered on a specific theme just makes it that much better for me. This collection from Martin Edwards gave me more enjoyment than any I've read in a long time. Not only are there Christmas themed stories, but there are also different styles of stories; one is written as a play and one doesn't give the solution - the reader gets to match wits with the author and truly try to figure it out for themselves. The solution is given at the end of the book.
These are the eleven stories which make up this collection:
The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume
The Chopham Affair by Edgar Wallace
The Man with the Sack by Margery Allingham
Christmas Eve by S. C. Roberts (a play featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson)
Death in December by Victor Gunn
Murder at Christmas by Christopher Bush
Off the Tiles by Ianthe Jerrold
Mr. Cork's Secret by Macdonald Hastings (this is the puzzle you can solve yourself)
The Santa Claus Club by Julian Symons
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert
The Carol Singers by Josephine Bell
None of the stories is modern so they have that feeling of nostalgia most enjoyed by those of us who cherish the older mysteries. As you can see there are many authors you will recognize immediately and those I wasn't familiar with I still enjoyed getting a taste of their style. The final story was sad for me and left me feeling a little wistful, but, after all we are talking about crime so I shouldn't have been surprised by the content.
A lovely collection of short stories to curl up with when it's cold outside or when you wish it was cold outside. Thanks to the British Library Crime Classics for giving us another gem of a collection to add to our list of favorite volumes.
I love reading short stories and having one centered on a specific theme just makes it that much better for me. This collection from Martin Edwards gave me more enjoyment than any I've read in a long time. Not only are there Christmas themed stories, but there are also different styles of stories; one is written as a play and one doesn't give the solution - the reader gets to match wits with the author and truly try to figure it out for themselves. The solution is given at the end of the book.
These are the eleven stories which make up this collection:
The Ghost's Touch by Fergus Hume
The Chopham Affair by Edgar Wallace
The Man with the Sack by Margery Allingham
Christmas Eve by S. C. Roberts (a play featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson)
Death in December by Victor Gunn
Murder at Christmas by Christopher Bush
Off the Tiles by Ianthe Jerrold
Mr. Cork's Secret by Macdonald Hastings (this is the puzzle you can solve yourself)
The Santa Claus Club by Julian Symons
Deep and Crisp and Even by Michael Gilbert
The Carol Singers by Josephine Bell
None of the stories is modern so they have that feeling of nostalgia most enjoyed by those of us who cherish the older mysteries. As you can see there are many authors you will recognize immediately and those I wasn't familiar with I still enjoyed getting a taste of their style. The final story was sad for me and left me feeling a little wistful, but, after all we are talking about crime so I shouldn't have been surprised by the content.
A lovely collection of short stories to curl up with when it's cold outside or when you wish it was cold outside. Thanks to the British Library Crime Classics for giving us another gem of a collection to add to our list of favorite volumes.
January 30, 2019
I would like to thank netgalley and poisoned pen press for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book of crime short stories edited by Martin Edwards I have read. He does a a brilliant job in finding all of these stories. I love the idea of him searching for the stories that have either been lost or wrongly accredited. Each story is easy to pick up and get into and I love the little bio's about each author.
The ghosts touch - 5 stars
The chopam affair - 4 stars
The man with the sack - 5 stars
Christmas eve - 5 stars
Death in December - 4 stars
Murder at Christmas - DNF
off the tiles - 5 stars
Mr cook's secret - 4stars
The Santa Clause club - 4 stars
Deep and crisp and Evan - 3 stars
The Carol singers - DNF
6/11/16 -
-171 pages read
-read a blue book
= 176 house points
#HHCup #SHHCup
This is the second book of crime short stories edited by Martin Edwards I have read. He does a a brilliant job in finding all of these stories. I love the idea of him searching for the stories that have either been lost or wrongly accredited. Each story is easy to pick up and get into and I love the little bio's about each author.
The ghosts touch - 5 stars
The chopam affair - 4 stars
The man with the sack - 5 stars
Christmas eve - 5 stars
Death in December - 4 stars
Murder at Christmas - DNF
off the tiles - 5 stars
Mr cook's secret - 4stars
The Santa Clause club - 4 stars
Deep and crisp and Evan - 3 stars
The Carol singers - DNF
6/11/16 -
-171 pages read
-read a blue book
= 176 house points
#HHCup #SHHCup
January 10, 2021
This was pretty good overall. As with any collection of short stories, particularly by multiple authors, some were better than others, but none were bad. The winter/Christmas theme worked better in some stories than others as well.
All but one of the authors were new to me, and the only one I’d read before (Allingham), I didn’t finish the book. I’m definitely more interested in reading more of some of these authors works in the future.
All but one of the authors were new to me, and the only one I’d read before (Allingham), I didn’t finish the book. I’m definitely more interested in reading more of some of these authors works in the future.
December 4, 2017
Not the best Christmas selection box but one or two stories stand out. Margery Allingham's The Man With The Sack and Victor Gunn's Death in December are well-worked and well-written. I'd like to read more of Gunn's tales of the irascible CI Bill 'Ironsides' Cromwell. Bill is such a pleasant name - most unsuitable!
Most of the others leave little or no mark.
Most of the others leave little or no mark.
December 18, 2022
4 festive stars. My favourite stories were "The Man With the Sack" by Margery Allingham, "Death in December" by Victor Gunn, "The Ghost's Touch" by Fergus Hume, "Off the Tiles" by Ianthe Jerrold, "Deep and Crisp and Even" by the excellent Michael Gilbert and then the very poignant "The Carol Singers" by Josephine Bell.
September 18, 2017
A good mix of seasonal mysteries.
December 26, 2024
While this collection took me most of the month to get through, that shouldn't be taken as lack of enjoyment of the stories on my part. I appreciated the variety of stories collected herein and was surprised how much I came to care for the victim in the last story.
I usually don't like short story collections or stories written by multiple authors (I'm looking at you, The Floating Admiral) because the level of quality varies but I really thought that all of the stories contained herein were entertaining and well written.
I'm looking forward to reading some more winter mysteries compiled by Edwards next Christmastime.
I usually don't like short story collections or stories written by multiple authors (I'm looking at you, The Floating Admiral) because the level of quality varies but I really thought that all of the stories contained herein were entertaining and well written.
I'm looking forward to reading some more winter mysteries compiled by Edwards next Christmastime.
February 9, 2018
This was a collection of short stories from the early 1900's compiled by author Martin Blake. 11 stories set around Christmas. Old fashioned mysteries and a couple of ghost stories. All seemed so innocent...no blood, rape, vampires, etc...LOL. The stories all held my interest and were clever. I was surprised to find that they held up well for such old stories. I guess that a good story, good writing and good characters will always hold up. I would recommend this to anyone who likes simple "Agatha Christie" type mysteries. The setting of snow and Christmastime made it more special for me.
January 24, 2020
A nice little collection of classic Golden Age British mystery stories, collected and republished by British Library Crime Classics. All were fun puzzles, but I found the last four ("Mr. Cork's Secret" by MacDonald Hastings, "The Santa Claus Club" by Julian Symons, "Deep and Crisp and Even" by Michael Gilbert, and especially "The Carol Singers" by Josephine Bell, Detection Club member and former chair of the Crime Writers' Association) the most readable and enjoyable. A nice holiday read - not too dark, not too fluffy - perfect to pick up and peruse and put down again at will.
November 23, 2018
As you are all well aware I'm a sucker for these books and this one is no exception. And ideal timing for Christmas. Again old masters have been rediscovered, dusted off and reprinted in this neat little volume which makes ideal Christmas reading, gifting or hiding under the duvet with. There's even a funny one in it! Short and sweet, and written by the cream of the crop at the top of their game. What's not to enjoy?
A warm and toasty Toast
A warm and toasty Toast
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