Oro, incenso e morte

by Catherine Aird

Short story published in A Classic Christmas Crime (1997), and later in Chapter and Hearse: And Other Mysteries (Inspector Sloan #20) (2003) as well as The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries (2013).

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Mystery

11 pages, Paperback

About the author

Kinn Hamilton McIntosh, known professionally as Catherine Aird, was an English novelist. She was the author of more than twenty crime fiction novels and several collections of short stories. Her witty, literate, and deftly plotted novels straddle the "cozy" and "police procedural" genres and are somewhat similar in flavour to those of Martha Grimes, Caroline Graham, M.C. Beaton, Margaret Yorke, and Pauline Bell. Aird was inducted into the prestigious Detection Club in 1981, and is a recipient of the 2015 Cartier Diamond Dagger award.

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group is gathered on Christmas Eve for a caroling party where mince pies and punch were served and later that night several attendees are sick and one man dies. The pies were poisoned with powered mercury, which resembles sugar, by the man’s wife. The telltale sign was the black discoloring on her gold ring, a chemical reaction from the mercury.

[Joanne Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting locked room mystery and I learned a bit about the substance Mercury:)

[Ricardo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book starts off well but very weak ending. Not really worth the read imo.

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character felt as if he existed almost outside of the story. He was definitely presented as an intellectual, but also a person with diplomacy. Possibly, the literary lack of emotion presentation of the British culture is at odds with my American one, but the lackluster attitude over the death and illnesses, especially of family, along with the luck of the draw at missing being the mark of murder gave me the same lackluster attitude about the story. The tiny clue was not enough to warrant the cockiness of genius from the main character. I do not recommend this book.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly dated but still enjoyable 1930’s Christmas short story based on a civil servant’s visit to his sister’s home. Good atmosphere & references to the growing hostilities & building tensions in Europe with some interesting chemistry thrown in.

[Virginie M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read. Not a great intrigue.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wikipedia states that this was written in 2000. That must be wrong.

I wonder when it really was written? It felt very dated.

[Pamela Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a novella, but it's actually a short story.

[Dell Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a very interesting mystery at all!! I was disappointed.....

[Lou Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short Christmas story....nice little plot!

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK Christmas-themed murder mystery. I can't say that it was great, or even especially memorable.

[Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short cozy Christmas mystery.