Authors: ed. Abigail Browining
Murder Most Merry
32 CHRISTMAS CRIME STORIES FROM THE WORLD’S BEST MYSTERY WRITERS
Edited by Abigail Browning
GRAMERCY BOOKS
New York
The Acknowledgments on page vi constitute an extension of the copyright page.
Copyright © 2002 by Dell Magazines.
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ISBN: 0-517-22119-5
987654321
GRIST FOR THE MILLS OF CHRISTMAS – James Powell
AS DARK AS CHRISTMAS GETS – Lawrence Block
RUMPOLE AND THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS – John Mortimer
DEAD ON CHRISTMAS STREET – John D. MacDonald
MISS CRINDLE AND FATHER CHRISTMAS – Malcolm Gray
MYSTERY FOR CHRISTMAS – Anthony Boucher
THE CASE IS ALTERED – Margery Allingham
CHRISTMAS COP – Thomas Larry Adcock
THE THEFT OF THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING – Edward D. Hoch
THE CHRISTMAS BEAR – Herbert Resnicow
THE SHAPE OF THE NIGHTMARE – Francis M. Nevins, Jr.
CHRISTMAS GIFT – Robert Turner
I SAW MOMMY KILLING SANTA CLAUS – George Baxt
SUPPER WITH MISS SHIVERS – Peter Lovesey
APPALACHIAN BLACKMAIL – Jacqueline Vivelo
ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE MORNING – Margery Allingham
WHITE LIKE THE SNOW – Dan Stumpf
RUMPOLE AND THE CHAMBERS PARTY – John Mortimer
THE SPY AND THE CHRISTMAS CIPHER – Edward D. Hoch
INSPECTOR TIERCE AND THE CHRISTMAS VISITS – Jeffry Scott
CHRISTMAS PARTY – Martin Werner
THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
THE EMBEZZLER’S CHRISTMAS PRESENT – Ennis Duling
BELIEVING IN SANTA – Ron Goulart
PASS THE PARCEL – Peter Lovesey
THE THEFT OF SANTA’S BEARD – Edward D. Hoch
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH – Georges Simenon
MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE – Margery Allingham
WHO KILLED FATHER CHRISTMAS? – Patricia Moyes
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
“A Matter of Life and Death” by Georges Simenon, copyright © 1952 by Georges Simenon, reprinted by permission of the Author’s Estate; “A Winter’s Tale” by Ann Cleeves, copyright © 1994 by Ann Cleeves, reprinted by permission of Murray Pollinger Literary Agency; “As Dark as Christmas Gets” by Lawrence Block, copyright © 1997 by Lawrence Block, used by permission of the author; “Believing in Santa” by Ron Goulart, copyright © 1994 by Ron Goulart, reprinted by permission of the author; “Christmas Cop” by Thomas Adcock, copyright © 1986 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author; “Christmas Party” by Martin Werner, copyright © 1991 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author: “Dead on Christmas Street” by John D. MacDonald, copyright © Dorothy P. MacDonald Trust, reprinted by permission of Diskant Associates; “Grist for the Mills of Christmas” by James Powell, copyright © 1994 by James Powell, reprinted by permission of the author, “I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus” by George Baxt, copyright © 1990 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author; “Miss Crindle and Father Christmas” by Malcom Gray, copyright © 1990 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.; “Murder Under the Mistletoe” by Margery Allingham, copyright © 1962 by Margery Allingham, © renewed, reprinted by permission of P. & M. Youngman Carter, Ltd.; “Mystery for Christmas” by Anthony Boucher, copyright © 1942 by Anthony Boucher, reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.; “On Christmas Day in the Morning” by Margery Allingham. copyright © 1952 by P. & M. Youngman Carter, Ltd., reprinted by permission of the Estate; “Pass the Parcel” by Peter Lovesey. copyright © 1994 by Peter Lovesey, reprinted by permission of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents; “Rumpole and the Chambers Party” by John Mortimer, copyright © 1988 by Advanpress, Ltd., reprinted by permission of Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.; “Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas” by John Mortimer, copyright © 1988 by Advanpress Limited, reprinted by permission of Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.; “Santa Claus Beat” by Rex Stout, copyright © 1953 by Rex Stout, reprinted by permission of the Estate; “Santa’s Way” by James Powell, copyright © 1991 Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author: “Supper with Miss Shivers” by Peter Lovesey, copyright © 1991 by Peter Lovesey. reprinted with permission of John Farquharson. Ltd.; “The Case is Altered” by Margery Allingham, copyright © 1949 by American Mercury Publications, reprinted by permission of John Stevens Robling Ltd: “The Shape of the Nightmare” by Francis M. Nevins. Jr.. copyright © 1981 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author: “The Spy and the Christmas Cipher” by Edward D. Hoch. copyright © 1990 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author; “The Theft of Santa’s Beard” by Edward D. Hoch, copyright © 1992 by Bantam Doubleday Dell Magazines, reprinted by permission of the author “The Theft of the Christmas Stocking” by Edward D. Hoch, copyright © 1989 by Davis Publications, Inc.. reprinted by permission of the author; “White Like the Snow” by Dan Stumpf, copyright © 1998 by Dan Stumpf, used by permission of the author; “Who Killed Father Christmas?” by Patricia Moyes, copyright © 1980 by Laura W. Haywood & Isaac Asimov, first appeared in
WHO DONE IT?
. reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd. All stories have previously appeared in
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine,
published by Dell Magazines.
“Appalachian Blackmail” by Jacqueline Vivelo, copyright © 1993 Bantam Doubleday Dell Magazines, reprinted by permission of the author, “Christmas Gift” by Robert Turner, copyright © 1957 by H. S. D. Publications, Inc.. copyright renewed 1985 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the Scott Meredith Literary Agency: “Inspector Tierce and the Christmas Visits” by Jeffry Scott, copyright © 1994 by Jeffry Scott, reprinted by permission of the author, “The Christmas Bear” by Herbert Resnicow. copyright © 1989 by Davis Publications, Inc., reprinted by permission of the author, “The Embezzler’s Christmas Present” by Ennis Dulling, copyright © 1982 by Davis Publications, Inc.. reprinted by permission of the author. All stories have previously appeared in
Alfred Hitchcock’s
Mystery Magazine
, published by Dell Magazines.
INTRODUCTION
The Yuletide season has proven irresistible ground for mystery writers, and
Murder
Most Merry
is a collection of the best in Christmas crimes. These 32 stories from
Ellery
Queen’s Mystery Magazine
and
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
span from hard-boiled police procedurals to cozy mysteries to fantasy adventures. With mysteries embracing sentiments ranging from world-weary cynicism to uplifting joy, this collection provides a holiday feast for mystery fans.
On his “Santa Claus Beat,” Rex Stout’s Art Hippie pines for a Christmas Eve murder truly befitting the season. In John D. MacDonald’s story, a young woman ends up “Dead on Christmas Street,” and the cops corner the desperate murderer using unconventional resources. Robert Turner offers a “Christmas Gift” anyone would be pleased to receive, and solving mysteries means more than just finding criminals when we go along with “Inspector Tierce and the Christmas Visits,” by Jeffry Scott.
Professional thief Nick Velvet welcomes the holiday spirit when he attempts “The Theft of the Christmas Stocking,” by Edward D. Hoch, while Thomas Larry Adcock’s “Christmas Cop” stumbles across a gang of criminals who understand that it is better to give than to receive.
In a trio of tales featuring the bespectacled Mr. Albert Campion, Margery Allingham explores the darker side of the human spirit and lifts it into the light. “On Christmas Day in the Morning,” an elderly woman embraces the enduring love and promise of Christmas in the face of life’s tragedies. When there’s “Murder Under the Mistletoe,” an old acquaintance of Campion’s draws on his expertise to solve an impossible crime. And, “The Case is Altered” on holiday in the country, when Campion explores a series of peculiar events.
From the first perplexing and then intriguing “Supper With Miss Shivers,” by Peter Lovesey, to the “Christmas Party” with a twist by Martin Werner, to “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” classic by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, here are Christmas crimes every mystery reader will love to unwrap, one clue at a time.