Who killed Father Christmas? And Other Seasonal Mysteries

‘'The night was cold and frosty with a frozen moon like a bulkhead light set in a bowl of steel. The broken arch of the ruins cast a sharp shadow across the rime-covered grass - a shadow that was lost in the deeper blackness within the curved arch.''

We can't have Christmas without an anthology of Christmas mysteries, superbly introduced and edited by Martin Edwards. This collection is the brand new offering from the archives of the British Library Crime Classics and is every bit as fun, mysterious and Christmassy as ever. 

These are my favourite moments:

Τhe Christmas Thief (Frank Howel Evans): A game of espionage and counter-espionage in the heart of London.

The Christmas Spirit (Lucy Malleson writing as Anthony Gilbert): A quintessentially British story, full of Gothic romance, and spectres in a hunted inn. Superb!

Gold, Frankincense, and Murder (Catherine Aird): A case of mysterious food poisoning uncovers dark secrets within a small community.

Secrets in the Snow (J.Jefferson Farjeon): A headstrong young woman becomes witness to a bizarre crime, in an extremely atmospheric, bleak story.

Who Killed Father Christmas? (Patricia Moyes): A Father Christmas is murdered in a story that turns every mystery trope upside-down.

Death at Christmas (Glyn Daniel): A man narrates the horrible accident in which his friend was involved on a dark Christmas day. However, in this outstanding ghost story, nothing is as it seems...

The Christmas Train (Will Scott): A suave con man and his persecutor become allies to uncover a fraud.

Present for Ivo (Ellis Peters): A young teacher and a brilliant boy unwittingly become involved in an inspired theft.

Just keep the Christmas collections coming!

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/