The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries

Written by Otto Penzler

Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies and Cat Gould

Have yourself a crooked little Christmas with The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries.



Edgar Award–winning editor Otto Penzler collects more than fifty of his all-time favorite holiday crime stories—many of which are difficult or nearly impossible to find anywhere else. From classic Victorian tales by Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Thomas Hardy, to contemporary stories by Sara Paretsky and Ed McBain, this collection touches on all aspects of the holiday season, and all types of mysteries. They are suspenseful, funny, frightening, and poignant.



Included are puzzles by Mary Higgins Clark and Isaac Asimov; uncanny tales in the tradition of A Christmas Carol by Peter Lovesey and Max Allan Collins; O. Henry–like stories by Stanley Ellin and Joseph Shearing; comic gems from Donald E. Westlake and John Mortimer; and many, many more. Almost any kind of mystery you're in the mood for—suspense, pure detection, humor, cozy, private eye, or police procedural—can be found in this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Highbridge Company
• Release date: Feb 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781684576869

Otto Penzler

OTTO PENZLER is a renowned mystery editor, publisher, columnist, and owner of New York’s The Mysterious Bookshop, the oldest and largest bookstore solely dedicated to mystery fiction. He has edited more than fifty crime-fiction anthologies. He lives in New York.

Reviews for The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries

[seschend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great eclectic and marvelously mixed bag of stories, most to all of which were excellent reads no matter their originating genre or sub-genre. I'm going to have to get a copy of this to keep, as I already want to reread some stories despite having returned this book to the library.

[drapple_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

No lie! It is really a big book of short stories by renowned authors of the genre. I loved almost all of them and earned about some authors I didn't know.

[murderbydeath · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've only read 6 of the stories so far, and 5 of them I've read previously in another anthology, but they've all been excellent, save 1 (A Visit From St. Nicholas by Ron Goulart; not badly written, I guess, but it didn't really feel like much of a story, either).

If you're into short stories and holiday reading, I'd recommend this one as a very worthwhile investment.

[carrie.kilgore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a fabulous collection of short stories, connected by Christmas (at least a mention) and mystery. They run the gamut from profound to silly, from the deft cozy to the chilling. The stories are sectioned so the reader can choose specific types (traditional, funny, Sherlockian, pulpy, uncanny, sorry, surprising, modern, puzzling and classic). I read it straight through, enjoying the variety. Many of the greats are represented here (Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ellery Queen, Robert Louis Stevenson, O. Henry, Rex Stout, and so forth) as are many less well known writers. Many of these stories are extremely hard to find anywhere else. Each story is preceded by a short blurb on the author, interesting and often surprising. This is a volume I intend to dip into each year... even the busiest at yuletide should be able to find a few minutes for a short story here and there. Highly recommended.

[debruyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having to wait for this very large book was very much like waiting to open Christmas presents. When it arrived, I was so anxious to tear into the stories. Many I had never read, a few were past favorites and a couple...were really not 'my cup of tea'.
Overall, I would recommend this gathering of Christmas mysteries to everyone, for all tastes are met within the covers.
However, strong wrists are necessary for any lengthy reading session.