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A review by saareman
Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop by Otto Penzler
4.0
The Twelve Crimes of Christmas
A review of The Mysterious Press hardcover (October 22, 2024) released simultaneously with the eBook/audiobook.
[4.1 average of the 12 stories, rounded down to a GR 4]
Like Christmas music in the shopping malls, I had to rush the season and read this anthology collection as soon as I got it in November. As editor Otto Penzler writes in his Introduction, The Mysterious Bookshop in NYC commissions an annual Christmas related story from a prominent crime/mystery fiction writer to be printed in a limited edition of 1,000 pamphlet copies. These are then given away free to its customers during the Holiday season. This collection includes the 12 stories from 2012 to 2023. The previous 17 years of stories were collected in [b:Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop|8487876|Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop|Otto Penzler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328753381l/8487876._SY75_.jpg|13353222] (2010).
This was a very enjoyable collection overall. Some of the stories do range in silly territory but in the spirit of giving and goodwill, even those can be forgiven. Everything here was in 3 stars and up territory and everyone will have their personal faves. For me the later stories were the 5 stars, especially #12 by Martin Edwards, which would also qualify for Penzler's other commissioned series, the Bibliomysteries.
The following individual story synopses and ratings are lightly edited from my status updates. They provide setups only without ending reveals, so I have not spoiler blocked them.
1. Black Christmas (2012) **** by [a:Jason Starr|35697|Jason Starr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1593699691p2/35697.jpg]. You'll wonder at first where is the crime or the mystery here. A drunk is crushing over an apparent ex-lover who has dumped him. A gray haired man is slyly observing him at the Mysterious Bookshop. Then in the final pages it all becomes clear.
2. A Midnight Clear (2013) *** by [a:Lyndsay Faye|1894025|Lyndsay Faye|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1317684103p2/1894025.jpg]. I'm hoping not too many of these stories start off with alcoholics. A drunk sets out to kill the man he suspects killed his wife. While lurking in wait, he stops in at the Mysterious Bookshop and browses some Sherlock Holmes tales which he read in his youth. Will that have an impact on what he decides to do next?
3. Wolfe Trap: A Claudius Lyon Mystery (2014) *** by [a:Loren D. Estleman|13371|Loren D. Estleman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1358178994p2/13371.jpg]. It is getting a bit silly with this one. In this Nero Wolfe parody, amateur detective Claudius Lyon (who raises tomatoes instead of orchids) is called out to solve the disappearance of money from a locked desk drawer at The Mysterious Bookshop. Otto Penzler makes a cameo appearance and there is a bunch of book banter.
4. Secret Santa (2015) *** by [a:Ace Atkins|140695|Ace Atkins|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1617114365p2/140695.jpg]. A worn out writer of hardboiled novels featuring an unrealistic tough guy anti-hero comes to The Mysterious Bookshop for his annual book release & signing. He plans to kill off his character with this final book, but an overly zealous fan is stalking him with other ideas in mind.
5. The Gift of the Wiseguy (2016) **** by [a:Rob Hart|6525349|Rob Hart|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1643514093p2/6525349.jpg]. Eric Calabrese is doing his book release and signing at The Mysterious Bookshop. His non-fiction book, the "White Sheep" is about growing up in a mobster family. But then his mobster father shows up for the signing and he was supposed to be in Witness Protection after dropping the dime on his fellow gangsters. Meanwhile, the cops are listening in.
6. Snowflake Time (2017) **** by [a:Laura Lippman|60459|Laura Lippman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1518016192p2/60459.jpg]. A newsman makes his career from shaming individuals. He is fired from the Gotham News Network for sexual innuendo. He turns to crime fiction writing. The book is actually ghost written just like his supposed non-fiction books. He is at the release and signing at The Mysterious Bookshop when an apparent enthusiastic fan makes an approach.
7. The Christmas Party (2018) ***** by [a:Jeffery Deaver|1612|Jeffery Deaver|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1305944481p2/1612.jpg]. John, in his late 70s has been put into senior care by his nephew Martin and his wife Emily. Martin and Emily need money and John has a trust fund. They take a hint from caregiver Carmen that she can help put John out of his misery. As with every Deaver I've ever read, there is a diabolical twist before the ending.
8. Here We Come A-Wassailing (2019) **** by [a:Thomas Perry|36341|Thomas Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1221969758p2/36341.jpg]. The premise here was rather fun, but it was stretched a few steps too far. A rare and very expensive bottle of cognac is gifted and regifted on Christmas Eve. Each recipient takes one drink, tops up the bottle with what they have at hand and reseals the bottle before regifting it. It ends up at The Mysterious Bookshop on Christmas morning.
9. A Christmas Puzzle (2020) ***** by [a:Ragnar Jónasson|3481417|Ragnar Jónasson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1452211830p2/3481417.jpg]. An 80-year-old woman approaches a clerk at The Mysterious Bookshop to help her solve a puzzle. It is a book crossword that when completed will provide an acrostic answer. The books are all Christmas mysteries and the clues are the publication years. You would have to enlarge the microscopic puzzle image if you wanted to solve it yourself.
10. Hester's Gift (2022) ***** by [a:Tom Mead|654976|Tom Mead|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Highsmithian sort of tale where crime fiction fan Hester Queeg attends a crime & mystery writer's convention in Manhattan and witnesses two apparent murders on stage during public speeches and the only weapons found are harmless toy guns. The police are baffled, but Hester figures out the solution.
11. Sergeant Santa (2021) ***** by [a:David Gordon|113520|David Gordon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366640272p2/113520.jpg]. A family of grifters & pickpockets end up with the badge of a corrupt NYC police sergeant. In order to prevent his pickpocket aunt from being hunted down and arrested, her nephew assumes the identity while flashing the badge and goes around NYC performing good deeds at Christmas and building goodwill for the cop. This was silly but good fun!
12. End Game (2023) ***** by [a:Martin Edwards|31252|Martin Edwards|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1535842393p2/31252.jpg]. This one would also have qualified for the Bibliomysteries series. Various writers are cursed when they try to write an ending to Charles Dickens' final unfinished novel [b:The Mystery of Edwin Drood|329957|The Mystery of Edwin Drood|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1430101428l/329957._SY75_.jpg|3058467] (1870). The tale is told as if it is a "Ghost Story for Christmas" as per M.R. James. A superb ending for this collection!
A review of The Mysterious Press hardcover (October 22, 2024) released simultaneously with the eBook/audiobook.
[4.1 average of the 12 stories, rounded down to a GR 4]
Like Christmas music in the shopping malls, I had to rush the season and read this anthology collection as soon as I got it in November. As editor Otto Penzler writes in his Introduction, The Mysterious Bookshop in NYC commissions an annual Christmas related story from a prominent crime/mystery fiction writer to be printed in a limited edition of 1,000 pamphlet copies. These are then given away free to its customers during the Holiday season. This collection includes the 12 stories from 2012 to 2023. The previous 17 years of stories were collected in [b:Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop|8487876|Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop|Otto Penzler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328753381l/8487876._SY75_.jpg|13353222] (2010).
This was a very enjoyable collection overall. Some of the stories do range in silly territory but in the spirit of giving and goodwill, even those can be forgiven. Everything here was in 3 stars and up territory and everyone will have their personal faves. For me the later stories were the 5 stars, especially #12 by Martin Edwards, which would also qualify for Penzler's other commissioned series, the Bibliomysteries.
The following individual story synopses and ratings are lightly edited from my status updates. They provide setups only without ending reveals, so I have not spoiler blocked them.
1. Black Christmas (2012) **** by [a:Jason Starr|35697|Jason Starr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1593699691p2/35697.jpg]. You'll wonder at first where is the crime or the mystery here. A drunk is crushing over an apparent ex-lover who has dumped him. A gray haired man is slyly observing him at the Mysterious Bookshop. Then in the final pages it all becomes clear.
2. A Midnight Clear (2013) *** by [a:Lyndsay Faye|1894025|Lyndsay Faye|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1317684103p2/1894025.jpg]. I'm hoping not too many of these stories start off with alcoholics. A drunk sets out to kill the man he suspects killed his wife. While lurking in wait, he stops in at the Mysterious Bookshop and browses some Sherlock Holmes tales which he read in his youth. Will that have an impact on what he decides to do next?
3. Wolfe Trap: A Claudius Lyon Mystery (2014) *** by [a:Loren D. Estleman|13371|Loren D. Estleman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1358178994p2/13371.jpg]. It is getting a bit silly with this one. In this Nero Wolfe parody, amateur detective Claudius Lyon (who raises tomatoes instead of orchids) is called out to solve the disappearance of money from a locked desk drawer at The Mysterious Bookshop. Otto Penzler makes a cameo appearance and there is a bunch of book banter.
4. Secret Santa (2015) *** by [a:Ace Atkins|140695|Ace Atkins|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1617114365p2/140695.jpg]. A worn out writer of hardboiled novels featuring an unrealistic tough guy anti-hero comes to The Mysterious Bookshop for his annual book release & signing. He plans to kill off his character with this final book, but an overly zealous fan is stalking him with other ideas in mind.
5. The Gift of the Wiseguy (2016) **** by [a:Rob Hart|6525349|Rob Hart|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1643514093p2/6525349.jpg]. Eric Calabrese is doing his book release and signing at The Mysterious Bookshop. His non-fiction book, the "White Sheep" is about growing up in a mobster family. But then his mobster father shows up for the signing and he was supposed to be in Witness Protection after dropping the dime on his fellow gangsters. Meanwhile, the cops are listening in.
6. Snowflake Time (2017) **** by [a:Laura Lippman|60459|Laura Lippman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1518016192p2/60459.jpg]. A newsman makes his career from shaming individuals. He is fired from the Gotham News Network for sexual innuendo. He turns to crime fiction writing. The book is actually ghost written just like his supposed non-fiction books. He is at the release and signing at The Mysterious Bookshop when an apparent enthusiastic fan makes an approach.
7. The Christmas Party (2018) ***** by [a:Jeffery Deaver|1612|Jeffery Deaver|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1305944481p2/1612.jpg]. John, in his late 70s has been put into senior care by his nephew Martin and his wife Emily. Martin and Emily need money and John has a trust fund. They take a hint from caregiver Carmen that she can help put John out of his misery. As with every Deaver I've ever read, there is a diabolical twist before the ending.
8. Here We Come A-Wassailing (2019) **** by [a:Thomas Perry|36341|Thomas Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1221969758p2/36341.jpg]. The premise here was rather fun, but it was stretched a few steps too far. A rare and very expensive bottle of cognac is gifted and regifted on Christmas Eve. Each recipient takes one drink, tops up the bottle with what they have at hand and reseals the bottle before regifting it. It ends up at The Mysterious Bookshop on Christmas morning.
9. A Christmas Puzzle (2020) ***** by [a:Ragnar Jónasson|3481417|Ragnar Jónasson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1452211830p2/3481417.jpg]. An 80-year-old woman approaches a clerk at The Mysterious Bookshop to help her solve a puzzle. It is a book crossword that when completed will provide an acrostic answer. The books are all Christmas mysteries and the clues are the publication years. You would have to enlarge the microscopic puzzle image if you wanted to solve it yourself.
10. Hester's Gift (2022) ***** by [a:Tom Mead|654976|Tom Mead|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Highsmithian sort of tale where crime fiction fan Hester Queeg attends a crime & mystery writer's convention in Manhattan and witnesses two apparent murders on stage during public speeches and the only weapons found are harmless toy guns. The police are baffled, but Hester figures out the solution.
11. Sergeant Santa (2021) ***** by [a:David Gordon|113520|David Gordon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366640272p2/113520.jpg]. A family of grifters & pickpockets end up with the badge of a corrupt NYC police sergeant. In order to prevent his pickpocket aunt from being hunted down and arrested, her nephew assumes the identity while flashing the badge and goes around NYC performing good deeds at Christmas and building goodwill for the cop. This was silly but good fun!
12. End Game (2023) ***** by [a:Martin Edwards|31252|Martin Edwards|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1535842393p2/31252.jpg]. This one would also have qualified for the Bibliomysteries series. Various writers are cursed when they try to write an ending to Charles Dickens' final unfinished novel [b:The Mystery of Edwin Drood|329957|The Mystery of Edwin Drood|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1430101428l/329957._SY75_.jpg|3058467] (1870). The tale is told as if it is a "Ghost Story for Christmas" as per M.R. James. A superb ending for this collection!