Abigail Browining - Murder Most Merry

32 CHRISTMAS CRIME STORIES FROM THE WORLDS 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.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

A WINTERS TALE Ann Cleeves

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

SANTAS WAY James Powell

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

SANTA CLAUS BEAT Rex Stout

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 EMBEZZLERS CHRISTMAS PRESENT Ennis Duling

BELIEVING IN SANTA Ron Goulart

PASS THE PARCEL Peter Lovesey

THE THEFT OF SANTAS 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 Authors Estate;

A Winters 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;

Santas 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 Santas 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 Queens 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 Embezzlers Christmas Present by Ennis Dulling, copyright 1982 by Davis Publications, Inc.. reprinted by permission of the author. All stories have previously appeared in Alfred Hitchcocks 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 Queens Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcocks 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 Stouts Art Hippie pines for a Christmas Eve murder truly befitting the season. In John D. MacDonalds 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 Adcocks Christmas Cop stumbles across a gang of criminals who understand that it is better to give than to receive.