Murder Under the Christmas Tree

Murder Under the Christmas Tree / ed. by Cecily Gayford
London, UK: Profile Books, c2016.
288 p.

 

This collection was a fun and seasonal read. Somehow at Christmas I like to read classic mysteries so this collection of 10 by a variety of authors really hit the spot. It includes the following: 

The Necklace of Pearls by Dorothy L. Sayers

The Name on the Window by Edmund Crispin

A Traditional Christmas by Val McDermid

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Invisible Man by G.K. Chesterton

Cinders by Ian Rankin

Death on the Air by Ngaio March

Persons or Things Unknown by Carter Dixon

The Case is Altered by Margery Allingham

The Price of Light by Ellis Peters

I had already read a couple of these -- the Sherlock Holmes one of course, and the Dorothy Sayers one in an earlier Wimsey collection. But I enjoyed rereading, and discovering some of the others that were new to me. They are not all super Christmassy, but a few stood out. I don't usually read modern crime writers like McDermid, but her story in this collection was an enjoyable read that I found both tricky and fascinating both for the murder and for the characterizations she was able to bring out in just a few pages. 

I found the Allingham pretty weak, even though I have liked her novels in the past, and the Dixon was kind of forgettable for me. The one I was sure I wouldn't love was the Peters - medieval stories aren't generally my favourite. But this Brother Cadfael story was surprisingly apt for our times, and made a great conclusion to the book. 

I'd recommend this one if you are looking for some Christmassy stories to read during the holidays. There's likely something in it for everyone, and it's always nice to revisit some old classics if you've encountered them before. Happy Holiday reading!