32 CHRISTMAS CRIME STORIES FROM THE WORLD’S 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 WINTER’S 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
SANTA’S 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 EMBEZZLER’S CHRISTMAS PRESENT – Ennis Duling
BELIEVING IN SANTA – Ron Goulart
PASS THE PARCEL – Peter Lovesey
THE THEFT OF SANTA’S 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 Author’s Estate;
“A Winter’s 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;
“Santa’s 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 Santa’s Beard” by Edward D. Hoch, copyright © 1992 by Bantam Doubleday Dell Magazines,
