Abigail Browining: Murder Most Merry

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, 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 Queen’s 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 Embezzler’s Christmas Present” by Ennis Dulling, copyright © 1982 by Davis Publications, Inc.. reprinted by permission of the author. All stories have previously appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s 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 Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s 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 Stout’s Art Hippie pines for a Christmas Eve murder truly befitting the season. In John D. MacDonald’s 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.