... How could I possibly resist when I saw this book pop up on Trade Me last week? Nothing drives you to homicidal thoughts quite like Christmas. Must be something to do with all the extra rellies around! The book, Murder for Christmas, proclaims to contain '26 Takes of Seasonal Malice.' Doesn't that have such a great ring to it? 'Seasonal Malice?' Even the fly leaf contains the charming little line - 'Here is a perfect Christmas gift for the person who has everything - and plans to leave it to you.'
It contains stories from the likes of Ngaio Marsh, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen - all the usual suspects.
What made me laugh out loud when I opened the book, though, was the book plate inside, which proudly states:
Christ's Collge
Prize for Merit
Form 3
Awarded to J.H. Dalton
December 1990.
So one has to ask, Did young Master Dalton inspire murderous thoughts in his Headmaster!?!
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7 comments:
Oh I love that title - I am a well-known Scrooge and usually start feeling murderous around mid-November when I hear the first carols in a department store.
It sounds like a good holiday read. I love the cover.
Vanda - can you add this to Suggest a Christmas Title?
looks like a fantastic book. I was thinking yesterday about Christmas-related crime novels or short stories - I remember reading a Jeffery Deaver one as part of his TWISTED collection of short stories a few years ago (it was a Lincoln Rhyme tale).
Might have to scour around for this collection too.
Christmas themed books are covered over at Kerrie's 'Suggest a Christmas Title' post on her blog. I enjoyed Ngaio Marsh's Tied up in Tinsel.
Must learn how to do a link from the comments section!
Well, you all might remember that Blood Men is set in the week of Christmas.
That's a jolly festive thought now, isn't it?
Seasonal Malice is a great title for a book ... or in my case ... a short story. I might nick it errrr ... borrow it.
That's so true Dave - I would have never thought of BLOOD MEN being a Xmas set thriller, but you're right, it is. Terrific - so now we have at least two NZ Xmas crime novels (along with Dame Ngaio's TIED UP IN TINSEL). Any others, anyone?
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