Golden Age Christmas Mysteries

7 November 2025

Territory Rights — Worldwide including Canada, but excluding the British Commonwealth.

Otto Penzler (Author)

Description

Edgar Award-winning anthologist Otto Penzler selects Christmas-themed mysteries from the genre’s Golden Age, including stories by Mary Roberts Rinehart, John Dickson Carr, Ellery Queen, and more.

Christmas has served as a fertile background for mystery fiction for a very long time, perhaps because it has the appearance of a time of peace and love while being so at odds with violence, crime, and even murder.

This delightful seasonal anthology includes holiday tales from some of the greatest Golden Age mystery authors. It offers such giants of the genre as Ellery Queen, Mary Roberts Rinehart, John D. MacDonald, and John Dickson Carr while introducing lesser-known writers such as Norvell Page, Meredith Nicholson, and Pat Frank. With chronicles that range from truly chilling to heart-warming to hilarious to puzzling, this volume highlights a variety of subjects and styles as each author brings their own approach to the most wonderful time of the year.

Featuring fourteen outstanding stories of Yuletide mystery selected and introduced by Edgar-winning anthologist Otto Penzler, Golden Age Christmas Mysteries offers hours of cozy reading, best enjoyed on a cold, snowy night, in a comfortable chair near a blazing fire.

Reviews

"The collection evokes a welcome sense of nostalgia. . . . [It] stands out as consistently strong and would make an ideal stocking stuffer. Even better, it’s suitable for dipping in and out of over time or doing an immediate deep dive." — Criminal Element

"This anthology delivers a festive yet thrilling collection of 14 Christmas-themed detective stories drawn from the Golden Age of Crime. Penzler’s skill as an editor shines. . . . For fans of classic detective fiction, especially those who enjoy the contrast between holiday cheer and crime, this anthology offers a mixture of chilling plots, clever puzzles and atmospheric settings." — Crime Fiction Lover

"Yet another delightful compilation of stories. [Otto Penzler] knows his mysteries." — Dayton Daily News

Hardback

9781613167014

142 x 211 mm • 360 pages

£22.00

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Standalone Ebook

9781613167038

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