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Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop

by Otto Penzler
Vanguard: Perseus. Oct. 2010. c.256p. ed. by Otto Penzler. ISBN 9781593156176. $24.95. M
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For 17 years, venerable mystery expert Penzler has commissioned top authors to write a holiday mystery story featuring his New York City store, The Mysterious Bookshop. Previously given as exclusive gifts to store clientele, these tales are now anthologized here. Standouts include Edward Hoch's "The Theft of the Rusty Bookmark," which finds a murder weapon in a box of old, unwanted mystery books; Ed McBain's "I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus"; and Charles Ardai's "Cold Reading," in which a young woman gets more than she bargained for when she wants to sell a possibly rare manuscript to Penzler. Enthusiastically recommended for mystery and short story buffs. [See the 9/16/10 issue of BookSmack! for a Q&A with Penzler.—Ed.]
Reviewed by Rebecca Vnuk , Oct 01, 2010
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