The Usual Santas

Starred review from August 28, 2017
Soho Crime draws from its impressive roster of authors for this outstanding Christmas-themed anthology. The tone of the 18 entries varies considerably, from the lighthearted to the grim. Some contributors use lead characters from their series: Martin Limón features his wisecracking, savvy U.S. Army investigators George Sueño and Ernie Bascom in “PX Christmas,” and Jane Austen plays sleuth in Stephanie Barron’s “Jane and the Midnight Clear.” Others step with ease out of their comfort zone, such as Gary Corby, who takes a break from ancient Greece to feature Niccolo Machiavelli and Cesare Borgia in “The Prince (of Peace).” Ed Lin’s NYPD detective Robert Chow is absent from “Martin,” one of several tales with a wicked twist at the end. Mick Herron perhaps most effectively integrates Christmas themes in the title story, in which a group of mall Santas, whose real identities are unknown to one another, find that there’s a stranger in their midst. Other contributors include Timothy Hallinan, Mettie Ivie Harrison, Sujata Massey, and Colin Cotterill. This is the perfect holiday gift for mystery fans.

September 15, 2017
From one story about a crime-solving Jane Austen to another featuring a decapitated crime boss, these 18 crime tales provide a wonderful introduction to the range of fine international mystery authors published by Soho Press. Some of the stories are pure stand-alones (like Mick Herron's delightfully absurd title story), and some offer a glimpse into the domestic life of series characters (like Mormon bishop's wife Linda Wallheim in Mette Ivie Harrison's A Mother's Curse ). This collection is perfect for mystery fans who can't decide what they're in the mood for next. Even the most voracious genre reader is likely to stumble onto a new voice. More than likely, they'll be reminded of a favorite they want to check back in on. Perhaps readers looking only for tearful homecomings and talking cats will find some of these stories too coarse for their taste, but everyone else will be well served. The Christmas theme is central to some stories, merely a time of year in others. But each bite-size mystery in this winning collection is a gift.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

October 15, 2017

With a foreword and story by Lovesy, this holiday-themed collection presents 18 pieces of short fiction from an impressive roster of international mystery writers. The voices veer from darkly humorous (Helene Tursten and Mick Herron) to touching (Timothy Hallinan and Mette Ivie Harrison) to disturbing (Stuart Neville and Ed Lin), with tales set around the globe. Standouts include Herron's title story, featuring multiple shopping center Santas in London who enjoy an unusual Christmas Eve, and Cara Black's "Cabaret aux Assassins," a tale of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler in Paris. VERDICT This is a thoroughly entertaining seasonal noir collection with something for everyone. [See Prepub Alert, 4/17/17.]

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