Silent Nights by Martin Edwards

Silent Nights Edited by Martin Edwards ISBN-13: 9781464204999 Paperback: 298 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: November 3, 2015

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
This book introduces of readers to some of the finest Christmas detective stories of the past. Martin Edwards’ selection blends festive pieces from much-loved authors with one or two stories which are likely to be unfamiliar even to diehard mystery fans. The result is a collection of crime fiction to savor, whatever the season.


My Review:
Silent Nights is a collection of 15 short stories with a Christmas setting and which were written in the Golden Age of crime fiction. There were a few clue-based puzzle mysteries (including one containing a chess problem to work out) and a couple suspense stories. Most were mysteries where the detective knows what's going on but no one else does, so he shows off how clever he is. While the stories were well-written, I prefer mysteries where I can puzzle out whodunit for myself. My favorite story was "A Problem in White" by Nicholas Blake.

Overall, there was a minor amount of bad language; some stories had none. There was no sex. I'd recommend this collection to those who enjoy the "reveal" as much as the challenge of mysteries.

The included stories are:
"The Blue Carbuncle" by Arthur Conan Doyle
"Parlour Tricks" by Ralph Plummer
"A Happy Solution" by Raymund Allen
"The Flying Stars" by G.K. Chesterton
"Stuffing" by Edgar Wallace
"The Unknown Murderer" by H.C. Bailey
"The Absconding Treasure" by J. Jefferson Farjeon
"The Necklace of Pearls" by Dorothy L. Sayers
"The Case is Altered" by Margery Allingham
"Waxworks" by Ethel Lina White
"Cambric Tea" by Marjorie Bowen
"The Chinese Apple" by Joseph Shearing
"A Problem in White" by Nicholas Blake
"The Name on the Window" by Edmund Crispin
"Beef for Christmas" by Leo Bruce


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.