Each year, for the past seventeen years, Mysterious Bookshop proprietor Otto Penzler has commissioned an original Christmas story by a leading suspense writer. These stories were then produced as pamphlets, just 1,000 copies, and given to customers of the bookstore as a Christmas present. Now, all seventeen tales have been collected in one volume, showcasing the talents of:

Charles Ardai • Lisa Atkinson

George Baxt • Lawrence Block

Mary Higgins Clark • Thomas H. Cook

Ron Goulart • Jeremiah Healy

Edward D. Hoch • Rupert Holmes

Andrew Klavan • Michael Malone

Ed McBain • Anne Perry • S. J. Rozan

Jonathan Santlofer • Donald E. Westlake

Some of these stories are humorous, others suspenseful, and still others are tales of pure detection, but all of them together make up a charming collection and a perfect Christmas gift for all ages.