| The Scrying Eye |
a witch for the holidays. There are plenty of flavors, and each story holds its own rewards.
A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales edited by Brian M. Thomsen (Aspect— available now) is another
collection of Fantasy and Science Fiction tales centered around Christmas. This anthology features such authors
as Neil Gaiman, Connie Willis, Harlan Ellison, Clive Barker, and many, many more. The stories range the gamut
from pleasant and cheery to downright terrifying. But one thing unites all of the fiction presented here, and that is
epic writing. All the authors are acclaimed, and they all deliver the yuletide goods! For a fantastical journey into the
meaning of Christmas, you can’t go wrong with this collection!
Mystery/Thriller
Horror!
Ten Lords A-Leaping: A Mystery by C. C. Benison
(Father Christmas, #3, Delacorte Press— available
December 3, 2013) is the third in the series featuring
Father Tom Christmas and the sleepy hamlet of Thornford Regis. Another mystery has come to Father Christmas, and he must solve it in his inimitable style. Fans of
British mysteries will take to this series right away, and
those who love a good Christmas-themed whodunit will
enjoy it, as well!
You’d Better Watch Out! edited by Kevin G. Bufton
(CreateSpace—available now) contains sixteen tales of
festive fear and yuletide terror—featuring authors such
as K. Trap Jones, David Williamson, Angela Pritchett,
and a host of others. You can have your candy cane
and stick it in a zombie’s eye, too! Stories about undead
Santas, killer reindeer, and other Christmas horrors
await your reading pleasure. Open this present, if you
dare!
A Christmas Hope: A Novel by Anne Perry (Ballantine
Books—available now) is a delightful story featuring a
strong female lead and a mystery that will determine
the life-or-death fate of a young man caught up in its
machinations. Claudine Burroughs leads an unsatisfied life with a cold husband and a group of friends that
care more about their social status than actual relationships. When she meets a delightful young poet named
Dai Treggaron at a Christmas party, she finds a kindred
soul. But Dai is soon accused of murdering a streetwalker, and now Claudine must turn her every effort
towards saving his life. Will she succeed, or will the
very society she belongs to help frame the young
poet for a murder he didn’t commit? Read on and you
shall find out!
A Hacked-Up Holiday Massacre: Halloween is Going to be Jealous edited by Shane McKenzie (Pill Hill
Press—available now) is a collection of short stories
themed around various holidays. Not all of the stories
involve Christmas, but many do, and let me tell you,
they deliver the bloody goods. Featuring such renowned authors as Jack Ketchum, Wrath James White,
Joe R. Lansdale, Bentley Little, and many others, this is
a can’t-miss anthology.
74 | www.BTSeMag.com