“Murder In Midwinter: Ten Classic Crime Stories for Christmas” (Various Authors)
Midwinter. As snow falls softly outside and frost sparkles on tree branches, it's time to curl up before a roaring fire, wrap your hands around a steaming mug of mulled wine, and forget your worries for now.
But as the temperature drops outside, malice is sharpening its claws ... and murder walks abroad. In these classic stories of mystery and mayhem, let ten of the great crime writers in history surprise and delight you with twists and turns as shocking as an icicle in the heart.
A pleasant afternoon read, perfect for curling up with on a cold winter day. But your enjoyment will depend on how much you can bear each author.
A pleasant afternoon read, perfect for curling up with on a cold winter day. But your enjoyment will depend on how much you can bear each author.
This book is a comfort read. A collection of short stories all people will be familiar with. If you've ever watched television on a Sunday afternoon/evening, or over a Bank Holiday, then I'm comfortable predicting that you've definitely seen at least one adaptation from at least one of these authors.
I can’t say this book blew me away. But that’s not its intention. It’s a collection going for a specific feel. And it succeeds in exactly what it was going for. It emerges the reading in the comfortable and familiar. Something you can picture reading while bundled up in a thick blanket with a mug of cocoa, looking out over a snowy landscape.
Its only real problem is the same problem shared by all short story collections; whether you enjoy the selected authors.
I had a hard time getting into the book, as it started with a Dorothy L. Sayers story. And I'm sorry, but Dorothy L. Sayers sucks. I last read her over fifteen years ago and thought perhaps I would appreciate her more now I'm older. But no. She's still as flat, uninteresting, and self-satisfied as I remember.
But I suppose the fact that she was put first means some people consider her a draw.
Murder in Midwinter is exactly what it sets out to be. A collection of comfort reads that doesn't challenge, but also doesn't offend. To any fan of classic crime fiction, it's a wonderful read.
