The Philosophy of Christmas by Caroline Taggart

Caroline Taggart’s The Philosophy of Christmas was my most anticipated read this holiday season. The gorgeous cover captivated my imagination, and I was very eager to see inside, which is why I am so excited to be sharing some of the delights this book had to offer. Get ready for a photo heavy review. But if you are at all concerned that I’ve shown all the best bits. Not to worry! I’m only displaying a fraction of the many gorgeous illustrations to be found inside of this book.

Despite my enthusiasm for this title, as someone who does not gravitate towards nonfiction, I was a bit worried about how I would get on with this book. Would it be one of the books that fall under the category of those I want to like, but are ultimately not for me? My mind was put at ease as soon as I read the introduction. The tone leans more towards the conversational than the textbook and I knew that this was one nonfiction book that I could enjoy with a cup of tea and a mince tart in the evening without overtaxing my tired brain.

I love that the first section is entitled “In the Beginning...” an illusion to the book of Genesis that plays on the multilayered origin of Christmas as being rooted in the Midwinter festival of Saturnalia celebrated by the Ancient Romans and the Winter Solstice celebrations of the Pagans of northern Europe. These celebrations were then adopted by Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. The book goes on to explain the creation of St. Nicholas as a way of redirecting the focus of away from the gods Saturn and Odin, which the festivals of Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice had at the basis of their beliefs.

But before you start to think that this book is just about ancient history, I will assure you that it moves on to sections describing the foods of Christmas and how they developed, the decorations, especially the plants associated with the holiday, greeting cards and how they have changed through the ages, as well as festive entertainments, such as carols and games.

Besides the tone, what really worked for me in this book is that instead of merely starting with the earliest origins of Christmas then working its way through to the present day, it starts with the early origins and then goes through the different subjects mentioned above, while moving back and forth in time. That might sound like it would be confusing, but I assure you, this method goes with the conversational tone of the book, as well as providing a logical progression that feels easy and natural. 

One of the tidbits of information I found interesting was the explanation for how Santa’s elves came about. 

In many northern European cultures elves have long been benevolent characters who work behind the scenes (they help out a poor shoemaker in a story by the Brothers Grimm), so, once you'd decided that Santa must have a workshop in which to produce all those toys, staffing it with elves was a logical thing to do.

The first use of this idea is credited to Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), author of Little Women, who wrote but never published a book called Christmas Elves. But it took off when the influential American magazine Godey's Lady's Book used an image of toymaking elves on the cover of its Christmas issue in 1873. (33)

Like this idea of Santa’s elves, many of the traditions and beliefs surrounding Christmas have grown and developed over time. It’s a fascinating hodgepodge that is ever changing.

At just over 100 pages long, this slim book makes for an enjoyable way to spend an evening, or with its short sections, you could dip in and out of it over a number of days. This slow reader enjoyed it over two evenings, taking time to pour over the beautiful illustrations, which, in addition to the red and white framed sections that had me reaching for the candy canes, and the multicoloured pages of salmon red, light teal, and muted gold, make this book a delight for the eyes. 

I will admit I did know a lot of the history behind the holiday before picking up this book. However, it was through facts I had read and heard over the years and I did not have a book like this on my shelves. The Philosophy of Christmas is so beautiful, I know, I will enjoy it just as much as I did this year in the years to come.

This book is a great jumping off point if you don’t know a lot about the origins of Christmas and want to learn more about how the holiday that is celebrated today has come into being. It has inspired me to find some more books on the subject that go into a little more depth. Caroline Taggart has anticipated just such an event, and in the back of the book you will find a list of the sources she used and titles for further reading on the subject. If anyone has any recommendations for other books one the subject, especially about how the Victorians celebrated Christmas, I would love to hear about them in the comments.

I think this lovely book would make a great gift. It’s a sturdy little hardcover that is small enough to slip into someone’s stocking. You could wrap it in paper or if it’s going in a stocking I would simply add a red ribbon, allowing the plummy purple and gold accented cover to shine.

I’m willing to admit that I caught myself singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, while taking photos these photos. I will also admit, I do not know all the words! That should show you to what extent this book brought out the festive spirit within me. I hope it does the same for you and yours!

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of The Philosophy of Christmas for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

This blog post contains affiliate links for Blackwell's, which means I will make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through this link. See Affiliate Disclosure at sidebar for details.

Dramatic Murder by Elizabeth Anthony

I’ve been looking forward to reading Dramatic Murder by Elizabeth Anthony since the moment I saw the cover. Actually, it was even before that. I knew that the annual Christmas book British Library Publishing releases in their Crime Classics series usually comes out in October, so as soon as I saw it listed in online shops, I started to get excited. Because few things are better than reading a festive mystery in the lead up to Christmas. And if you’re a library user like me, it can be hard to get your hands on anything seasonal in the time that you would actually want to be reading it. I found myself reading the collection A Surprise for Christmas back in October, for just this reason. 

Dramatic Murder opens with Doctor Harley and a journalist, Katherine Mickey, driving through the snowy landscape of Scotland up to Possett Island where they have been invited by Dimpson McCabe, widely known as Dimpsie, a playwright and broadcaster, for a Christmas party at his castle. 

The fine snow that had been falling since they left Edinburgh was thickening, and the sky was black with large powdered flakes. They collected on the windscreen, and the wiper, pushing them aside, groaned protestingly. The car sped onwards, eating up the road which stretched like a long, white ribbon, bordered by fir trees that were jet-black in the half light. At the side of the road a signpost pointed the way down a narrow cutting between the trees; painted in black and red it had a sinister appearance and the words POSSETT ISLAND stood out bleakly. Doctor Harley swung the car off the road and it skidded slightly on the soft snow. (17)

Outside a small cabin at the edge of the loch, they are met by Dimpsey’s manservant, Benson, who has been waiting for the guests to arrive. Benson directs them to drive straight over the ice, which he assures them is perfectly safe, the ice being a foot thick and gravelled. 

As they got out of the car they noticed that the snow had stopped falling, and Possett Castle stood out sharply against the dark blue sky. It was built of grey stone, which looked black in the evening light, and its turrets and crenellated battlements were witchlike, reminding Katherine of an illustration to an old book of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Although every window was brilliantly lit, there was something cold and forbidding about the exterior, and as they approached the entrance she became aware of a peculiar throbbing which seemed to reverberate through the air. (18-19)

The sound is coming from a generator, and perhaps the sound outside makes it all the more unsettling when they enter the castle and an eerie silence washes over them. Doctor Harley and Katherine find their way to Dimpsey’s studio wing, which appeared to be the only part of the house not lit up from outside. There they find a magnificent tree—which is so beautifully described, but I’m going to preserve that joy for when you read the book—and that is where they discover their host. Apparently, he has been electrocuted while fixing the bulb on a string of lights with a frayed cord. The frayed cord, the lights being plugged into the wall, and the fact that his slippers were wet, prove to be a deadly combination.

It looks suspicious, but the verdict at the sheriff’s inquest is Accidental Death. Besides, from the looks of things, more people benefited from Dimpsey being alive than from his death. It isn’t until everyone is back in London when the body count begins to rack up that it becomes clear there is a cold blooded killer among the group. 

Dramatic Murder—what a great title! The murder is certainly dramatically described, but I think it’s such a startling image that I want you to experience it within the context of those opening pages, so I’m not going to quote it, or even describe it, here. Adding to the drama, Dimpsie is a playwright, and most of the suspects to his murder are predominantly rooted in the theatre world. I loved getting to see the dynamics between the cast and crew, and the lengths that they are willing to go to for the purpose of furthering their careers. As someone who has dabbled in acting, myself, and spent years in ballet, I always find it fun to get to experience an ever so slightly exaggerated version of the theatre world on the page.

Elizabeth Anthony does such a good job of spinning out the solving of the murder, and making the reader feel smart for figuring it out ahead of the characters. I know, I did! Inspector Smith, who is investigating the case, seems almost disinterested at times, and in my mind this feels very much like Katherine’s investigation. She uses her journalistic skills to get her into all sorts of trouble in the course of getting the scoop and finding her dear friend’s killer.

It was not until I had finished this book that it occurred to me it wasn’t very Christmassy. The murder takes place near the start of the book, when Doctor Harley and Katherine arrive at Dimpsie’s castle for Christmas. But the guests leave the private island in Scotland fairly promptly and the rest of the book takes place in London post-Christmas. Now, I only mention this as an observation. As I said, it wasn’t until I had finished reading that I even noticed that the book as a whole wasn’t all that Christmassy. It was a great book, with the added benefit that you could read this anytime in the winter and still enjoy it because it isn’t overly festive. Making this book, in my mind, the ideal gift to give at Christmas. You could start this one Christmas Day or Boxing Day, but not feel behind the times if you start it in January, either.

As Martin Edwards mentions in the introduction, the author of Dramatic Murder was born Barbara Frances Courlander and only wrote this mystery and one other, Made for Murder, under the pseudonym, Elizabeth Anthony. A year before Dramatic Murder came out in 1948, she published a non-genre novel under her own name called, The Cup and the Song. She also wrote plays, and at least one song and a short story, but her career as a novelist was very short, which is so disappointing. This book kept me glued to the page from the atmospheric opening right through to the breathtaking conclusion. This truly is “A Lost Christmas Murder Mystery”, as it says on the beautiful cover of this edition. A lost book by a lost author. Thankfully, lost no longer.

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Dramatic Murder for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

This blog post contains affiliate links for Blackwell's, which means I will make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through this link. See Affiliate Disclosure, found at the sidebar on the desktop website, for details.

Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season by Various

I have been wanting to read Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season for ages. Published in 2022, this book is part of the British Library Women Writers series. A series that I am a huge fan of, as I'm sure you are aware if you've been on this blog for more than five minutes. I had been planning to save Stories for Christmas to enjoy closer to the end of the month. But after looking through the stack of Christmas books I had put aside to read in December, I found myself selecting this one. I’m sure having just finished another of the British Library Publishing’s short story collections, Who Killed Father Christmas? had something to do with it. I was craving another collection chock full of Christmas and festive cheer, and I was not disappointed.

The only dud in this collection, as far as I’m concerned, is the first story. I’ll explain why, and then we can get on with all the delights this collection has to offer.

“The Turkey Season” by Alice Munro

Even without the gross bits which were to be expected given this one is set in a slaughterhouse, I was not likely going to enjoy this one. Typically, I find Alice Munro’s stories to be a bit of a drag. There may be uplifting moments, but they tend to be few and far between. I studied many of her stories during my degree, and there is no denying there is plenty to discuss in her work, but I just could not warm to it then and I still cannot. This story was exactly as I expected it to be, though it does end on a festive and positive note, thought it is undermined by the rest of the story. If you want to skip to the happy festive part, turn to the last page of this one. 

“This Year It Will Be Different” by Maeve Binchy

Only in movies did a happily married mother of three suddenly call a family conference and say that this year she was tired of the whole thing, weary of coming home after work and cleaning the house and buying the Christmas decorations and putting them up, buying the Christmas cards, writing them and posting them so that they would keep the few friends they had. (23)

An overworked wife and mother of three quietly doesn’t prepare for Christmas, and, eventually, her family notices. I found this one very funny. Perhaps, because it was so true to life!

“General Impressions of a Christmas Shopping Centre” by E.M. Delafield 

Written in the vein of Diary of a Provincial Lady, and just as witty. I opens, “Christmas comes but once a year . . . General Impression, waxing stronger every hour, that even this is rather overdoing it.” (33) It made me want to pick up Provincial Lady, despite having only just reread it in November. 

“The Christmas Pageant” by Barbara Robinson

The Sunday school is getting together their annual Christmas pageant. It’s posed to be the same old thing they do every year. Nothing wrong with that. Only this year, the family of children who are infamous at Woodrow School for their bullying and general bad behaviour, have shocked everyone when they seem interested in taking part in the pageant. They only showed up to Sunday school once in a while after hearing from one boy that they got refreshments. 

Announcements were made in Sunday school, and Imogene Herdman dug me in the ribs with her elbow and demanded, “What’s a pageant?”

“It’s a play,” I said, and Imogene looked interested. All the Herdmans were avid filmgoers. One or two of them would create a disturbance at the front of the cinema while the others slipped in. Like professional criminals, they had the good sense to split up once they got inside, so the manager could never locate all of them and throw them out before the picture was over.

“What’s the play about?” Imogene asked.

“It’s about Jesus,” I told her.

“Everything here is,” she said. (41)

It’s just too funny! I love the snappy understated dialogue between the children. The whole time I was reading this one I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Ticket for a Carol Concert” by Audrey Burton

“Mrs. Lorimer thought it would be easy to sell tickets for the carol concert in the village hall” (53). So begins Audrey Burton’s short story. We get the perspective of the villagers that are victims of Mrs. Lorimer’s sales pitch. This one was humorous and heartwarming.

“Snow” by Olive Wadsley

Olive Wadsley perfectly captures the magic snow in the moonlight can work on an unlikely couple. I read this one first thing in the morning, when I was very groggy and at my least impressionable and I was absolutely captivated. I see myself rereading this one just so I can luxuriate in its atmosphere again.

“’Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Kate Nivison

We get the perspective of a mouse in this one, and I am so here for it!

Round the tree, a few fallen pine needles were sticking in the carpet. The mouse avoided them. They smelt odd and tasted worse. Last night she'd climbed to the first branch, but there were only more needles and some kind of silver straw hanging all over it. It was no good for a nest, and there wasn’t a berry anywhere. But in the kitchen, there’d been a real feast—fatty crumbs of pastry, a currant or two and a half-eaten cream biscuit between the oven and the cupboard. Just thinking about it made her sit up and clean her whiskers. (81)

I have a soft spot for any book that has a mouse in it, so this story was such a joy to discover. I had to tamp down my squeals of joy when I was reading though, as at the time I was sitting in a waiting room. I just loved this one so much and if I was even a smidge more outgoing it would have been story hour at the medical practice!

I just have to share this sweet exchange between a wife and husband as they are preparing to sneak their children’s stockings into their rooms.

“Pass me up the mug and plate, love.” The woman gave a yawn.

“If I bend down once more today, my back will go.”

“Oh, leave them down there. We’ll have a good clear up in the morning.” He picked up the crackling stockings and felt their weight. “You’re good at this, you know,” he said. “I’m glad I married someone who’s good at Christmas.”

“Suppose we’ve got mice?”

 “A house like this wouldn't be complete without a moose loose aboot it. M’mm, you smell of warm milk and brandy and mince pie. Give us a kiss.” (83-83)

This whole story was so cute and cosy. A real delight!

“Christmas Fugue” by Muriel Spark

You can always trust Muriel Spark to turn things upside down and leave you sideways. I wrote my thoughts on this one right after I read it, only to discover that I couldn’t share any of it because it much too spoiler-y. What I can say is that this one will leave you with so many questions, and as many theories! One of mine was, ‘what did I just read?’. And you know, what? Whatever it was, I loved it. 

“The Little Christmas Tree” by Stella Gibbons

This one had all the magic of Rosamunde Pilcher’s “Miss Cameron at Christmas”. Rhoda, or Miss Harting as she has referred to by everyone in the story, moves to a cottage in Buckinghamshire and plans to spend Christmas alone, despite multiple invitations to spend the day with friends.

But when she had nibbled her breakfast, played Debussy's Footsteps in the Snow twice on the gramophone, stuffed her chicken and glanced more than once at her Christmas tree, whose bells glittered darkly against the snow, she found herself trying to feel happy, rather than feeling happy. (99)

That is, until, she gets a knock at the door and three children appear out with the snow with a story about a wicked stepmother that they are running away from. It’s lovely and it has all the makings of a fairytale. This was just the sweetest story of a woman living in a little cottage with a little tree in her window and the three children who appear at her door on Christmas Day, just as she is feeling her most lonely.

“The Christmas Present” by Richmal Crompton

This one is hilarious. It’s very short, so I don’t want to ruin anything, but it is so surprising and cute, and it ends on the funniest note.

“Christmas Bread” by Kathleen Norris

This one may just be the best, or at least, my most favourite story in the collection. It was made even more special by the fact that I have been hearing my dear friend, Gina, sing this author’s praises for a while now. After reading this story, I absolutely understand why!

Doctor Madison has plans to be preforming a surgery on Christmas Day. Her daughter, Merle, is to be left alone with the doctor’s secretary/governess for the day, as the doctor is a widow and a rift has come between her and her brother. But then a trip up to the attic to look for items to give to charity alters the doctor and her daughter’s Christmas. 

So then it was all Christmas magic, and just what Christmas Eve should be. Saunders brought the little closed car to the door, to be sure, but there he vanished from the scene, and it was only mother and Merle.

The streets were snowy, and snow frosted the wind-shield, and lights and people and the bright windows of shops were all mixed up together, in a pink and blue and gold dazzle of colour. (137)

It’s a beautiful and touching story about nostalgia, memory, and the power of forgiveness. Read it on Christmas Eve and perhaps you’ll experience your own Christmas transformation.

“Christmas in a Bavarian Village” by Elizabeth von Arnim

An English woman comes to Germany to visit her daughter and her family for Christmas.

A little subdued, I was led out of the station into a world of Christmas trees. In front of most of the houses stood a tree lit by electric light, and in the middle of the one wide street was a huge one, a pyramid of solemn radiance.

I felt as if I had walked into a Christmas card glittering snow, steep-roofed old houses, and the complete windlessness, too, of a Christmas card.  (151-152)

As the story progresses there a hint that times have changed since 1909 when the woman last spent Christmas in Germany. In Simon Thomas's informative and spoiler-free introduction we find out that this one is set in 1937, providing us with insight into why and how things have changed since the narrator last visited the country.

“Freedom” by Nancy Morrison

This one is not explicitly Christmassy. Set in a Swiss ski resort during a winter holiday, this story has the feel of a really good vintage Harlequin about it. Sylvia Grey is a beginner skier, and there is a scene that recalls to mind the skiing scene in The Bell Jar. This story is not at all like Sylvia Plath’s book. However, Esther and Sylvia do share one thing in common. You will have to read it to find out what that is. (It’s a bit fun that the heroine from “Freedom” and the author of The Bell Jar share the same first name. A coincidence I hadn’t realised until writing this review.) 

“On Skating” by Cornelia Otis Skinner

This is also not a Christmas story, but it is another winter sports story. The narrator and her friend are notoriously bad at sports, all sports, and have been since they were girls. One day, they pass a group of people skating on an outdoor rink, and think ‘that looks fun’, and the rest of the story is about their humorous efforts learning to skate. 

“Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie” by Beryl Bainbridge

Instead of a Christmas bonus, Mrs. Henderson gets tickets to the theatre from her employer. She takes the family and the neighbours to see Peter Pan, and they have a very dramatic time of it.

“Pantomime” by Stella Margetson

Set during World War II, the wife of a lieutenant who is stationed in the area directs a pantomime with the aid of a local boy acting as assistant stage manager. The show is preformed at a recreation hut, for the enjoyment of the officers and local residents. It’s a touching and sweet coming of age story. And as most coming of age stories are, it’s also a bit sad.

“On Leavin’ Notes” by Alice Childress

A short and funny one concludes this collection. It’s about making, and keeping, one’s New Year’s resolutions.

What else can I say about this collection? I loved it! Skip the first story if you’re vegan/vegetarian/squeamish, and then enjoy! I will absolutely be returning to this one next Christmas. And let’s be honest, I’ve already read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” a.k.a. ‘the mouse one’, twice! 

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

This blog post contains affiliate links for Blackwell's, which means I will make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through this link. See Affiliate Disclosure at sidebar for details.

Who Killed Father Christmas? edited by Martin Edwards

When I read A Surprise for Christmas last month, I discovered that if you love both mysteries and Christmas you really cannot go wrong with one of the Christmassy short story collections from the British Library Crime Classics series. Reading Who Killed Father Christmas? only confirmed this for me. The collection contains 17 stories spanning from 1911 to as recently as 1995. The stories start strong and end on a high note. Some are heartwarming, others are poignant, all contain a crime set at Christmas. 

“On the Irish Mail” by Garnett Ratcliffe (1931)

Such a fun and snappy story to open the collection. On Christmas Eve, Dick Fenton rushes to catch the mail train from Euston station to make it home to his parents in Dublin by Christmas morning. The train is busy with holiday travellers and partway through the trip one of the five men sharing Dick’s compartment announces he is Detective Sullivan and he’s here to arrest Jim Dawson, he knows he’s here, because he recognises a case that has been reported stolen by a bank worker, so he might as well give himself up. But without a description of the thief it looks like Dick, the priest, the old man, and the affluent businessman, who are sharing the compartment, are all going to be held up for questioning at Holyhead. That is, unless some sort of Christmas miracle occurs!

“The Christmas Thief” by Frank Howel Evans (1911)

Two young men of 16 and 17 years old, who are friends from school and are both down on their luck, walk along the Embankment on Christmas Day and spot a man getting attacked by a couple of roughs. What ensues is a story of espionage and adventure with a heartwarming message at the centre of it.

“The Christmas Spirit” by Anthony Gilbert (1952)

I had high hopes for this one because this is the same writer who is responsible for my favourite story in the A Surprise for Christmas, “Give Me a Ring”, and while this one was much shorter, it did not disappoint. A couple visit a secluded pub in East Anglia over Christmas. From the first, the husband is curious about the pub’s namesake, The Green Girl.

We glanced instinctively through the uncurtained windows; and saw an enchanted world. A moon rode in a sky as smooth as soap; stars prickled, even the snow glowed. I believe if the ghost appeared then no one would have been surprised. (66-67)

“Among Those Present was Santa Claus” by Vincent Cornier (1952)

A retired Scotland Yard inspector is hired to play Santa Claus at a large house in the Cotswolds. John Burnicle suspects he was hired more for his experience at detecting than his acting skills. Lord Betwode has experienced a number of robberies over a period of time, which means it must be someone within the house or a close friend committing the thefts. Inspired by the burglaries, Lord Betwode organises a fake burglary each Christmas to entertain his guests. Interesting choice, Lord Betwode. This one is very fun, a bit unsettling at times, and has a heartwarming conclusion. 

“Gold, Frankincense, and Murder” by Catherine Aird (1995)

Henry Tyler, who works in the Foreign Office in Whitehall, pretends not to be looking forward to spending Christmas with his sister and her family, but secretly he is very much looking forward to it. Too bad he doesn’t get much of a break while he’s there. This one was very fun! It had the feeling of a village Christmas with all the eccentric characters one would expect, and a little murder to keep the holiday interesting. 

Also, how have I not heard of Catherine Aird? She was born in 1930, and stands out among the writers usually contained in these short story collections from the British Library as she is still alive, and still writing detective fiction. If anyone has read any of her books, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!

“Secrets in the Snow” by J. Jefferson Farjeon (1942)

On Christmas Eve, a train gets stuck in a snowdrift and a woman determined to make it to a house party sets off after one of her fellow travellers into the snow. This one was atmospheric, just the right amount of unsettling, with a dash of frivolity and a poignant conclusion that—days later—I’m still thinking about. 

In the introduction to this one, Martin Edwards points out that this one has a similar start to one of the author’s novels, Mystery in White. I’m looking forward to reading that one even more now.

“Who Killed Father Christmas” by Patricia Moyes (1980)

The mother snatched her up, and— with that sixth sense that mothers everywhere seem to develop—interpreted the incoherent screams. "She says that Father Christmas won't talk to her. She says he's asleep." (132)

Yes, he’s asleep. That’s it… Set in the toy department of a large store, the regular Santa Claus is off sick and a replacement has showed up for work. I’m not sure what this says about me, but I was more unsettled by the image of a bunch teddies getting ripped open than by the murder. This one was good, if a bit traumatic for me!

“Death at Christmas” by Glyn Daniel (1959)

Who doesn’t enjoy a Christmas ghost story? I know I do! This one is set on Christmas night at Oxford or Cambridge. In an effort to conceal his identity, the don who is narrating the story won’t tell us which one. An academic setting, a spooky setting, and a woman that once vowed to haunt her husband just might be keeping that promise. I was absolutely captivated by this one. A deliciously unsettling tale!

“Scotland Yard’s Christmas” by John Dickson Carr (1957)

Detective Superintendent Robert Pollard of New Scotland Yard has a tricky case on his mind and his fiancée is none too pleased when he brings his work home—or at least to Toyland. He could at least pretend to enjoy taking her six-year-old nephew to see Santa Claus! But really, how could two people in different parts of London both suddenly vanish from inside a telephone box? No wonder the man was distracted! I was dying to know, too. This one is a delight from start to finish.

“The Bird of Dawning” by Michael Gilbert (1956)

The beginning of this one caught my attention, as it does such a good job of preparing us for a lavish setting.

“Speaking as your solicitor,” said Bohun, “It sounds an impossible assignment. But speaking as a man, it needs no argument to get me down to Vambrill Court for Christmas. Sir Hubert’s reputation as a host has reached even my ears. Wasn’t he the man who said, ‘Turkeys are old-fashioned, but there’s nothing wrong with a well-boiled peacock’?” (169)

Soon we find out that Bohun’s client, politician John Craven, has asked his friend to help him investigate a financial dishonesty within their host’s business. I did not see the conclusion of this one coming at all. Although, I feel that I should have. I’m choosing to believe that is a sign of the author’s genius, and not my lack of! 

There is a poignant part in the story when, after a rich dinner, the host has a moment of reflection. 

He walked across to the window and pulled back the heavy, swinging curtain. Outside the moon was riding in glory. The snow had stopped falling and the frost had laid its iron fingers on the world.

“When I was a boy,” he said, “I could remember each Christmas on is own. Each one was distinct and separate and each had its own glories. Now, I'm afraid they seem to blur and run together. I wonder if I shall remember this one.” (174-75)

Despite the fact that we know a murder is to come,—which will of course make this Christmas memorable—I thought that on its own this is a beautiful moment.

“The Christmas Train” by Will Scott (1933) 

Jeremiah Jones is charismatic and charming, and you aren’t quite sure if he’s going to help you out, fleece you, or both! As the title suggests, this one involves train travel which I’m always a fan of reading about. Jones, is akin to Simon Templar a.k.a. The Saint, a comparison I doubt I would have made myself, making me once again very grateful to Martin Edward’s concise insights that introduce each story. 

“The Grey Monk” by Gerald Verner (1934)

Monk’s Abbey had pretensions to beauty even when seen under the leaden sky of a winter’s afternoon. Built of grey stone it stood and had stood for centuries in two hundred acres of heavily wooded ground, its rugged line softened by the trees that clustered round it. A hundred yards from the main entrance the ruins of the original building were visible—the hint of broken wall, the remains of an arch like a broken question mark… (207)

I love the images in this one. A butler is shot dead at night by the ghostly apparition of a monk. Oh, and of course, the house is full of guests staying for Christmas.  

“Who Suspects the Postman” by Micheal Innes (1958)

A priceless antique vase goes missing at a Christmas party. The dress code is fancy dress, and everyone is a suspect, including the postman. Short, sweet, and vividly described. 

“Herlock Sholmes’ Christmas Case” by Peter Todd (1916)

This Sherlock Holmes spoof was hilariously entertaining, the style was spot on, and was a joy to read. However, I think you would have to be at least slightly familiar with the characters and the trajectory the Sherlock Holmes stories take—even if you had only watched the tv show—to fully appreciate this one. Also, I had to stop reading the character names, because I was stumbling over their wrongness and getting distracted. But! It was worth the effort, as I found it very funny.

“A Present for Ivo” by Ellis Peters (1958-59)

This collection could not have ended on a stronger note. This story is heartwarming and sweet, but also has action and adventure. For school teacher Sara Boyne, this holiday includes gunfights, a car chase, a stolen fourteenth century manuscript, a children’s party, and packages hanging on a tree.

Generally, I gravitate more towards novels than short stories, so I may be a bit biased when I say that this one was my favourite of the collection, as it was also the longest. If you read this collection, you will have to let me know if it was your favourite, too!

I think I can safely say that my new addiction are these Christmassy short story collections from British Library Crime Classics. Finishing this book was bittersweet, because now I don't have any more of them left on my shelves to read. I’m feeling withdrawal symptoms at the moment and wondering if I have any other Christmas books kicking around that will ease the discomfort. I do have another Christmassy British Library Crime Classic left to review though, so stay tuned!

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Who Killed Father Christmas? for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

Trusted Like the Fox by Sara Woods

 

5 Days of Sara Woods — Day 5

Trusted Like the Fox is the fifth book in Sara Woods’ 48-book Antony Maitland series. This one made me feel a lot of emotions. I know by now you must be sick of hearing me say, ‘this one really is my favourite one in the series’. But, umm… This one really is! 

Dean Street Press Ltd. are republishing the first five books in this series tomorrow, 2 December 2024! To celebrate, I’m posting a review of one book per day leading up to the big day. I’ve already posted reviews of the first four books, Bloody Instructions, Malice Domestic, The Third Encounter, and Error of the Moon. If you haven’t read those posts, you may want to read them first and then come back to this one. In the review for Bloody Instructions, I talk about the author and provide a more in-depth overview of the main series characters.

To give you a bit of background… In the first four books, Antony Maitland was junior barrister to his uncle, Sir Nicholas Harding, Queen’s Counsel of the Inner Temple, London. As well as working alongside his uncle, Antony, and his dependable wife, Jenny, live in a mostly self-contained apartment on the top two floors of Sir Nicholas’s house at Kempenfeldt Square.

In this one, Antony is defending his first big case since taking silk, a few months ago. His client is Michael Godson, who is charged with being Guy Harland, a man who was arrested for the attempted murder of distinguished biologist, Doctor Ronald Fraser, but Harland slipped his fetters while he was being taken into custody. Meaning, he knocked out the arresting officer and hoofed it across country. Godson will also be charged with treason if he is found to be Harland. It is believed Harland is responsible for the deaths of four thousand civilians of a town in occupied Poland when a biological weapon in the form of an untreatable disease was released into the community’s water supply during the Second World War.

As Harland is assumed guilty for both attempted murder, and treason, Antony would have his work cut out for him if he was defending Godson against those charges. But he isn’t. All that Antony is trying to prove is that Godson is not Harland, and this is all simply a case of mistaken identity. That isn’t to say Antony has any very convincing evidence to prove Godson is who he says he is. In fact, Antony’s lack of evidence becomes a bit of theme in this one. So why did Antony accept the brief in the first place? Simply because he believes Godson is telling the truth, when no one else does. The thing is… as the case progresses, Antony begins to wonder if his client is lying to him.

The shafts of dusty sunlight that slanted into the room tantalised with the thought of a different world outside: of a mellow October day gilding St. Paul's dome and the buildings on the north side of Ludgate Hill; striking—more pertinently—an answering gleam from Justice's scales above the Old Bailey. (1)*

This one starts on a Tuesday in October 1962, the first day of the trial. The trial lasts for eight days with a two-day weekend recess on Saturday and Sunday, ending on the day after the verdict. Most of the action takes place in the courtroom, but if that sounds a bit dry to you, I assure you, it isn’t. The case progresses quickly, and you will not find long monologues full of legalese in this book. And if you are not familiar with the British legal system, Sara Woods does a very good job of explaining the progress of the case, without making it appear she is doing so. 

Stringer pushed a note in front of him, “pity we're not defending Harland . . . there's a point there.” He hadn't heard the point, but it roused him to temporary interest in the course of the examination. (71)

There was a certain tedium about a case whose conduct was so circumscribed; there would have been more amusement in really defending the prisoner than in this Harland-Godson quibble. (71)

Antony is clearly bored with the case as it stands and would prefer to have a bit more of a challenge. At the outset, Godson’s witness testimony is the basis of the case for the defence. The jury will either believe Godson’s account of what he was doing in 1942 and the years during the war, or they won’t. He lets his mind wander while the prosecutor is questioning his witnesses and he has the habit of sketching on bits of paper, such as on the back of the note his junior barrister, Derek Stringer, pushed across to him. 

But things do heat up and soon Antony has his work cut out for him.

“It’s going to be a busy week-end, Jenny, I’m afraid. You’ll sit in on our discussions, won’t you, Uncle Nick? I hope you will.”

“Nothing,” said Sir Nicholas, with a sudden reversal of mood, “would keep me away.” But he added, with a sting in his tone that made his nephew grimace at his empty plate: “It will be interesting to watch you dealing with an impossible situation. Interesting and—I am sure, my dear boy!—instructive.” (122-23)

I really enjoyed seeing Antony in the role of junior barrister to his uncle, in the first four books, but it is such a joy to see Antony running the case. You know you have grown attached to characters when you hear they have gotten a promotion and you think, ‘Good for you, Antony! You’ve really earned it.’ Still, it’s lovely that we still get these moments between Antony and Sir Nicholas where they talk shop, butt heads, and bounce ideas off of each other. (All phrases that Sir Nicholas would have some choice words for, I’m sure! Haha!)

But the cosy domestic scenes with Jenny are some of my favourites.

Antony got up, and moved a little stiffly across the room. As always when he was weary, the dull ache in his shoulder added its own burden. He was so used to it by this time that he no longer troubled to tell himself that he was lucky to have come so easily out of the war; in fact, he barely noticed the pain at all until he saw the quick flare of anxiety in Jenny's eyes, and read there the question she would never put into words. He seated himself beside her, and stretched his legs across the hearthrug, and reached out, as though absent-mindedly, for her hand. (149)

There is so much of the plot I had to leave out of this review, because I didn’t want to spoil anything. But I will say that this one keeps you guessing. Is Godson telling the truth? Will Antony be able to pull it off and win the case? Well, you’ll have to read it to find out. 

And I’m telling you, you want to read this one! I mean, read the first four books because they are wonderful. And because I think this is a series that should be read in chronological order so that you can have the context to be able to fully appreciate the characters. Did I mention that all of these books are wonderful?! I cannot wait to reread them. 

I’ve fallen a little bit in love with Antony. He is a good man with ideals that he upholds, no matter the cost. This is probably his fatal flaw, along with his temper, which—by the way—he only seems to loose in circumstances that warrant it. Jenny is a dear woman with a sense of humour and a love of matchmaking. She makes being dependable look like the most precious of traits to have in a partner. And Sir Nicholas is the prickly bachelor who is going to tell you what is what, for your own good. He is awesome. There are also many fully fleshed secondary characters in these books that I haven’t talked about. My lack of attention to them was only for brevity’s sake, I assure you. 

There are so many more things I want to say about these books! I want to convince you that you need this series in your life. That you’re going to love it. That it will be your new favourite. (Because we need a new favourite series now that Elly Griffiths has published the last Dr. Ruth Galloway book!) My only regret is that I didn’t know about the Antony Maitland series sooner. I had not heard of Sara Woods before I found out that Dean Street Press Ltd. was republishing her books. I am so incredibly grateful to them for introducing me to Antony, Jenny, Sir Nicholas, and the wonderful world Sara Woods created in these books.

Thank you to Dean Street Press Ltd. for kindly sending me a copy of Trusted Like the Fox for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

*All page numbers are from the ebook and are not likely to correspond to the paperback edition.