Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookstore by Otto Penzler

Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler is a dark collection of holiday stories. These tales are not for those who like something light and fluffy for the holiday.  This is for those who need to escape to the darkness.  All the stories are based in and around Penzler’s real-life bookstore in New York.  I must say that most of the authors don’t think much of themselves or their fellow writers.  Most main characters are writers themselves and are mostly alcoholics that cannot face their bleak realities.  There are a few whimsical spots.  My favorite of which is where you follow a very expensive bottle of cognac around the city to various parties only to end up back where it started at the beginning.  Do remember that I warned you at the beginning that it is dark.

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