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.