Kevin Burton Smith

stabenow_unusualsuspectsHere there be dragons. And vampires. And not-so-jolly old elves. For cozy lovers looking for something a little off the beaten track, the Dana Stabenow-edited (and aptly titled) Unusual Suspects (Ace, $14.00 tpb, $7.99 mmpb) makes for an ideal stocking stuffer. Like its predecessor, Powers of Detection (2006), this cheeky little paperback offers a refreshing and (mostly) lighthearted collection of stories that blur—and sometimes completely erase—the line between mystery and fantasy. Of course the big draw here is a new Sookie Stackhouse tale by Charlaine Harris, but other detectives include Humphrey Bogart, back from the dead, and Santa himself. Contributors include John Straley, Sharon Shinn, Laura Anne Gilman, Simon Green and Laurie King. Face it, toots: you ain’t in Kansas anymore.

Also straddling genres is Crimes by Moonlight: Mysteries from the Dark Side (Berkley, $24.95). If you enjoyed Unusual Suspects, then you’re going to love this stunning collection of 20 all original mystery/fantasy stories. It’s sure to appeal to the True Blood/Twilight crowd. Heck, it’s even edited by current mystery/fantasy go-to gal Charlaine “Sookie, Sookie, Sookie” Harris, who chips in another tasty tale from the ever-expanding Sookiverse.

harris_crimesbymoonlightBut there are more than just bloodsuckers on tap here—there are ghosts, werewolves, witches, phantom ships, and psychics. Mike Hammer even shows up, in a supernaturally-tingled hardboiled tale by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. Parnell Hall serves up a tongue-in-cheek (or is it fang-in-neck?) send up of the whole mystery/fantasy craze in “Death of a Vampire.” Other guests at this feast include Harley Jane Kozak, Lou Kemp, William Kent Krueger, Margaret Maron, and Carolyn Hart, Steve Brewer, Barbara D'Amato, Brendan DuBois, Elaine Viets and Mike Wiecek. Got your silver bullets? Lock and load.

offbeat-holiday-anthologies-for-mystery-fans
1680