Short Takes: Holiday Fiction; What's in Santa's Book Bag?
Oct 1, 2010Snow may not be on the ground yet (depending on where you are), but holiday- themed fiction will soon be hitting the shelves. Romance, gentle reads, and mysteries abound. Jane Austen fans must have been extra nice this year—they get two tribute volumes.
Ashley, Phillipa. Dating Mr. December. Sourcebooks Landmark: Sourcebooks. Nov. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9781402241420. pap. $9.99. F
After losing her job and her boyfriend, London PR executive Emma moves to England's Lake District for a much-needed change of scenery. Landing a job with a local tourist board, she thinks small-town life might just be the respite she needs—and then the local mountain rescue team taps her to put together a "tasteful" nude calendar for a fund-raiser. This sexy romantic comedy, the basis for the Lifetime TV movie 12 Men of Christmas starring Kristin Chenoweth, is not your typical cozy Christmas tale. For fans of Brit chick lit.
Beaton, M.C. Busy Body: An Agatha Raisin Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Oct. 2010. c.288p. ISBN 9780312387013. $24.99. M
When John Sunday of the Health and Safety Board declares that the village's traditional Christmas tree is a menance to public safety, he makes many enemies—even one who decides to kill him. This is the 21st entry (after There Goes the Bride) in Beaton's popular cozy series; purchase according to demand.
Brett, Simon. The Shooting in the Shop: A Fethering Mystery. Five Star: Gale Cengage. Nov. 2010. c.302p. ISBN 9781594149245. $25.95. M
The Poisoning in the Pub), Christmas time means nothing more than a big bah, humbug! for Carole until a corpse is found inside the shell of a burned-down local store. She's on the case, surrounded by suspicious characters. For series fans. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 6/1/10.]
Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop. Vanguard: Perseus. Oct. 2010. c.256p. ed. by Otto Penzler. ISBN 9781593156176. $24.95. M
For 17 years, venerable mystery expert Penzler has commissioned top authors to write a holiday mystery story featuring his New York City store, The Mysterious Bookshop. Previously given as exclusive gifts to store clientele, these tales are now anthologized here. Standouts include Edward Hoch's "The Theft of the Rusty Bookmark," which finds a murder weapon in a box of old, unwanted mystery books; Ed McBain's "I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus"; and Charles Ardai's "Cold Reading," in which a young woman gets more than she bargained for when she wants to sell a possibly rare manuscript to Penzler. Enthusiastically recommended for mystery and short story buffs. [See the 9/16/10 issue of BookSmack! for a Q&A with Penzler.—Ed.]
Dalby, Robert. A Piggly Wiggly Christmas. Putnam. Nov. 2010. c.272p. ISBN 9780399156779. $24.95. F
In Dalby's fourth series title (after A Piggly Wiggly Wedding), the residents of Second Creek, MS, band together to save the local shopping area from the effects of a newly opened MegaMart. When a fire destroys many of the historic district's buildings, it might just take a Christmas miracle to revitalize the devastated downtown. This humorous and heartwarming tale will appeal to series fans, but it also can be read as a stand-alone entry.
Fluke, Joanne & others. Gingerbread Cookie Murder. Kensington. Oct. 2010. c.360p. ISBN 9780758234957. $23. M
Fluke returns with fellow mystery authors Laura Levine and Leslie Meier for another trio of holiday-themed cozies (after 2007's Candy Cane Murder). In the title story, Fluke's popular caterer Hannah Swenson finds her neighbor murdered right next to a box of Hannah's famous cookies. In Levine's "The Danger of Gingerbread Cookies," freelance writer Jaine Austen is assisting with a local theater production when the star falls to his death during the final act. Meier's homemaker sleuth Lucy Stone discovers a corpse and races against the clock to catch a killer in "Gingerbread Cookies and Gunshots." An extra treat are the recipes. Expect demand from fans of light and cozy series.
Grange, Amanda & others. A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute for Jane Austen. Sourcebooks Landmark: Sourcebooks. Oct. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9781402243394. pap. $14.99. F
Capitalizing on the popularity of Jane Austen sequels, three novelists put Mr. Darcy in a holiday mood. In Grange's "Christmas Present," the Darcys' holiday festivities are interrupted by the arrival of a very special guest. Carolyn Eberhart's "Mr. Darcy's Christmas Carol" mashes up Dickens with Austen, and Sharon Lathan's "A Darcy Christmas" finds Darcy and Elizabeth looking back on many years of marriage. Sure to be a hit with Austen and romance fans. [For Austenites who can't enough tribute fiction, see also the Reader's Shelf column "No Persuasion Necessary: The Eternal Appeal of Jane Austen," LJ 9/15/10.—Ed.]
Henry, Patti Callahan. The Perfect Love Song. Vanguard: Perseus. Oct. 2010. c.224p. ISBN 9781593156169. $15.95. F
Jimmy and Jack Sullivan are brothers on the road with their country band, The Unknown Souls. When Jimmy composes a love song for new crush Charlotte, it becomes a hit, catapulting him to fame. Will it take a Christmas miracle to get Jimmy to remember what really matters in life? This charming and romantic novel by the author of Driftwood Summer and Between the Tides will appeal to women's fiction fans and romance readers.
Macomber, Debbie. Call Me Mrs. Miracle. Mira: Harlequin. Oct. 2010. c.256p. ISBN 9780778328193. pap. $16.95. F
In this follow-up to Macomber's best seller Mrs. Miracle, Emily Merkle (pronounced like miracle, of course!) now works at a department store and becomes a matchmaker for her boss and a lonely young woman. Sure to be a hit with Macomber's legion of fans.
Maron, Margaret. Christmas Mourning: A Deborah Knott Mystery. Grand Central. Nov. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9780446555807. $25.99. M
As Christmas approaches, series regular North Carolina judge Deborah Knott (Sand Sharks) investigates a car crash that killed a popular young woman, racing against the clock to solve what might not have been an accident. A solid choice for Maron's many fans. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 7/10.]
Michaels, Fern & others. Holiday Magic. Zebra: Kensington. Nov. 2010. c.472p. ISBN 9781420108354. pap. $7.99. F
Romance authors Michaels, Cathy Lamb, Mary Carter, and Terri DuLong celebrate the holiday season with these novellas. In Michaels's title tale, a ski shop manager counts on a holiday bonus to provide a new home for her daughters, but finding love with her boss isn't what she expects. Lamb's "A Very Merry Christmas" revolves around a stressed-out B&B owner who keeps pushing away the one person who could help her out—a handsome rancher. Carter's "A Very Maui Christmas" finds Tara escaping to Hawaii for some peace and quiet. She's tired of her meddling family and weary of the dating scene, but, of course, her problems manage to follow her all the way to Maui. And in DuLong's "A Cedar Key Christmas," a single mom discovers love when a neighbor's handsome nephew arrives in town. For the authors' fans and romance readers who enjoy a little holiday magic.
Roberts, Sheila. The Snow Globe. St. Martin's. Nov. 2010. c.176p. ISBN 9780312594480. $14.99. F
Kylie's down on her luck—she's broke, unemployed, and her boyfriend just dumped her for her sister. Wandering into an antiques shop, she impulsively buys a cute snow globe after learning it may reveal to its owners their heart's desire. When Kylie starts seeing a handsome young man appear in the snow globe, her friends think she's going crazy. But then they, too, start to see different images. Is it simply fantasy, or are they all due for some Christmas miracles? This lighthearted and charming read will appeal to fans of Kristin Hannah's magical, light romances and readers who enjoyed Roberts's previous holiday offerings (Angel Lane; On Strike for Christmas). [Library marketing.]
Slover, Tim. The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus. Bantam. Nov. 2010. c.160p. ISBN 9780553808100. $16. F
Originally an eight-part radio script, Slover's charming novella puts an adventurous spin on the Santa Clause tale with the invention of Rolf Eckhof, Claus's jealous nemesis. An optional purchase for holiday collections.
Valdes-Rodriguez, Alisa. The Three Kings: A Christmas Dating Story. Griffin: St. Martin's. Nov. 2010. c.288p. ISBN 9780312605339. pap. $14.99. F
Christy de la Cruz lived a perfect life, complete with a glamorous interior decorating career and a gorgeous husband. Then she discovered her husband was leaving her—for another man. Humiliated and angry, Christy relies on her friend and cousin, Maggie, to help her through it all, including finding three new eligible bachelors. Sassy and fun holiday chick lit from the author of The Dirty Girls Social Club, especially for Latina readers.
Willig, Lauren. The Mischief of the Mistletoe: A Pink Carnation Christmas. Dutton. Oct. 2010. c.352p. ISBN 9780525951872. $24.95. F
Loosely based on an unfinished Jane Austen novel, The Watsons, this holiday entry to Willig's Napoleonic-era series finds series character Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh and schoolteacher Arabella Dempsey stumbling across a Christmas pudding that may contain a hidden message of national importance. Willig is a talented scholar of the times as well as a gifted storyteller. Her latest will attract her "Pink Carnation" fans, readers who enjoy lighthearted historical fiction, and Austen aficionados. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/10.]
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| Rebecca Vnuk, Forest Park, IL, blogs at LJ's book blog ShelfRenewal with Karen Kleckner |
