Book Review: Canine Christmas

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Canine Christmas     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Jeffrey Marks
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Cozy   [Short Stories]
Jeffrey Marks (Editor)
Ballantine, Dec 1999, $5.99, 255 pp.

Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time of the year, but many people fail to share the Yuletide spirit. Instead, they commit crimes that hurt other individuals. CANINE CHRISTMAS is a fun anthology that deals with the darker side of the holidays. Fifteen well-known writers contributed short stories to this collection. The stars include Parnell Hall, Jeremiah Hardy, Jane Haddam, etc. Each story contains a canine friend that plays a major role in the tale.

All of the stories occur in different places, while ranging from fantasy, supernatural, to reality in scope. Leslie O'Kane brings back her dog psychologist Allida Babcom who tries to discover why a dog is urinating under the tree. The answer has to do with a bit of larceny on the part of his owner. Deborah Adam provides a fantastic fantasy in which Santa acts crazy and the weary elves seek to replace him. Their canine, Jericho, takes charge of the selection process to most everyone's satisfaction. Dean James delivers a delightful supernatural story about Simon the vampire who uses pills to allow him to appear human. He goes to England during the Christmas season. He quickly realizes that his host family is a bit eccentric except for their pet. The vampire helps the police arrest a criminal and get to keep the dog.

This is a must collection for readers who enjoy a holiday anthology with a doggy twist that is a gift from a wide range of talented authors.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner