I was late to finish this but wanted to still provide feedback! I enjoyed reading this book and it kept my interest through the entire read.

An absolute delight that is best enjoyed in a large comfy chair and a pot of tea by your side.
https://www.mwgerard.com/books-long-weekend

This was a great collection of short stories that were all very different yet similar. I love looking at these stories and this collection and using it as a guide to writing crime fiction as well as comparing it to full-length novels and other types of stories. I see myself using this more as a reference book than anything else.

This was an OK cozy mystery. I had a lot of trouble following the characters or even liking them, but I think there will be a lot of people out there that will find this a great read.

Cute one that makes a great gift for a book-loving, at-home detective. Nothing groundbreaking, but sometimes that's just what you need. I wish there was an audiobook!

This was such a lovely little book, full of golden age, short bibliomystery stories. They were really charming and delightful to read, packed full with lots exciting and shocking twists, that are well associated with the golden age. I don't really know what I was expecting when I requested this book, but it definitely exceeded my expectations. Of course some twists are predictable, but some of them were real shockers which I absolutely loved.

Some of my favourite short mystery's from this book include:
-A slice of bad luck
-Domestic Malice
-Dear Mr Editor

This was honestly just a really lovely treat to read, and dive into some of the lesser known geniuses of the golden age

Martin Edwards and Poisoned Pen Press offer readers so many delightful short story anthologies. This title is one of my favorites because it includes the words “books” and “murder” in the same space.

Within these pages are stories by authors from the Golden Age. I was especially excited to spend time with Nigel Strangeways and Roderick Alleyn as I have read the novels in which they feature. Some of the other authors found in these pages include Christianna Brand, Julia Symons and E.G. Trent.

The book opens with a helpful introduction. Following that, read in order or in whatever order you like. Either way, bibliophiles will while away some time in escapist fun.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

It has taken me a while to get around to writing this review after having read the book. This is mostly because I have been trying to stick to the habit of listing out the individual stories so that they help me recollect them better. It is also easy to take an average of what I thought about the book overall.

This book is a collection of stories that are related to books in some form or fashion. Some connections make more sense than others, but overall was a satisfying read! Funnily enough, while writing the individual reviews I realised you could play a matching game of titles of some stories with the revelations in other chapters, you can have a go at the game if you have read them all.

A Lesson in Crime by GDH & M. Cole (1933) – 2 stars
This story is more a discussion about crime rather than the resolution of it. It involves actually mad people, so it was a weird way to start the collection.

Trent and the Ministering Angel by E.C. Bentley (1938) – 4 stars
The crime here is of an overbearing spouse who has really restricted a man’s life. After his death, there is a discussion between lawyers about actions to be carried out. The clues and the resolution felt unique.

A Slice of Bad Luck by Nicholas Blake (1939) – 3 stars
A group of detective/murder story enthusiasts, writers and an actual detective are all at a table when a murder occurs. It was quick and snappy, although the ending did not feel too satisfying.

The Strange Case of the Megatherium Thefts by S.C.Roberts (1945) – 2 stars
This is the Sherlock Holmes story of the bunch. It was a straightforward case where a man approaches Holmes with a case, and the latter figures it all out.

Malice Domestic by Philip MacDonald (1946) – 4 stars
I did not see the resolution coming. I should have, but I did not. The characters are drawn quite quickly, given the short time we spend with them. A man and wife seem to be having some trouble, but well-wishers are unsure as to what is actually happening

A Savage Game by A.A.Milne (1950) – 4 stars
The connection to books is thinner here than in the previous works, but the family drama has a tight plot. The conversational tone of the investigation discussion is quite entertaining.

The Clue in the book by Julian Symons (1952) – 4 stars
I liked the ending reveal, although it was a little abrupt. It is a faster plot with a man going to visit another, and the latter ends up dead.

The Manuscript by Gladys Mitchell (1953) – 3 stars
A man is writing about ex-cons, interviewing one woman at a time. His initial interviewee is found dead and there was no chance for the reader to guess the culprit, but the explanation made sense

A Man and his Mother-in-Law by Roy Vickers (1953) – 4 stars
This might be longer than it needed to be, but it was atmospheric. In the beginning, it is hard to imagine the direction the story was to take. A man is having trouble keeping a wife, and the related sequence of events is highly dramatic. I would have rated it higher if it had been a little shorter!

Dear Mr. Editor … by Christianna Brand (1958) – 4 stars
This is an odd format for a story like this, but that makes it more intriguing. We are thrown into the middle of an argument, and we have to watch events unfold.

Murder in Advance by Marjorie Bremner (1958) – 3 stars
We know in the beginning itself what the theory for the crime is and then it becomes an almost police procedural where the protagonists go hunting down a list of possible suspects.

A Question of Character – Victor Canning (1960) – 3 stars
An author marries a woman who then becomes a better and more popular author than him. The insecurities as well as his own inner desires lead him down a rough path. I actually found the ending quite surprising, but more of a resolution than just leaving things hanging.

The Book of Honour by John Creasey (1965) – 2 stars
This story probably has the most to do with books. It is entirely immersed in them, but I did not enjoy it. Colonial India is quite well described with a man working hard to build up a new business. The ending was touching, but it didn’t feel like it had much to do with the ‘murder’ part of this collection.

We know you’re busy writing by Edmund Crispin (1977) – 5 stars
This was a hilarious piece. I actually upped my rating after thinking about it a little more. An author is struggling with writer’s block. As with any bibliophile when disturbed, I could empathize with his situation. Things do get a little grizzly towards the end. It is not a mystery per se but did work well in this collection.

Chapter & Verse by Ngaio Marsh (1973) – 3 stars
There is no way of actually figuring things out in this story. A man from New Zealand brings a bible to the detective, a bible containing names of people who never existed in the town. The meaning of the dates and names is what the rest of the book is about. It is a good enough story to wrap things up but I was not completely satisfied with the revelations.

The collection was more entertaining to me as I went back and refreshed my remembrance before the writing of this review. The plots of most need a little more thought to better appreciate them.

A very entertaining and high quality collection of short mysteries with bookish elements. I will definitely be buying a hard copy of this one for my Crime Classics collection!

"Murder by the Book" is all about books and mysteries. Each short story features books and is written by different writers. So many of these stories are interesting with plenty of twists and red herrings! My favorites are "Malice Domestic" by Philip MacDonald and "Dear Mr. Editor" by Christianna Brand.

Murder by the Book is a collection of mystery stories set in the world of books - ghost writers, playwrights, and collectors all become suspects in grisly murders. Though a little bit dated in its ideologies, Murder by the Book is a great choice for fans of classic mysteries.

This title was just as enticing as the plot and I appreciated the details as well as this the quick and enjoyable read.

Once again, Martin Edwards has created a terrific collection of mystery short stories, this time, featuring book-related mysteries. It features mystery short stories written by a who's who of the top Golden Age of Mystery authors, topped off by interesting background details from Edwards himself.

I love books. I love mysteries. What could be better than a collection of book-themed mysteries?

Very enjoyable and very much recommended for fans of book-related stories.

Mysteries centered around books and their world. What more could a mystery book lover want? It was fun seeing how these authors drew their clues from the pages of books, honored their literary heroes, or vented their frustration at authors, publishers, and readers alike. Even the locations were excitingly varied. Some were as British as you can get, some are more generic, and one is marvelously exotic.
Many of these stories were written after the Golden Age of mystery. Still, most of them still have a vintage feel. There are old mansions, train journeys, and childhood memories.
Most of these stories were very clean. ‘Malice Domestic‘ by Philip MacDonald, however, included strong profanity.
I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. No favorable review was required. All opinions are my own.

Murder by The Book
Martin Edwards

This is a fantastic collection and a must read for any murder mystery afficionado - a bibliomystery of the best kind. This collection is so well curated and had everything for any reader. I enjoyed most of the stories in the collection and discovered many authors new to me, and i am already looking at their back list to enjoy more of their writing. I have loved the British Library Crime Classics and this one is a great addition to my collection.

I really enjoyed these stories. They were well written and easy to read. Recommend for fans of the Golden Age writers.

If you love old style mysteries such as Agatha Christie, you will love this series of one chapter mysteries by various British mystery writers. It was great fun to read these since this style is not my normal one to read.

*A big thank-you to Martin Edwards, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
An enjoyable collection of short stories with the theme of a book in them. Mr Edwards did a grand job bringing the works of authors, some still widely-read, some already a little forgotten, and providing short introductions to each of them. Reading mysteries/detective stories written decades ago gives an interesting perspective into the ways they were written and appreciated by then contemporary authors.
Fans of British Classics Murder Mysteries will be grateful for this offering, as I am.

📕Thriller loving bibliophiles unite! Because this collection of classic stories will give your daily dose of mystery that involves books and book lovers. Just to remind you, you could be one these bodies found as a book lover 😅

📗I was familiar with most of the authors but there are apparently many more that I was missing on! Snippets of their work is sufficient enough to pull me in. I hope you would feel the same.

📘Also did you know that there is a Detection Club out there?! I don’t know what you need to do to become a member but Martin Edwards happens to be the president of this club, so we can all ask him
6h

Princess Fuzzypants here: As much as I enjoy modern mysteries, sometimes it is wonderful to take a journey back to the Golden Age and read some of the masters of the genre. And, since I am fond of short stories, what a delicious way to sample a whole host of them.

Martin Edwards always does a stellar job collating the collections and he has not failed here. There are stories with a whimsical sense of irony and humour. There are ones that are straight forward deadly. They span the continents and the ages. It was a delightful read that could be done in snatches or all in one, as I did. The styles and the language are a treat for anyone who would like to revel in the works of those who knew how to write a smashing mystery.

Five purrs and two paws up.