A Canine Christmas    Editor Jeffrey Marks Order:  USA  Can Ballantine, 1999 Paperback Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Theresa Ichino This collection of mysteries, edited by Jeffrey Marks, is a bagful of Christmas treats for those who like their murder with a little whimsy. The spin, of course, is that each tail - oops, tale - includes an ingratiating tail-wagger who usually helps to solve the crime. The writers include several award-winning or award-nominated adepts, who show their talents in these polished little gems that present a crime, interesting characters, and a resolution in a compact length. At this busy time of year, the stories are perfect for a quick break between baking cookies or wrapping gifts. So if you need a last-minute stocking stuffer or one more gift to top up your carefully-chosen offering to a family member or friend, you might want to grab a copy of A Canine Christmas. Or indulge yourself with a copy, and curl up with a furry friend. Note that the anthology includes fifteen stories by Deborah Adams, Melissa Cleary, Mark Graham, Patricia Guiver, Jane Haddam, Parnell Hall, Jeremiah Healy, Dean James, Virginia Lanier, David Leitz, Jeffrey Marks, Taylor McCafferty, Leslie O'Kane, H. Robert Perry, and Lillian M. Roberts. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews