In this post, we’ll look at a couple of short stories with a Christmas theme from Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
“Christmas Eve at the Exit”
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
January 2015
Rachel and her daughter Anne-Marie are on the run from her husband, a brute of a man who has enough money and power that he can destroy her if he catches her. Rachel has faked their deaths and is heading for safety on the other side of the country. She has help and she’s going to need it.
It’s Christmas Eve, the weather and roads are bad, and Rachel is stopping for the night. Anne-Marie is concerned about Santa finding them. She’ll find out it will be better if he doesn’t show up at all.
This story was an intense suspense tale. I’m fairly certain it’s the sequel to a story Ms. Rusch had published earlier this year, in which the network of women helping Rachel was established. Either it wasn’t published in EQMM because it isn’t listed in the index for 2014, it’s older than I thought, or the story was published somewhere else. Anyway, I can’t think of the name of the story, but I do remember I enjoyed it.
You can read an excerpt here.
“The Really Big Ka-Boom”
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
January/February 2015
This story is a bit more light-hearted than the previous one. It’s a Spade and Paladin story. Spade is a rather large man who runs computer systems for science fiction conventions in his spare time. He’s the best at what he does. Paladin tends to rescue kids who are in trouble.
This series is a fun glimpse into the world of science fiction fandom. I’ve missed some installments because there’s a character, a teenage girl, named Casper who has a history with Spade and Paladin.
In this installment, the trio are eating dinner when the hotel next door blows up and nearly takes out the diner they’re in. In spite of the lighter tone to the series, this one gets pretty intense in places.
I’m not going to go into a lot of detail for short stories, especially mysteries. It’s too easy to give things away I shouldn’t. Suffice it to say, both of these stories are solid Christmas mysteries. Check them out.
For those interested, there’s a Spade and Paladin collection available.