The murder mysteries that make up this unusual anthology all have one thing in common: the hero or heroine who solves the crime is a Catholic cleric. Perhaps that should not be surprising, for since the time of G. K. Chesterton those who have explored stories with a religious belief or background have tended to place them in the Middle Ages. And during that time most Christians were in one way or another connected to the Catholic church. From Chesterton s classic priest-turned-detective Father Brown to Peter Tremayne s historical Celtic nun and lawyer, Sister Fidelma, religious men and women...

Ever since the first caveman sketched out the bison hunts on the walls of the Lascaux caves 16,000 years ago, mankind has found a way to communicate. For centuries the letter was the primary form of communication across any distance. Kings, popes, lords, heads of state, scholars, authors -- all used pen and paper to plot against one another, gossip, woo and win each other's hearts, and play intricate games of intrigue.

In the 21 stories in Murder Most Postal, all by masters of the mystery genre, the mail takes center stage. Edgar Allan Poe is here with his classic detective tale of a letter...

The words murder and romance seldom appear together. If given a choice, most of us would prefer them to be as far apart as possible. But there is no denying that an edge of danger can heighten tension, intensify emotions, and make every moment a treasure to be seized, since it might be the last chance to experience anything at all.

The collection of stories in Murder Most Romantic is about romance experienced in the teeth of mortal danger, when every decision is life-or-death and the smallest mistake could kill you. It is said that love is at its most intense when it is threatened, and when...