“A bad meal is a misdemeanor but going to bed hungry is the biggest crime of all.” Although this humorous crime anthology was published in 2023, the cause it supports has been even more vital this year when food has been uncertain for so many people. According to editor J. Alan Hartman, The Perp Wore Pumpkin is “A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.” The combination of Thanksgiving foods and crime seemed the perfect combination. 100% of net sales are donated to Second Harvest Food Bank locations in the authors’ cities, or to Feeding America.
Ten authors wrote short stories about chaos at Thanksgiving, parades, bank robberies, and murder. As with all anthologies, it’s a matter of taste. I enjoyed some stories more than others. Taking a hint from Kevin R. Tipple, I’ll mention the ones I enjoyed the most.
In “A Diverse Thanksgiving” by Debra H. Goldstein, Warden Oscar P. Weiner is retiring. Weiner’s number one troublemaker bargains for a Thanksgiving that will meet the varying ethnic food preferences of the inmates. But, Weiner has his own idea of an appropriate dinner.
Lesley A. Diehl’s “Hobo Hannah and the Great Pumpkin Heist” pits a former hobo, newly elected sheriff, against the ex-sheriff who was always a bully. When pumpkins disappear all over town, Sheriff Hannah recruits some old friends to help her track down the thieves.
My favorite story was “Buffet, The Umpire Slayer” by Barry Ergang who dedicated his crime story to the memory of Earl Staggs. A PI, Hardy Boyle, narrates the account of a murder at a Thanksgiving meal, with a locked-room mystery.
In Nikki Knight’s “Pie A La Poison”, a DJ working the night shift at a small-town radio station takes a phone call from a woman who claims she poisoned the whipped cream on the pie she sent home with family.
As I said, I liked some stories more than others, but everyone will have their preferences. The Perp Wore Pumpkin is available in paperback. and eBook. There are recipes and biographies of the authors included in the book. But, don’t become a Thanksgiving victim!
The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, ed. by J. Alan Hartman. Misti-media LLC, 2023. 130p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I bought an eBook copy.
Volume 2 should be up for pre order any day now. It is devoted to the same cause. It also includes my short story, Choked on Love.
I’m looking forward to it, Kevin!
Me too. It has been a long wait.
By the way, while I am here running my mouth and promoting, the anthology inspired by British Crime TV shows comes in January. The British Bump Off antho includes my short story, Death in Dallas (This Ain’t Paradise).
Do you know how many books there are, Kevin, with the title The Great British Bump-Off? And, I can’t find any called The British Bump Off. I guess I’ll look closer to release date.
That’s cool, Kevin! Congrats!! I will look forward to reading it.
Thank you! Am hoping it happens this week.