A bomber fails to attack the Soviet Embassy as threatened—until Larry realizes that there’s more than one Christmas.

This is, I think, the best of the Larry mysteries. I'm not sure how much chance a young reader has of getting it—but as it was originally published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, not Boy’s Life, that’s probably not important. What appeals to me here isn’t just the puzzle, however (which is a relatively good one), but the vivid image of poor Larry trapped in a performance of “The Twleve Days of Christmas,” knowing what the solution is and unable to do anything about it. It’s a nice touch.

Found In

	The Key Word and Other Mysteries
	Opus 200
	The Twelve Crimes of Christmas
	The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov