Drawing upon a real-life encounter with a tantalizing legend, Frederick Highland's The Mystery Box is an illustrated story collection that takes us to exotic places and times. Each mystery is inspired by a postage stamp from a "mystery box" discovered in the Portuguese colony of Macao.

"I like to think that The Mystery Box opens a door for the reader to appreciate three subjects very close to my heart -- mystery fiction, history, and stamp collecting -- and to appreciate the connections they open to us." So says Frederick Highland about his collection of tales which made its debut in bookstores May 1998.

"The mystery story is a wonderful vehicle to explore the imagery of a postage stamp," adds the author. "Stamps depict enigmatic images coming to us out of the past, issued for a certain purpose, at a certain point in historical time, by a country that might not even be "alive" anymore -- a wonderful puzzle to solve."

Readers and reviewers alike have praised Highland's Mystery Box for the lively and imaginative tales he dishes up. In "Bon Apetit" he writes of chef's plots and counterplots to kill each other off in a competition for the world's greatest chef; "The Rock" is a bubbly tale of three smart ladies in San Marino who outsmart the town rogue; and "Smoked Fish" takes us back in time to 18th century Japan and the curious world of Sumo wrestling.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "For this summer there's a fun alternative sure to satisfy young and old alike.... Readers will quickly find that Highland has great fun conjuring tales, mysteries, and enigmas... it's great summer reading that blows "Silas Marner" out of the water."

From the Midwest Book Review: "an outstanding collection of mystery stories" and "Highland's book is highly amusing as well as informative. He writes of a subject he obviously loves, and it shows."

From Scott's Stamp Monthly: "this book takes a fresh approach to mixing stamps, history and lore... Stamp collectors will enjoy The Mystery Box, but the book will have great crossover appeal and would make a great gift"

A member of Mystery Writers of America, the American Philatelic Society, and American Topical Association, Frederick Highland's mystery tales are a regular feature of Global Stamp News. He is a regular contributor to the philatelic press and his "StampWhys" appears in Linn's Stamp Weekly. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Highland has taught courses in World Literature, Mythology, Humanities, and Philosophy. The author lives in Washington state and welcomes interviews and correspondence in care of the publisher or by E-Mail at fwh@earthlink.net.

A website (http://www.themysterybox.com) has been created as an on-line companion to the book with a new issue planned for each season. There, readers can participate in an interactive version of "Murder in the Maldives", download a sample chapter, and enjoy seasonal mystery, history, and philately features, all punctuated with stamps and the stories they tell.

Retail orders may be placed through Book Clearing House, 1-800-431-1579. The paperback edition is $16.95, Hardcover is $24.95.

A special limited "Deluxe" Edition which includes an autographed hardcover first edition of the book and generous "Mystery Lot" of stamps, all packed in a unique cigar box and gift-wrapped, is available only through the publisher or the 800 number.

Toll free and publisher-direct orders must include $4 Shipping and Handling and all orders are shipped USPS Priority Mail.

"The Mystery Box" is also available through booksellers and online at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Book Info:

6" x 9", 235 pg, 120 illustrations, Index, Glossary, CIP
ISBN 9659409-5-0 Hardcover; ISBN 9659409-6-9 Paperback

For more information, contact:

Ana Maria Gallo
Ana Libri Press
360-715-1836
publisher@themysterybox.
http://www.themysterybox.com