This issue, we have original mysteries by Christina Hoag and Greg Herren (both courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), plus a crime tale by Greg Herren (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). Our mystery novel is Annihilation by classic American mystery novelist Isabel Ostrander, whose detective fiction was influential in the early 20th century. Of course, there’s a solve-it-yourself puzzler by Hal Charles, too! On the science fiction and fantasy front, we have a real treat—Phyllis Ann Karr has been going through her files and found the previously unpublished short-story version of her novel Wildraith’s Last Battle for us. Plus, we have classics by David Mason, Cordwainer Smith, and Allen K. Lang. Our science-fantasy novel is Lin Carter’s sword-and-planet tale, Under the Green Star (the first of the Green Star series, very much in the Edgar Rice Burroughs tradition). Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Travis and Wilbur,” by Christina Hoag [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Antique Caravan Caper,” Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Housecleaning,” by Greg Herren [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Leonardo,” by R.T. Lawton [Michael Bracken Presents short story] Annihilation, by Isabel Ostrander [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Wildraith’s Last Battle,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “Farewell Message,” by David Mason [short story] “Box-Garden,” by Allen K. Lang [short story] “Scanners Live in Vain,” by Cordwainer Smith [short story] Under the Green Star, by Lin Carter [novel]

Yes, it’s our annual Halloween kickoff issue—for the next four Black Cats, extra spooky stories will be creeping and crawling into every issue. This time, we have vampires and scarecrows and werewolves (oh my!) as well as scarecrows and sinister strangers for your reading pleasure. Plus some other tricks and treats. As always, special thanks to our Acquiring Editors for helping round up great stories, and to the volunteer readers who keep discovering great stories for us. If you’re a writer (published or not) we welcome appropriate submissions through our portal at our website. Here’s the complete lineup— Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Skip Trace,” by Angela Zeman [Michael Bracken Presents short story] Skip Rose swore he’d never return to his childhood home, but a desperate family hires him to find out why their daughter was murdered. His investigation drags him back to dark memories and deadly secrets. “The Treasure Map Intrigue,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] After her uncle’s death, Marcy and her cousins find a cryptic note attached to an old map. As they search for treasure, Marcy discovers a hidden clue. Can you solve it before Marcy uncovers the truth? “Special Delivery,” by Linda Cahill [Barb Goffman Presents short story] When a young girl takes over her friend’s paper route, she encounters strange men, dark stories, and a house feared by all the neighborhood kids. What begins as a simple errand turns into a chilling mystery. “Ol’ Crowbait,” by Bobbi A. Chukran [short story] When pranksters target Minnie Tate’s farm, they uncover more than Halloween mischief—triggering events that unravel a long-buried disappearance. As Sheriff Josie Miller digs deeper, eerie scarecrows and strange whispers lead to a chilling discovery. Scotland Yard Can Wait, by Zenith Brown [novel] Inspector Lord investigates a decades-old bank heist. As bodies pile up, can he unravel the mystery before the cunning mastermind escapes with the loot? Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Howl At the Moon,” by John S. Glasby [short story] A cursed castle, a full moon, and an ancient, terrifying secret. When Robert Temple arrives, determined to unearth the truth, he finds himself face-to-face with a horror beyond his worst nightmares. “He Who Stakes,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] In Prince Vlad’s cruel court, Father Clement’s faith is tested when martyrs rise from their stakes. Can mercy and justice prevail over a ruler blinded by righteous fury. “Waystation,” by Hannah Birss [short story] In a rundown bar on Space Station SOL, a lonely miner share a fleeting, intimate encounter with a mysterious woman on a pilgrimage for a new sun. “The Jackson Killer,” by Philip E. High [short story] Sent to a frontier planet to track down a highly intelligent and dangerous mutant, Lassen must outwit his prey while grappling with the morality of his own role as an Eliminator. “The Scientific Pioneer,” Nelson S. Bond [short story, Horsesense Hank series] A farmer with uncanny “horse-sense” shocks university scholars by solving complex scientific problems with ease. But when offered fame, fortune, and love, his unyielding logic leads him on a different path.

This time, we have an original mysteries by George Wilhite (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Peter DiChellis (a locked-room mystery), as well as an original science fiction story by Larry Tritten and me. (It is a posthumous collaboration—Larry passed away in 2011. I acquired his copyrights some years ago and have been working on reprinting his stories, as longtime readers of BCW will realize. One particular story, with a terrible name, just didn’t work. So I rewrote it, retitled it, and am pleased to show it off here. I hope you all enjoy it.) And Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman found a great tale by Marcelle Dubé. We also have classic novels from British mystery author Edgar Wallace and Irish fantasist James Stephens, plus classic science fiction from Randall Garrett, J.F. Bone, and Mark Reinsberg. Good stuff. Here’s the complete lineup— Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Hanged By the Neck Unti…,” by George Wilhite [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Puzzle Palace Perplex,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Tethered,” by Marcelle Dubé [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Behind a Locked Door,”by Peter DiChellis [short story] The Just Men of Cordova, by Edgar Wallace [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Free-For-All-Way,” by John Betancourt and Larry Tritten [short story] “Respectfully Mine,” by Randall Garrett [short story] “The Missionary,” by J. F. Bone [short story] “The Satellite-Keeper’s Daughter,” by Mark Reinsberg [short story] The Demi-Gods, by James Stephens [novel]

Everyone is getting into the Halloween spirit this month! Our Acquiring Editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, have found supernatural detective stories by Dave Zeltserman and Joseph D’Agnese to kick things off. And we have haunts and horrors (not to mention voodoo) from regular contributors Phyllis Ann Karr and Ron Miller (whose burlesque queen-turned-private eye, Velda, returns this issue). And C.S. Dines takes us to McNeil Station in Antarctica for some unexpected chills. I’ve even dug into my own trove of old stories for a supernatural slasher story. (If you don’t like knives and blood, you might want to skip this one.) Of course, we have traditional tales, too, like a crime novel from G. Sidney Paternoster and the science fiction story by E.C. Tubb (who remains most famous for his long-running Dumarest of Terra space opera series). Lots of good stuff. Here’s the complete lineup— SOLVE-IT-YOURSELF MYSTERY “The Treasure of Hanging Cross Ranch,” by Hal Charles A hidden treasure awaits, but only the sharpest mind can decipher the clues. Can you solve the mystery before Detective Hayes? NOVEL The Master Criminal, by G. Sidney Paternoster Guy Hora, raised as a master thief, finds his criminal philosophy shattered when he falls for Meriel Challys. As he struggles to break free from his past, dark secrets threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. STORIES “The Hanging Judge,” by Dave Zeltserman [Michael Bracken Presents] P.I. Mike Stone solves cases in a twisted version of 1998 Brooklyn—his personal hell. As zombies leap from rooftops and demons lurk, Stone revisits a deadly mystery involving a corrupt judge and mobsters. “The Sweatergeist,” by Joseph D’Agnese [Barb Goffman Presents] Detective Bleecker investigates an eccentric millionaire’s claim that his deceased wife returns every Wednesday to haunt her favorite sweater… “Who Purged the Thaumaturge?” by Ron Miller [P.I. Velda series] Velda dives into a world of sorcery and voodoo when an occult shop owner is murdered. She is quickly entangled in a dangerous mix of hoodoo, hexes, beatniks, witches, and one incredibly strong woman. “The Pearly Gates Motel,” by Phyllis Ann Karr Count Czernikowski checks into a decaying motel only to encounter Saxo Gates, the eccentric manager with deadly intentions. Secrets and supernatural forces collide in this chilling thriller. “The Man Who Collected Knives,” by John Gregory Betancourt Jason’s obsession with collecting blades becomes something far darker when an insidious, otherworldly creature begins to whisper in his ear. “McNeil Station,” by C.S. Dines Five tourists on an Antarctic cruise sneak off to explore an abandoned research station, where they discover the local wildlife isn’t as cute and cuddly as it seems. “Umbrella in the Sky,” by E.C. Tubb Mike Levine is tasked with saving the world by fixing a massive solar shield. But in the vastness of space, corruption, sabotage, and death loom as the real threats to humanity’s survival.

Our 92nd issue features a pair of classic novels, the science fiction tale Destiny Times Three, by Fritz Leiber, and The Clue of the New Pin, a mystery by Edgar Wallace. Leiber is one of my favorite authors (he has an amazing body of work, notably the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser sword and sorcery series, but also much else of note in the fantasy, science fiction, and horror fields). And Edgar Wallace was an amazing British author who created scores of classic stories, novels, and movies (including the original King Kong). At one point, a quarter of all novels sold in England were by Wallace. If you’re a fan of the French answer to Sherlock Holmes, Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin, you’re in for a treat. Here is a rare 1912 Arsène Lupin short story, “The Man with the Goat Skin,” in a brand new translation. (I’m finally putting my 7 years of French studies to good use.) And, of course, our acquiring editors Barb Goffman and Michael Bracken have been hard at work. This issue, we have a story by O’Neil De Noux, thanks to Michael. Barb snagged reprint rights to John M. Floyd’s Derringer Award-winner, “On the Road with Mary Jo.” Plus we the final 3 stories from Sekenre: The Book of the Sorcerer, by Darrell Schweitzer; a dark fantasy tale by Adrian Cole; a solve-it-yourself mystery by Hal Charles; plus vintage science fiction from Lester del Rey and Wm. Gray Beyer. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “A Pretty Slick Guy,” by O’Neil De Noux [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Case of the Murdered Manager,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “On the Road with Mary Jo,” by John M. Floyd [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Man with the Goat Skin,” by Maurice Leblanc [short story, Arsène Lupin series] The Clue of the New Pin, by Edgar Wallace [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Demon Driver” by Adrian Cole [short story] “The Deadly Thinkers,” by Wm. Gray Beyer [short story] “And There Was Light,” by Lester del Rey [short story] Sekenre: The Book of the Sorcerer (part 4), by Darrell Schweitzer [4-part serial] Destiny Times Three, by Fritz Leiber [novel]

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Crow’s Nest,” by John M. Floyd [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Whom Do You Trust?” by Hal Charles [solve-it-yourself mystery] “Winter’s Journey,” by R.J. Koreto [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Smoke of the .45, by Harry Sinclair Drago [novel] A Certain Dr. Thorndyke, by R. Austin Freeman [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “All in the Golden Afternoon,” by Marilyn “Mattie” Brahen [short story] “Doubled in Brass,” by Lester del Rey [short story] “The Admiral’s Walk,” by Sam Merwin [short story] “Simple Psiman,” by F.L. Wallace [short story] “Siren Satellite,” by Arthur K. Barnes [novella]

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #17—another fun issue, with great mystery and science fiction short stories, classic novels, and more! The lineup this time: Mysteries / Suspense: “Smart Cookie,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Shanks Gets Mugged,” by Robert Lopresti [short story] “Thubway Tham Reforms,” by Johnston McCulley [short story] “The Man in the Dick Tracy Hat” by Elizabeth Zelvin [Barb Goffman Presents short story] The Seal of Gijon, by Nicholas Carter [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy:  “The Hour of Their Need,” by Amy Wolf [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “Dragonet,” by Esther Friesner [Darrell Schweitzer Presents short story] “Vengeance in Her Bones,” by Malcolm Jameson [short story] “Taste Taste,” by Larry Tritten [short story] Secret of the Martians, by Paul W. Fairman [novel]