Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #32. This issue, we have more original stories than ever before. Editors Michael Bracken and Cynthia Ward have brought in new tales by Wil A. Emerson and the writing team of Jayme Lynn Blaschke and Don Webb, and I snagged magazine rights to Mel Gilden’s new novel, The Case by Case Casebook of Emily Silverwood. Mel’s story is a new and thoroughly modern take on the Mary Poppins theme. Wil Emerson has a study on the dynamics of detective partners. And Blachke and Webb’s story (as Cindy Ward put it) “reveals the connections between Nietszche’s abyss, Lovecraft’s god-monsters and non-Euclidean spaces, and Cordwainer Smith’s monsters of subspace.” Wow! Not to be outdone, Barb Goffman acquired Stacy Woodson’s first story, which won the Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Reader’s Award. And, of course, we have a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles, a historical adventure novel from Edison Marshall, and a slew of great science fiction stories from such masters as Henry Slesar, and Edmond Hamilson. And a World War II fantasy from Malcolm Edwards. Here’s the lineup: Non-Fiction: “Speaking with Robert Sheckley,” conducted by Darrell Schweitzer [interview] Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Insieme,” by Wil A. Emerson [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “An Eggcellent Equation,” by Hal Charles [solve-it-yourself mystery] “Paper Caper,” by James Holding [short story] “Duty, Honor, Hammett,” by Stacy Woodson [Barb Goffman Presents short story] The Infinite Woman, by Edison Marshall [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: It Gazes Back,” by Jayme Lynn Blaschke and Don Webb [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] The Case by Case Casebook of Emily Silverwood, by Mel Gilden [serialized novel] “Vengeance in Her Bones,” by Malcolm Jameson [short story] “The Man Who Liked Lions,” by John Bernard Daley [short story] “A Message from Our Sponsor,” by Henry Slesar [short story] Crashing Suns, by Edmond Hamilton [novel]

You’re in for a mystery treat this time, with the first Honey West novel. (If you’re not familiar with Honey, she debuted in 1957—and created quite a stir as the first woman detective in a field dominated by hardboiled males. See my long intro directly before the book for a complete dossier on Honey.) Plus this issue we have an original tale from Nikki Knight (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), a great tale by David Dean (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), and the first Gabriel Gale mystery by G.K. Chesterton. And, of course, a solve-it-yourself puzzler from the always-clever brains of Hal Charles (the writing team of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet). On the science fiction and fantasy side, we have a whopper of a fish tale from Carl Jacobi, military sci-fi from J.F. Bone, a fiendish alien plot from H.B. Fyfe, a tale of telepresence space exploration gone wrong from Daniel F. Galouye, and a short pulp novel from Milton Lesser (Stephen Marlowe). Here’s the complete lineup— Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Never Know What You’ll Hear,” by Nikki Knight [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Who Spoiledapple Cider Days,” Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Mariel,” by David Dean [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Fantastic Friends,” by G.K. Chesterton [short story, Gabriel Gale series] This Girl for Hire, by G.G. Fickling [novel, Honey West series] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Carnaby’s Fish,” by Carl Jacobi [short story] “Weapon,” by J.F. Bone [short story] “The Klygha,” by H.B. Fyfe [short story] “Reign of the Telepuppets,” by Daniel F. Galouye [short novel] Son of the Black Chalice, by Milton Lesser [short novel]

This is a special issue—our 50th, as you may have noticed from our cover. To celebrate, all past and present editors were to contribute a story. (It helps that they are also amazingly talented writers.) So we have stories from Michael Bracken, Barb Goffman, Paul Di Filippo, Darrell Schweitzer, and Cynthia Ward in addition to our other fare. But wait! There’s more! This issue features four original tales—Elizabeth Zelvin has a fantasy/mystery stories, Phyllis Ann Karr has a weird western, and Cynthia Ward has a gonzo science fiction crowd-funding story. And I have completed a story by the late H.B. Fyfe, who was best known for his science fiction stories, though this one is a revenge tale that most closely fits the mystery genre. And the good stuff doesn’t stop there. We also have a superhero story from Darrell Schweitzer. Space Opera from Algis Budrys and E.E. “Doc” Smith. A historical mystery novel by western author B.M. Bower. A historical investigation from Charles Todd. A Mallworld story from Somtow Sucharitkul (who also writes as S.P. Somtow). And no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself mystery by Hal Charles. All in all, this is an probably our best Black Cat Weekly yet. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Ladies of Wednesday Tea” by Michael Bracken [short story] “Hidden in Plain Sight” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Ice Ice Baby” by Barb Goffman [short story] “Flayed” by H.B. Fyfe and John Gregory Betancourt [short story] “Blood Money” by Charles Todd [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The House of Marble” by Elizabeth Zelvin [Michael Bracken Presents short story] The Eagle’s Wing, by B.M. Bower [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The House of Marble” by Elizabeth Zelvin [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Rise and Fall of Whistle-Pig City” by Paul Di Filippo [short story] “Rabid in Mallworld” by Somtow Sucharitkul [short story] “Fighting the Zeppelin Gang” by Darrell Schweitzer [short story] “Winona of Bleeding Kansas” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “The Campaign Is Now Officially Complete” by Cynthia Ward [short story] “Blood on my Jets” by Algis Budrys [short story] The Skylark of Valeron, by Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. [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]

Black Cat Weekly's 56th issue is another done with most of the staff on vacation. But we’ve managed to pull together another great issue, including an original weird western by Phyllis Ann Karr, plus lots of other goodies. Included this time are: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “All Men are Constructed Equal,” by Laird Long [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Murder in the Ranks,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Ghost Busters,” by Carol Cail [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “T’ang of the Suffering Dragon,” by James Holding [short story] The Door with Seven Locks, by Edgar Wallace [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “I’ll Have You Know,” is copyright © 2019 by Charlie Jane Anders [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “One-Eyed Queens,” is copyright © 2022 by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “From Beyond the Stars,” by Murray Leinster [short story] “The Sky Was Full of Ships,” by Theodore Sturgeon [short story] One of Three, by George O. Smith [novel]

Black Cat Weekly continues to present a mix of original, modern, and classic science fiction, fantasy, and mystery fiction. #71 includes 6 short stories, 3 novels, and a solve-it-yourself mystery. Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Friday, February 30th,” by Mark Thielman [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “X Marks the Spot” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Secrets in the Snow” by J. M. Taylor [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Ring-a-Ding-Ding, by Frank Kane [novel] The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle [collection] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Giftie Gien,” by Malcolm Jameson [short story] “Space-Can,” by Murray Leinster [short story] “The Knowledge Machine,” by Edmond Hamilton [short story] “The Timeless Tomorrow,” by Manly Wade Wellman [novel] Secret of the Earth Star, by Henry Kuttner [novel]

Our 77th issue features a pair of original stories, one by Jesse Lee (which does double-duty as mystery and science fiction), and one by Phyllis Ann Karr (another of her weird westerns, again featuring itinerant gambler Bart Maverel). Plus we have a Bruce Arthurs suspense tale, the first Stainless Steel Rat short story from Harry Harrison, and even a long-long essay from Harlan Ellison! And the usual great selection of science fiction, fantasy, crime, and mystery novels and short stories. As always, special thanks to our acquiring editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, for their help with this issue. Here’s the lineup: Here’s this issue’s lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Dirty Water,” by Jesse Lee [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “A Shipshape Reunion,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Beks and the Second Note,” by Bruce Arthurs [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Dirge for a Nude,” by Jonathan Craig [short novel] The Powder Dock Mystery, by Reed Fulton [novel] Nonfiction: “It’s No Longer Astounding!” by Harlan Ellison Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Kitty Wampole,” is copyright © 2023 by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “The Stainless Steel Rat,” by Harry Harrison [short story] “The Eleventh Hour,” by Edwin Balmer & William B. MacHar [short story] “Date Line,” by Noel M. Loomis [short story] “White Spot,” by Murray Leinster [short novel]