Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #44. This is an amazing issue, with quite the all-star lineup. First off, private detective Frank Wolf and his grandson Joel return to our pages with a new short novel by Saul Golubcow, The Dorm Murder (published simultaneously with Golubcow’s collection, The Cost of Living and Other Mysteries). This is one of my favorite series in recent years, and I highly recommend you start with The Dorm Murder. You won’t be disappointed. Black Cat’s acquiring editors have been busy, too—Michael Bracken, Barb Goffman, Cynthia Ward, and Darrell Schweitzer all have contributions this issue. Michael and Barb found great mysteries by Mary Dutta and Brendan Dubois, Cindy has a neo-classic science fiction tale by David Marusek, and Darrell has unearned a “paleo-interview” from 1988 with fantasist Nancy Springer. It’s fascinating. And we have classics by Fritz Leiber, Robert Silverberg, George O. Smith, Henry Kuttner, and a Nick Carter mystery novel. Plus, of course, a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles (the writing team of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet). Here's the lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: The Dorm Murder, by Saul Golubcow [short novel] “The Wonderworker” by Mary Dutta [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “An Eggcellent Equation” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Lake Tenant” by Brendan DuBois [Barb Goffman Presents short story] The Blue Veil, by Nicholas Carter [novel] Non-Fiction: “Speaking with Nancy Springer” [Interview with Darrell Schweitzer] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Getting To Know You” by David Marusek [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “Friends and Enemies," by Fritz Leiber [short story] “Lair of the Dragonbird," by Robert Silverberg [short story] “Meddler’s Moon,” by George O. Smith [short story] Avengers of Space, by Henry Kuttner [short novel]

This issue, in addition to great tales from Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, we also have an original mystery from Kathleen Marple Kalb, a modern dark fantasy from John S. Glasby, and much, much more. Here’s the complete lineup— Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Mother’s Day Tea,” by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier [Michael Bracken Presents short story] At a seemingly innocent kindergarten Mother’s Day tea, Briana Carter feels the pressure of keeping up with the other moms. But behind her professional exterior, Briana has a darker motive. “Who Stole Annie Oakley’s Golden Gun?” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] When a gold-plated Colt .45 once owned by Annie Oakley vanishes, Detective Kelly Stone is called in to solve the mystery. Can you solve it before Kelly does? “Business As Usual,” by Wayne J. Gardiner [Barb Goffman Presents short story] After a mob job in Kansas City, Lucille returns to New York with doubts—did she make a mistake by taking a little extra on the side? When a hitman tails her at LaGuardia, it’s clear the underboss who hired her isn’t done. How long can she stay ahead? “Mow Way Out,” by Kathleen Marple Kalb [short story] When Christian Shaw, a history buff and single mom, finds her neighbor unresponsive in his tomato patch, it seems like an accident. But her son notices something odd.... The House of Intrigue, by Arthur Stringer [novel] When Baddie Pretlow gets caught up in a web of deception and crime, she finds herself at the center of a dangerous game involving stolen jewels, false identities, and ruthless criminals. Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Snail Ghost,” by Will Murray [Darrell Schweitzer Presents short story] Under a mysterious blue moon in Tibet, an otherworldly traveler encounters a snail-like entity with a plea for help... “Nightmare on Ice,” by John S. Glasby [short story] A polar base is under siege by an otherworldly force in the depths of an unrelenting Arctic winter. “Where Are You, Mr. Biggs?” by Nelson S. Bond [short story, Lancelot Biggs series] Lancelot Biggs, First Mate of the spaceship Saturn, invents a revolutionary “velocity intensifier” that propels the crew on a high-speed journey to Uranus... “The Nobles Are Coming,” by Gene Cross [short story] Trapped in a Martian cave, archeologist Ross encountersa prospector with a deep obsession over mysterious, deadly creatures known as the Nobles. These beings are infamous for making humans disappear, leaving behind only husks of their former selves… Cities in the Air, by Edmond Hamilton [novel] In a future where massive floating cities dominate the skies, Captain Brant finds himself at the center of an epic aerial war between superpowers.

Black Cat Weekly features an eclectic mix of original, classic, and rare stories and novels—science fiction, mysteries, fantasy (light and dark), and the uncategorizable. The latest issue is no exception. Here are 2 novels and 10 shorter works: MR. BIG NOSE, by Martin Suto [mystery short] THE PASSING OF BIG MAMA MAYHALL, by Bobbi A. Chukran [mystery short] ONE HOUR, by Dashiell Hammett [mystery short] IT’S A DATE, by Hal Charles [mystery short] KEEBAN, by Edwin Balmer [mystery novel] WISHFUL THINKING, by Barb Goffman [suspense/fantasy short] MYSTERY OF THE SILVER SKULL, by Frank Lovell Nelson [mystery short] JEMIMA, by A. R. Morlan [science fiction short] MAN-SIZE IN MARBLE, by E. Nesbit [fantasy short] SYMPATHY FOR ZOMBIES, by John Gregory Betancourt [science fiction short] HOLY CITY OF MARS, by Ralph Milne Farley [science fiction short] PLANET OF DREAD, by Dwight V. Swain [science novel]

Black Cat Weekly #98 features 10 short stories and a novel. This time, we have five mysteries (including a terrific original by Adam Meyer, courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), modern tales by Dharma Kelleher (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and Jack Halliday, plus a classic by Frank Gruber, who was a prolific pulp writer and novelist. Gruber’s story of a dance-hall clip-joint provides a window into a long-gone era. And of course, no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself mystery. On the more science fiction and fantasy side, we have a sword-and-sorcery tale by Phyllis Ann Karr (set in her Frosterflower and Thorn universe), a dark fantasy by horror master Joseph Payne Brennan, a time-travel tale by Robert Abernathy, and classic science fiction by Philip Jose Farmer (“Daughter” is a followup to his classic tale, “Mother”) and John W. Campbell (the tale of grim survival on the moon, The Moon Is Hell.) And for Western fans, we have a classic tale by Alan Le May. Great stuff! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Stacy’s Mom,” by Adam Meyer [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Games Gang Rides Again,” Hal Charlies [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Kissing Asphalt,” by Dharma Kelleher [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” by Jack Halliday [short story] “Clip-Joint Adventures,” by Frank Gruber [short story] “The Bells of San Juan,” by Alan Le May [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Sorcery and Sacrilege,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story] “The Midnight Bus,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] “Daughter,” by Philip Jose Farmer [short story] “Stopwatch on the World,” by Robert Abernathy [novelet] The Moon Is Hell, by John W. Campbell [novel]