Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #47. Another fine issue is at hand—with mysteries from Peter Lovesey (thanks to acquiring editor Barb Goffman), Laird Long (thanks to acquiring editor Michael Bracken), and classics from Christopher B. Booth, Edgar Wallace, and Nicholas Carter. (Not to mention a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles!) On the science fiction front, we have Nisi Shawl’s excellent “Lazzrus” (thanks to acquiring editor Cynthia Ward) plus classics from George O. Smith, E.E. “Doc” Smith, and Algis Budrys. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Suicide Sleep,” by Laird Long [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Boxed In,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] Popping Round to the Post,” by Peter Lovesey [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Penny Protection,” by Christopher B. Booth [short story] Chick, by Edgar Wallace [novel] The Sultan’s Pearls, by Nicholas Carter [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Lazzrus,” by Nisi Shawl [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “Firegod,” by Algis Budrys [short story] “Robot Nemesis,” by E.E. “Doc” Smith, Ph.D. [novelet] Pattern for Conquest, by George O. Smith [novel]

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #46. This is one of our longest issues to date, thanks to no less than 3 novels! Not only is there a Nick Carter mystery novel, but we also have a classic time-travel novel from Edmond Hamilton, plus We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin—one of the most important dystopian novels of all time, influential on generations of writers, including Ursula K. Le Guin and Kurt Vonnegut. Not to mention George Orwell! Of course, our acquiring editors have also selected great tales by S. Phillip Lenski (an original mystery), Stephanie Jaye Evans (a remarkable crime tale, as a mother plans to commit murder for her son), and a science fiction story by Hugo Award-winner David D. Levine. Great Stuff. Plus we have stories by James Holding, Larry Tritten, and Murray Leinster...and what issue would be complete without a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles? Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Four Dead Bodies in a Cornfield,” by S. Phillip Lenski [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Bottled Up,” Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Jamie’s Mother,” Stephanie Jaye Evans [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Baby Bit,” by James Holding [short story] The Call of Death, by Nicholas Carter [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Wreck of the Mars Adventure,” David D. Levine [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “A Science Fiction Readers’ and Writers’ Guide to the Universe,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Trouble,” by George O. Smith [short story] “Skit-Tree Planet,” by Murray Leinster [short story] The Time-Raider, by Edmond Hamilton [novel] We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin [novel]

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]

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #23. Lots of good stuff this time—highlighted by a novel from Golden Age mystery author Rufus King, Duenna for a Murder. Plus a few novellas, and lots of great short stories, a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles, and great selections from Michael Bracken (Laird Long’s “Taken for a Ride”—which qualifies as both a mysery and a fantasy story) and Barb Goffman (Michael Allan Mallory’s “Random Harvest”). On the science fiction side, the Cynthia Ward Presents story is missing this week, but that’s only because we have a fantastic alternate-history story from Cynthia herself! Check out her “On Stony Ground.” Plus an epic disaster story from Allan Danzig, a fantasy from Unknown by Lester del Rey and James H. Beard, a space-based tale by Richard Wilson, and a miniature military SF story from Larry Tritten. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Soul Searching,” by Laird Long [short story] “A Fine Kettle of Fish,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Dead Wrong,” by Frank Kane [short story] “Taken for a Ride,” by Hulbert Footner [short novel] “Random Harvest,” by Michael Allan Mallory [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Duenna to a Murder, by Rufus King [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “On Stony Ground,” by Cynthia Ward [short story] “Corrigan’s Homunculi,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Carillon of Skulls,” by Lester del Rey and James H. Beard [short story] “Abel Baker Camel,” by Richard Wilson [short story] “The Great Nebraska Sea,” by Allan Danzig [short story]

Our 80th issue has some great tales for you, starting with an original mystery by Hugh Lessit (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and a great reprint by Jim Thomsen (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). Plus we have a pair of detective novels, the first featuring New York-based private investigator Nick Carter, and the second another original Hardy Boys mystery. If you read the later editions, you will be shocked to find how much was changed from the originals. These are not the watered-down Hardy Boys most of us read as kids. Give it a read. On the science fiction and fantasy side, we have a Frostflower & Thorn tale by Phyllis Ann Karr, as she brings her famous duo to a world created by M. Coleman Easton...in collaboration with Easton. Great fun. Plus classic SF by Mike Curry, Robert Silverberg, Robert F. Young, and Murray Leinster. Here’s this issue’s complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Shade Tree Mechanic” by Hugh Lessig [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Clear as Glass” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Ride Home,” by Jim Thomsen [Barb Goffman Presents short story] The Little Glass Vial, by Nicholas Carter [novel] The Tower Treasure, by Franklin W. Dixon Science Fiction & Fantasy: “A Glassmaker’s Courage,” by Phyllis Ann Karr and M. Coleman Easton [short story] “Metamorphosis,” by Mike Curry [short story] “Come Into My Brain!” by Robert Silverberg [short story] “Bbruggil’s Bride,” by Robert F. Young [short story] The Gadget Had A Ghost, by Murray Leinster [novella]

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly. I can’t believe it’s been 100 issues! Time flies when you’re having fun. To help make this issue special, I asked Barb Goffman and Michael Bracken to contribute some special stories of their own. I think you’ll agree, they are among the highlights of this issue. On the mystery side , we also have stories by Nancy Pickard, Bradley Harper, and a novel from the legendary Fredric Brown—his classic Knock Three-One-Two. And what issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself mystery by Hal Charles? On the more fantastic side of things, we have another of Darrell Schweitzer’s historical interviews with a legend of science fiction, this time Robert Sheckley. Conducted in 1981, it talks about his becoming fiction editor of Omni magazine, the science fiction community in New York City, and more. As for fiction, we have that, too, of course. Fantasy from Joseph Payne Brennan and Aeryn Rudel. Science fiction from Larry Tritten, Frank Belknap Long, and a rare novel, The Green Girl, from Grandmaster Jack Williamson. A big thanks to everyone who made the first 100 issues possible, including Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken, Barb Goffman, Paul Di Filippo, Darrell Schweitzer, and Cynthia Ward, staffers Sam Hogan, and Karl Wurf, and of course all our readers! -- John Betancourt, Editor Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Wolfhound” 2023 by Bradley Harper [short story] “Things That Go Bump” 2022 by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “If Only You Would Leave Me” by Nancy Pickard [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Lord Is My Shamus” 2012 by Barb Goffman [short story] “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’” 2021 by Michael Bracken [short story] Knock Three-One-Two, by Fredric Brown [novel] Nonfiction: “Speaking with Robert Sheckley” by Darrell Schweitzer [interview] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Smile Price” by Aeryn Rudel [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Exit Laughing” by Larry Tritten [short story] “The Miniature Menace,” by Frank Belknap Long [short story] “The Seventh Incantation,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] The Green Girl, by Jack Williamson [novel]

Black Cat Weekly #22 features a change of pace fantasy story from Michael Bracken, who is best known for his mysteries and crime stories—selected by Cynthia Ward. It’s our featured story this issue. But that’s not to say the other science fiction and fantasy stories aren’t great, too! “Alien,” by Lester del Rey, is a different take on the crash-landed alien who wants to eat everyone around him. And I’m sure you’ll get a chuckle from Larry Tritten’s gonzo sendup of generic fantasy and science fiction quest stories, “The Lord of the Land Beyond (Book One).” (Hint: don’t look for a sequel.) Classics from Unknown by Malcolm Jameson and from Weird Tales by Manley Wade Welllman round out the section. Mystery readers, too, have a lot to explore. Charlotte Morganti leads off with “Deadly Drama,” selected by Michael Bracken—it begins with an accordion festival—rejoice if you like polkas!—but I don’t want to say too much. Read it yourself! Barb Goffman brings us “All Prayers Are Answered,” a powerful story by Eric Rutter of a homeless man whose friend is murdered. He is drawn into the investigation out of fear a young woman investigating the crime will come to harm—or unearth a terrible secret from his past. If you like your detectives hardboiled, Frank Kane returns with another Johnny Liddell mystery. Traditional mystery fans will enjoy a Madame Story novel from Hulbert Footner. And western and historical readers will enjoy a great pulp novel by Max Brand. And of course, where would we be without our solve-it-yourself mystery? Pit your wits against Hal Charles (the writing tream of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet) and see if you can solve “The Coin Flip” without reading the solution! Lastly, “The ‘Rexmel,” by Ralph Milne Farley, has an improbable invention, but it’s not really science fiction, even though it’s by a science fiction writer and appeared in a fantasy magazine. Maybe you could call it a pulp sea-story with shaggy dog elements? Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure “Deadly Drama at the Accordion-o-Rama,” by Charlotte Morganti [short story] “A Coin Flip,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “A Package for Mr. Big,” by Frank Kane [short novel] “All Prayers Are Answered,” by Eric Rutter [short story] The Death Notice by Hulbert Footner [novel] A Shower of Silver, by Max Brand [novel] “The ‘Rexmel’,” by Ralph Milne Farley [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy “The Fishmonger’s Wife,” by Michael Bracken [Cynthia Ward Presents, short story] “The Lord of the Land Beyond (Book One),” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Alien,” by Lester del Rey [short story] “Doubled and Redoubled,” by Malcolm Jameson [short story] “Old Dhoh,” by Manly Wade Wellman [short story]