Black Cat Weekly 117

We successfully completed Thanksgiving, but now we’re trapped in the dead zone between roast turkey and roasting chestnuts. When our first December issue arrives, we’ll kick off holiday celebrations anew, though, with more great novels and short stories. But in the meantime, we have an original crime story by the always-masterful Elizabeth Elwood (thanks to Acquiring editor Michael Bracken), a post-Thanksgiving treat by Stacy Woodson (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), a mystery classic by Stephen Wasylyk, and part 2 of Tiger Island, the only novel from acclaimed short story author Jack Ritchie. Plus, of course, a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles. On the more fantastic end of things, Anna Tambour works wonders with “orms”… Tom Purdom shows there’s still a place for individualism in the future… Algis Budrys brings a detective down the mean streets of the future, in search of a missing man… A. Earley has a sugary tale of (among many things) Russian aggression in the future… And we have part 2 of Francis Jarman’s historical fantasy, The Eagle’s Wing. Good stuff! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,” by Elizabeth Elwood [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “What’s Wrong with this Picture?” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Final Course,” by Stacy Woodson [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Web,” by Stephen Wasylyk [short story] Tiger Island, by Jack Ritchie [serial novel, part 2 of 3] “Between the Dark and the Daylight,” by Algis Budrys [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “The Age of Fish, Post-Flowers” by Anna Tambour [short story] “The Man Who Wouldn’t Sign Up,” by Tom Purdom [short story] “Between the Dark and the Daylight,” by Algis Budrys [short story] “And It Was Good,” by [short story] The Eagle’s Wing, by Francis Jarman [serial novel, part 2 of 4]

This is the last issue of the year—which explains why we have a New Year’s story from Elizabeth Elwood (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). We also have original mysteries from Mark Troy (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Nikki Knight (a new Grace the Hit Mom story), plus a complete short story collection by Edgar Wallace, plus a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles. Five classics this time on the science fiction & fantasy front, from some of the great short story writers of the field: Robert F. Young, Jack Sharkey, Harry Harrison, Thomas M. Disch, and August Derleth (one of Derleth’s rare excursions into science fiction, in fact…in this case, a robot story.) Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Your Table’s Waiting,” by Mark Troy [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Hot Car,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “All Decked Out for New Year’s Eve,” by Elizabeth Elwood [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “No Angels Here,” by Nikki Knight [short story, Grace the Hit Mom series] Mrs. William Jones—and Bill, by Edgar Wallace [short story collection] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Lord of Rays” by Robert F. Young [short story] “The Smart Ones,” by Jack Sharkey [short story] “Down To Earth,” by Harry Harrison [short story] “Utopia? Never!” by Thomas M. Disch [short story] “The Maugham Obsession,” by August Derleth [short story]

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]

Black Cat Weekly #62 presents another thrilling mix of original and classic science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and adventure fiction. Here are more than 600 pages of great reading—no matter what genres you enjoy, you'll find something you'll love in these pages! Mystery / Crime / Suspense: “Siren Song,” by M. A. Monnin [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Letter Perfect,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Beneath the Surface,” by Kathryn Prater Bomey [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Code 197,” by Richard S. Prather [novella] A Human Counterfeit, by Nicholas Carter [novel] Science Fiction / Fantasy / Adventure: “Siren Song,” by M. A. Monnin [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Green Roses,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “A Family Matter,” by Sydney J. Bounds [short story] “The Isle of Lost Ships,” by Seabury Quinn [novella] “Miracle,” by Ray Cummings [short story] The Cave Girl, by Edgar Rice Burroughs [novel]

For our 106th issue, we seem to have developed a television theme, with a pair of great speculative fiction stories about TV: Norman Spinrad’s “Prime Time” and Henry Slesar’s “The Show Must Go On.” Spinrad’s tale is a look at a future where people can retire to relive television. And Slesar’s is a darkly cynical look behind the curtain of television production. Jack Vance, H.B. Fyfe, and Joseph Payne Brennan round out our SF and fantasy contributors this issue. “Prime Time,” incidentally, is Norman Spinrad’s fiction debut in Black Cat Weekly, and it won’t be his last story for us. He kindly went through his short fiction and selected 10 favorite stories for us to reprint in coming issues, so you’re in for a real treat. And speaking of treats, our editors are already working on some special Halloween surprises for October. I know you’ll be thoroughly spooked by some of them. Something to look forward to, as we approach my favorite holiday season. (There’s a reason we have a black cat for a mascot.) Our novel this issue is a mystery: Scarhaven Keep, by Golden Age British author J.S. Fletcher. Also in mysteries, we have an original from Nikki Knight (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and a terrific crime story by Brendan DuBois, who remains a mainstay of short mystery fiction. Of course, no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself short from Hal Charles. Great stuff indeed. Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The New York Goodbye,” by Nikki Knight [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Last Shot,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Road’s End,” by Brendan DuBois [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Scarhaven Keep, by J.S. Fletcher [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Prime Time,” by Norman Spinrad [short story] “The Show Must Go On,” by Henry Slesar [short story] “The Visitor in the Vault,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] “The Night of No Moon,” by H.B. Fyfe [short story] “The Men Return,” by Jack Vance [short story]

Our 96th issue introduces some new contributors to the magazine—Smita Harish Jain (with an original mystery, thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Naomi Hirahara (with a riveting reprint mystery, courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). Also on the mystery front, we have a pair of British classics: a Sexton Blake detective story by Hal Meredith and a novel by William Le Queux. When it comes to fantasy and science fiction, we’ve achieved an appealing balance. Adrian Cole and Henry S. Whitehead deliver two distinctly different nautically-themed stories. Also featured is Robert E. Howard’s eerie tale, “The Dream Snake.” (The Whitehead and Howard pieces originated from Weird Tales, and Cole’s work could easily have found a home within its pages.) Complementing the mix are science fiction stories by Arthur Leo Zagat and Russ Winterbotham, both prolific during the Golden Age. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “An Honorable Choice,” by Smita Harish Jain [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Case of the Taken Trophy,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Off the 405,” by Naomi Hirahara [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Empty Tin,” by Hal Meredith [short story, Sexton Blake series] The Gamblers, by William Le Queux [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Running with the Tide,” by Adrian Cole [short story] “Sea Change,” by Henry S. Whitehead [short story] “The Dream Snake,” by Robert E. Howard [short story] “No Escape from Destiny” by Arthur Leo Zagat [novella] The Red Planet, by Russ Winterbotham [novel]

Black Cat Weekly #9presents: Mysteries & Suspense “Tie Score,” by Lee Mayers[short story] “Lunch Is Served,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Lamplighter by the Sea,” by Michael Nethercott [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Judas Journey, by Lee Roberts [mystery novel] Special Detective, by John Thomas McIntyre [novel, Ashton-Kirk series] Science Fiction & Fantasy “The Wolf Woman,”, by H. Bedford-Jones [short story] “The New Pass,” by Amelia B. Edwards [short story] “Sympathy for Mummies,” by John Gregory Betancourt [short story] “No-Risk Planet,” by Stephen Marlowe [short story] Peril of the Starmen, by Kris Neville [novel] The Amulet, by A.R. Morlan [novel]