SMFS Members Published in Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Grateful Dead

 

Today is publication day for Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Grateful Dead.  Edited by SMFS list member Josh Pachter, the anthology is published by Down and Out Books. The read is available from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS list members that reported their short stories in the book are:

 

James D.F. Hannah with “Shakedown Street.”

 

Vinnie Hansen with “Dire Wolf.”

 

James L'Etoile with “Estimated Prophet.”

 

G.M. Malliet with “Pride of Cucamonga.”

 

Editor Josh Pachter with “Friend of the Devil.”

 

Twist Phelan with “Bertha.”

 

Joseph S. Walker with “The Music Never Stopped.”

 

Description

What a long, strange trip it’s been, from late 1964 (when Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Ron McKernan of the acoustic Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions decided to go electric and form a band they called the Warlocks) to the following November (when, having added Bill Kreutzmann on drums and Dana Morgan on bass, they changed their name to the Grateful Dead) to August 1995 (when Jerry died of a heart attack) and beyond (through the Other Ones, the Dead, Furthur, the Rhythm Devils, Bob Weir & RatDog, Phil Lesh and Friends, and numerous other configurations and solo projects).

In Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Grateful Dead, editor Josh Pachter presents an anthology of stories inspired by lyrics from the Dead’s thirteen studio albums and two of their many live recordings. The contributors include some of the finest contemporary authors of short crime fiction, such as award winners Bruce Robert Coffin, James D.F. Hannah, Vinnie Hansen, James L’Etoile, G.M. Malliet, Twist Phelan, Faye Snowden, and Joseph S. Walker. Also on board are Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine editor Linda Landrigan (with her first published story!), married couple Kathryn O’Sullivan and Paul Awad, Flemish writer Dominique Biebau, David Avallone (son of the legendary crime writer Michael Avallone), and more.

These fifteen tales will appeal to aficionados of crime fiction and Deadheads alike, and both types of reader are sure to enjoy discovering the many Easter-egg references to the songs that inspired the stories.

Pachter’s previous “inspired by” anthologies include Anthony Award finalists The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell, Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon, and Happiness Is a Warm Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Beatles. With Friend of the Devil, he and his merry gang of contributors keep on truckin’! 

SMFS Members Published in Black Cat Weekly #161

 

SMFS list members are published in Black Cat Weekly #161. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format. The list members that reported being in the issue are:

 

Teel James Glenn with “The Phantom Fear.”

 

Robert Lopresti with “Shanks’s Last Words.”

 

Shannon Taft with “Beware the Bunnyman.”

 

Publisher Description:

We have another great lineup this time, with original tales by Robert Lopresti (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), Shannon Taft (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), Wayne Carey, Teel James Glenn, and JM Cyrus (who gets the honor of having the story with the longest title that we’ve [yet] published!)

   As always, it’s an eclectic mix, from traditional mysteries to supernatural crimes, from space opera to a fantastic world of moving islands…and everything in between! I hope you enjoy them all.

   And special thanks to our art director, Ron Miller, who has found a terrific Steve Hickman cover for this issue (and continues to design amazing covers).

   Here’s the complete lineup—

 

Cover Art: Stephen Hickman

 

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

 

“Shanks’s Last Words,” by Robert Lopresti [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

    A shrewd mystery writer teams up with a rookie detective to try to solve a small-town accountant’s murder, unraveling cryptic clues.

“The Case of the Sabotaged Sloops,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]

    A small-town boat race faces sabotage threats. Can you solve the case before Detective Kelly Stone?

“Beware the Bunnyman,” by Shannon Taft [Barb Goffman Presents short story]

    A detective tries to unravels the truth behind a bizarre murder involving a giant rabbit costume and marital deception.

“The Jade Dragon of Dunhuang,” by Wayne Carey [short story]

    An expert in Chinese antiquities visits 1930s San Francisco, entangling himself in intrigue over a rare jade artifact.

The Sturgis Wager, by Edgar Morette [novel]

    A detective tackles a case of bank fraud and murder in 1890s New York, using keen observation and deductive reasoning.

 

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

 

“Dr. Darque and the Phantom Fear,” by Teel James Glenn [short story]

    A detective investigates mysterious deaths at Coney Island, uncovering a supernatural threat feeding on fear.

“How To Cross the Cavorting Sea’s Wandering Islands During the Fourth Dance of the Widdershins Elliptical Cycle,” by JM Cyrus [short story]

    A man’s journey across magical islands becomes a voyage of self-discovery and unexpected love in a whimsical world.

“The Return of Lancelot Biggs,” by Nelson S. Bond [short story]

    Quirky spaceship crew faces danger as efficiency expert’s mistakes pit them against the Sun’s deadly pull.

“Murderer’s Chain,” by Wenzell Brown [short story]

    A greedy son-in-law plots murder with an alien weapon, but his scheme unravels in an unexpected twist.

“Home Is the Hero,” by E.C. Tubb [short story]

    A space pioneer returns to Earth, grappling with physical challenges and the complexities of his heroic status.

SMFS Members Published in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine: Issue 33

SMFS members are published in the recently released, Pulphouse Fiction Magazine: Issue 33. Published by WMG Publishing, the read is available from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS list members that reported being in the issue are:

 

David H. Hendrickson with “Beloved.”

 

Robert Jeschonek with “Dog and Pony Show.”

 

Annie Reed with “The Wall.”

 

Publisher Description:

The Cutting Edge of Modern Short Fiction
A three time Hugo Award nominated magazine, this issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine offers up ten fantastic stories by some of the best writers working in modern short fiction.
No genre limitations, no topic limitations, just great stories. Attitude, feel, and high-quality fiction equals Pulphouse.

Includes:
“Holy Balls: A Dan Shamble Zombie P.I. Adventure” by Kevin J. Anderson
“Beloved" by David H. Hendrickson
“The Future Will Be Worse” by Scott Edelman
“Immersed in Matter” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
“Dog and Pony Show” by Robert Jeschonek
“The Canyon” by Robin Brande
“Maria’s Hand” by O’Neil De Noux
“The Rats’ Man’s Lackey and the Bringer of Leaves” by Michael Warren Lucas
“The Wall” by Annie Reed
“The Mix-Up” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
“Minions at Work: I’ll Have Mine On The Rocks” by J. Steven York 

SMFS Member Publishing News: A Fatal Honeymoon: An Ella Shane Mystery Novella by by Kathleen Marple Kalb

 

SMFS list member Kathleen Marple Kalb reported that her latest book, A Fatal Honeymoon: An Ella Shane Mystery Novella, is now available for free at a variety of vendors.

 

Author Description:

Diva Ella Shane and her Duke find themselves in the midst of murder, mystery, and mayhem on their Niagara Falls honeymoon, a special adventure in the highly-praised series featuring an Irish-Jewish orphan made good as an opera star.

 

A blissful Niagara Falls honeymoon for Gilded Age trouser diva Ella Shane and her new husband the Duke turns deadly with a murder during a theatre outing -- with a dear friend's beloved the prime suspect. Now, the couple will have to clear his name, unravel a nefarious plot dating back to the Civil War, and protect an ingenue in desperate straits...all while staying incognito. With the surprisingly diverse and open-minded (but period-appropriate) cast this acclaimed series is known for, it's a delicious adventure...and if Ella doesn't win a duel on the Maid of the Mist -- it may be her last!

SMFS Member Publishing News: Once by Alan Orloff

SMFS list member Alan Orloff reported that his short story, Once, was published at Shotgun Honey. You can read the piece for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Superstition: The Secrets of Van Buren University Book 1 by James Blakey

SMFS list member James Blakey reports that this is publication day for his new book, Superstition: The Secrets of Van Buren University Book 1. Published by City Owl Press, the read is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 

Amazon Description:

An umbrella is opened indoors. A black cat crosses your path. Three cigarettes are lit from one match. These are omens of bad luck that no one takes seriously. But at Van Buren University when these, and other superstitions, are broken… students die.

Sophomore Jerry Williams’ hard-hitting reporting has won awards for Van Buren’s school newspaper. But when he connects a series of campus deaths to bad luck, his editor questions Jerry’s judgment, kills the story, and suspends him from the paper. But the superstition-related havoc continues, and Darla, Jerry’s new girlfriend, barely escapes with her life.

When Jerry digs deeper into the mystery and publishes his findings in the school’s alternative newspaper, the university administration threatens him with suspension for causing a panic. But Jerry’s reporting instincts won’t let him stop. With his friends and everyone else on campus at risk, it’s not like Jerry has much of a choice.

As Friday the 13th approaches, Jerry fears a catastrophe. He must uncover who—or what—is behind these bad luck deaths and determine how to stop it.

SMFS Member Publishing News: First Week Free at the Roomy Toilet: A June Knight Mystery by Josh Pachter

SMFS list member Josh Pachter reports that this is publication day for his new book, First Week Free at the Roomy Toilet: A June Knight Mystery. Published by Level Best Books - Level Elevate, the read is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 

Amazon Description:

When June Knight, fourteen years old and the TV spokeskid for Yummy Nibbles, “the dog food dogs love more than people love people food,” decides that she wants to break into the movies, her agent Morty comes up with a scheme to get her some national publicity: June pretends to sue her parents for emancipation and moves into the attic of a nearby boarding house, where neighborhood vandals have altered the “ROOM TO LET” sign out front to read “ROOMY TOILET.”

When things begin mysteriously disappearing from the other tenants’ rooms, newcomer June is the obvious suspect, and to prove her innocence, she decides to take on the most important role of her career and play sleuth. Each of the Roomy Toilet’s wacky residents turns out to have secrets to conceal, and the book builds to a conclusion filled with multiple surprises and happy endings for everyone—well, almost everyone….

SMFS Members Published/Honored in The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024

Today is publication day for The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024. Published by the Mysterious Press, the book is available in a variety of formats at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. Several SMFS list members have stories reprinted in the main section of the book and another is listed in the “Honor Roll” section. The list members that reported their presence in the book are:

 

Main Full Story Section

 

Michael Bracken with “Beat the Clock.” Originally published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine:March/April 2024.

 

Fleur Bradley with "How to Teach Yourself to Swim." Originally published in Dark Yonder: Issue 3, published by Thalia Press.

 

John M. Floyd with “Last Day at the Jackrabbit.” Originally published in Strand Magazine: Issue 69.

 

Nils Gilbertson with "Lovely and Useless Things." Originally published in Prohibition Peepers: Private Eyes During the Noble Experiment, edited by SMFS list member Michael Bracken

 

Peter W. J. Hayes with “El Paso Heat,” Originally published in Black Cat Mystery Magazine #14, edited by SMFS list member Michael Bracken.

 

Annie Reed with “Dead Names.” Originally published in Holiday Spectacular 2023 Calendar of Stories, published by WMG Publishing.

 

Anna Scotti with “It's Not Even Past.” Originally published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: September/October 2023.

 

Stacy Woodson with “One Night in 1965.” Originally published in More Groovy Gumshoes: Private Eyes in the Psychedelic Sixties, edited by SMFS list member Michael Bracken.

 

Honorable Mention:

Robert Lopresti’s “The Accessories Club.” (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine: March/April 2023)

 

Amazon Description:

Anthony Horowitz selects and introduces the best mystery stories from the past year, under the auspices of the world’s oldest mystery fiction specialty bookshop.

From a pool of over 3,000 considered stories published last year―anything that touched on crime, mystery, and suspense, from venues as disparate as The Strand Magazine, Dark Yonder, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, The Bellevue Literary Review, and more―these are the very best, selected by series editor Otto Penzler and guest editor Anthony Horowitz.

The tales included cover a range of styles, highlighting the diversity of subjects and forms comprising the genre we call mystery fiction. Featuring a mixture of household names, masters of the short form, and newcomers to the field, the collection offers a variety that promises something for every reader. And it’s all capped off by a vintage story from the first half of the previous century, sourced directly from the rare book room at the Mysterious Bookshop, the oldest mystery fiction specialty store in the world.

Authors include:

·       Ace Atkins

·       Michael Bracken

·       Fleur Bradley

·       Shelley Costa

·       Doug Crandell

·       Jeffery Deaver

·       John Floyd

·       Nils Gilbertson

·       Peter Hayes

·       Shells Legoullon

·       Victor Methos

·       Leonardo Padura

·       Dan Pope

·       Annie Reed

·       Cameron Sanders

·       Anna Scotti

·       Archer Sullivan

·       Andrew Welsh-Huggins

·       Stacy Woodson

SMFS Members Published in Guilty Crime Story Magazine: Issue 012 - Summer/Fall 2024

SMFS list members are published in Guilty Crime Story Magazine: Issue 012 – Summer/Fall 2024. Published by Full Speed Publishing, the read is available at Amazon. The SMFS list members that reported being in the issue are:

 

Editor/Publisher Brandon Barrows with “Take the Shot.”

 

James Patrick Focarile with “The Sullivan Slide.”

 

Amazon Description:

Guilty is a magazine of crime stories, of criminals, their motivations and their beginnings and ends.

In issue twelve:

"Bastards of a Lesser God" by John Nelson -- They were strangers, with nothing in common except a father they'd never met and a longing for revenge.

"The Eye Test" by David Rachels. -- Jimmy the Grape says jump, you ask how high--never mind that you can't see where you're jumping.

"Forecast" by Mike McHone -- Steal from Vin McKay and there are consequences, come hell or high water.

"Take the Shot" by Brandon Barrows -- When you're a nobody, you have to make your own luck...

"The Sullivan Slide" by James Patrick Focarile -- Is the Sullivan family cursed or do they simply make poor choices?

"Outside Transmission" by Michael Grimala -- It began as a hobby, became an obsession, and ended with murder...

All brand-new material by top writers!

SMFS Member Publishing News: Pull Over by Abe Margel

SMFS list member Abe Margel reports that his short story, Pull Over, was published at Spadina Literary Review. You can read the story online for free here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Welcome to Armadillo by John Floyd

SMFS list member John Floyd’s short story, Welcome to Armadillo, appears in the just released Strand Magazine: Fall 2024 issue. The #73 issue is available at the website and from other vendors.

 

Description

Unpublished G.K Chesterton PLUS an exclusive with James Patterson

For fans of classic detective fiction, The Strand Magazine presents an exceptional issue featuring what appears to be a never-before-published essay by the legendary G.K. Chesterton. Known for his brilliant Father Brown mysteries, Chesterton’s influence on detective fiction is undeniable. In this issue, readers are treated to “The Historical Detective Story,” a rare essay recently found in the Rare Books and Special Collections of the Hesburgh Library at the University of Notre Dame.

Written with Chesterton’s trademark wit and insight, this essay reflects his sharp understanding of the crime genre. In it, he critiques the predictable formulas of detective fiction and advocates for fresh, innovative storytelling—advice that remains as relevant now as when it was first written. Although this piece was intended for the first issue of a magazine by the Detection Club—founded by Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers—it was never published, to the best of our knowledge, making this discovery a true treasure for mystery lovers. This essay is introduced by Dale Ahlquist, president of the American Chesterton Society, who offers expert context and insight into Chesterton’s thought process and literary impact.

Chesterton, a founding member and the first president of the Detection Club, shaped the detective genre in profound ways. His essay provides a rare glimpse into the mind of one of the genre’s pioneers. Beyond his popular Father Brown stories, Chesterton’s thoughtful approach to the moral and philosophical dilemmas behind human actions continues to resonate, as does his enduring belief in forgiveness and redemption.

In addition to Chesterton’s essay, this issue features a host of exciting new works pushing the boundaries of mystery fiction. Josh Malerman’s “Children Aren’t the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents Are Hidden” tells a chilling tale of escape from the past, while neo-noir master Joe R. Lansdale’s “Night Trail” follows a boy’s late-night adventure that takes a dark and dangerous turn. Margie Deck’s “The Case of the Pensive Poet” brings Sherlock Holmes and Watson into a locked-room literary mystery, and John M. Floyd’s “Welcome to Armadillo” follows a PI back to his perilous hometown.

Rounding out the issue are interviews with Rupert Holmes and James Patterson, two creators who continue to innovate in their respective fields. Holmes, celebrated for his Broadway plays and writing success, discusses his latest novel, How to Murder Your Employer, while Patterson shares his experience bringing Michael Crichton’s unfinished novel Eruption to life.

This special edition also includes the nominees for the 2024 Strand Critics Awards, recognizing the best in mystery and crime fiction today. Don’t miss out on this unique issue, which features a rare piece of detective fiction history—published for the first time, as far as we know—alongside cutting-edge stories from contemporary masters.

If you’re looking for more previously unpublished short stories by other legends like Rod Serling, be sure to check out these issues with stories by Shirley Jackson, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Raymond Chandler, H.G. Wells, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett,  Tennessee Williams, Louisa May Alcott, John Steinbeck, and Ray Bradbury.

SMFS Members Published in Thrill Ride: The Magazine #7: Adventure

Today is publication day for Thrill Ride: The Magazine #7: Adventure. Published by Buchman Bookworks, Inc., you can pick up the issue at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS members that reported being in the issue are:

 

Diana Deverell with “Sauna Intrigue.”

 

Teel James Glenn with “The Tale of Sigurd's Name.”

 

David H. Hendrickson with “A Mouse in Name Only.”

 

Karen Keeley with “Taking Care of Business.”

 

Annie Reed with “Star Bright.”

 

Publisher Description:

13 tales of pure Adventure

Action-Adventure tales to lead you to places you’ve never been — and hope you make it back.

Make a wildfire your ally. Tread softly with the French Resistance during WWII. Extract an informant from the dangers of the Babylonian streets. Sail the Atlantic, float down a river, or take a fishing boat far out to sea. And you can always fight the Phoenicians with the least lucky Viking ever born.

Join the adventure and you’ll never look back.

SMFS Member Publishing News: All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection by Leslie Budewitz

SMFS list member Leslie Budewitz reported that her latest book, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection, was now out. Published by Beyond the Page Publishing, the book is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 

Amazon Description:

Born into slavery in Tennessee, the remarkable “Stagecoach Mary” Fields was a larger-than-life figure who cherished her independence, yet formed a deep bond with the Ursuline Sisters, traveling to their Montana mission in 1885 and spending the last thirty years of her life living there or in nearby Cascade. Mary is believed to have been the first Black woman in the country to drive a U.S. Postal Star Route, the source of her nickname.

In All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories, Agatha Award-winning author Leslie Budewitz brings together three short stories, each originally published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, imagining the life of Stagecoach Mary in her first year in Montana, and a novella exploring her later life, including:

All God’s Sparrows, winner of the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Short Story; Miss Starr’s Goodbye, a nominee for the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s Derringer Award; Coming Clean, a finalist for the Western Writers of America’s 2021 Spur Award for Best Short Story; and A Bitter Wind, a brand-new novella in which Mary helps a young woman newly arrived in the valley solve the mystery of her fiancé's death and his homesteading neighbors’ bitterness toward him.

Includes an abbreviated bibliography and historical notes from the author.