Announcing HOT SHOTS: CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF THE SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, the free-to-join community of writers, readers, editors, publishers and others dedicated to the celebration and promotion of short stories in the mystery genre. In addition to providing discussion and resources related to all aspects of the genre, the Society also presents the annual Derringer Awards, recognizing the best stories published in the field.

In recognition of the first three decades of SMFS, Level Best Books has published HOT SHOTS: CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF THE SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY, edited by Josh Pachter, himself a recipient of the Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in Short Mystery Fiction. The anthology includes one Derringer-winning story for every year from 1998, when the Awards were first presented, through 2025. It also includes a complete list of all Derringer winners, along with an introduction by Pachter and a foreword by current SMFS President Joseph S. Walker providing more information about the Society and the history of the Derringers.

This outstanding collection is a celebration not just of the Society, but of short mystery fiction itself. Mystery has its roots in the short story (think of Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle), and this book provides ample evidence that the form continues not just to thrive, but to grow and innovate. Readers will find here stories from widely acknowledged masters of the field such as Art Taylor, Earl Staggs, Doug Allyn, Melissa Yi, and John Floyd, as well as many stories from writers like Sandy Balzo, Ruth McCarty, and Michael J. Solender whose names may be less recognizable but whose stories are highly deserving of the awards they garnered.

The stories (some of which have been unavailable for decades) range from cozy to hardboiled, offering any fan of mystery fiction a wealth of treasures and new favorite authors to be discovered. And if you'd like to have a vote in deciding future Derringer winners and finding even more fiction to love, all while rubbing shoulders with some of the best writers in the genre today, join the Society yourself. It's free, and there's always room for more!