Derringer Award Announcement: 2026 Best Anthology Finalists

Image by Bethany Maines

The Short Mystery Fiction Society is a group of writers, readers, editors, publishers, and others dedicated to the promotion and celebration of mystery and crime short stories. Since 1998, the SMFS has awarded the annual Derringers to outstanding published stories and people who've greatly advanced or supported the form. The inaugural Best Anthology Derringer was presented in 2025.

Society members were allowed two submissions. The anthologies that received the most submissions are the finalists. The winning anthology will be determined via member vote in April and announced May 1. Derringer Award medals will be presented in October at Bouchercon in Calgary, Alberta.

The finalists for the 2026 Best Anthology Derringer Award are

Crimeucopia - The Not So Frail Detective Agency

Edited by John Connor

Murderous Ink Press

Historically, it would be tricky to define exactly when the concept of the Female Private Investigator first appeared in fiction. But The Female Detective and Revelations of a Lady Detective —both published in 1864, independent of each other—proves that it was a genre whose time had come. And while Miss Gladden may be the first by all of 5 months, it’s Mrs. Paschal who is more the not-so-frail ground breaker —and it should be noted that Conan Doyle was only 5 when these ladies hit the streets.

So what better way to present the modern female investigator than by gathering 15 top class authors and letting them tell you all about the exploits of their creations.

Gone Fishin': Crime Takes a Holiday, The Eighth Guppy Anthology

Edited by James M. Jackson

Wolf's Echo Press

Prepare for twists, reversals, and surprises in Gone Fishin’: Crime Takes a Holiday, The Eighth Guppy Anthology from the 1,100-member Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime. The fun starts with the play-on-words subtitle. “Crime Takes a Holiday.” Crime doesn’t enjoy a bit of time off from skulduggery. Oh no. In these twenty-three stories, Crime Steals, Disrupts, Upends, Wrecks, Destroys and/or Shatters a Holiday.

Join the characters as they travel to pristine northern waters and festering southern bayous, rent a creepy house in Maine, take a Galapagos cruise, enjoy sandy beaches and mountain wildernesses, visit exotic locales across the world, or staycation. The stories feature a wide variety of crime fiction, including murder mysteries, psychological thrillers, and cozy capers.

Hollywood Kills: An Anthology

Edited by Adam Meyer & Alan Orloff

Level Best Books - Level Short

Hollywood is a place full of dreamers—from the wide-eyed actor hoping to land the role of a lifetime to the hard-working writer trying to sell that breakout script. The lowly production assistant eager to finance their first movie to the craft services worker aspiring to be the next Spielberg.

Whoever they are, these people have one thing in common—they are desperate to bring their dreams to fruition, hustling for opportunity, and willing to do anything to get to the next rung on the ladder. Legal or not.

In Hollywood Kills, you'll find shocking short fiction about the dark underbelly of show business—written by those who know it firsthand.

They’ll take you deep inside their cutthroat world, with sixteen stories featuring a producer, sitcom writer, character actor, entertainment lawyer, sound mixer, background actor, aspiring actor, stuntman, casting director, soap opera star, true crime writer, editor, director, production assistant, set caterer, and screenwriting team.

It's a close-up look at the dark side of ambition with an all-star cast of schemers, dreamers, killers, and con artists…and their stories will stick with you long after the credits roll.

Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense: A Superior Shores Anthology

Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk

Superior Shores Press

Desire or desperation, revenge or retribution—how far would you go to realize a dream? The twenty-two authors in this collection explore the possibilities, with predictably unpredictable results.

On Fire and Under Water: A Climate Change Crime Fiction Anthology

Edited by Curtis Ippolito

Rock and a Hard Place Press

Our world is changing dramatically before our eyes.

Increased average global temperatures have wreaked havoc on ecosystems, economies, and people’s lives. Fires rage. Flood waters rise. Storms and heat waves are occurring out-of-season and are becoming increasingly more dangerous and more frequent.

Neighborhoods are being destroyed. People are losing their lives and livelihoods. Still, some politicians, some pundits, and some corporate oligarchs continue to deny reality and refuse to take responsibility and necessary action to mitigate this existential crisis.

Those who did the least to cause this crisis will suffer the most from its consequences.

In On Fire and Under Water, the new crime fiction anthology from Rock and a Hard Place Press, we explore the intersection of climate change and crime, through the lens of fifteen short stories from some of today’s best crime fiction writers. Edited by Anthony Award-winning author Curtis Ippolito and the editorial team at RHP Press, the stories contained within this anthology peel back the curtain on the ways in which climate change impacts real people in their most desperate hour.

Some say the world will end in fire. Some say flood. In On Fire and Under Water, you get both.

SoWest: Danger Awaits! A Desert Sleuths Anthology

Edited by Claire A. Murray, Eva Eldridge, Suzanne E. Flaig, Denise Ganley, and Sarah Smith

DS Publishing

Fight or Flight ... what choices will these characters make? Contract killer, serial killer, killer for hire ... or are they everyday people in bad circumstances? Is the ghost in the house out to harm me ... or am I supposed to help them resolve their death?

These 25 stories are filled with everyday people, private investigators, police personnel, husbands and wives, and others who solve crimes and mysteries their own way. A blend of historical, contemporary, paranormal, serious, and humorous, where each story features an Arizona setting.

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Also, our volunteer judges are currently evaluating 495 story submissions to determine the finalists in four categories. Finalist will be announced April 1. The winners will be determined via member vote in April and announced May 1. Derringer Award medals will be presented in October at Bouchercon in Calgary, Alberta.

The story categories are

• Best Flash Story (Up to 1,000 words)
• Best Short Story (1,001 to 4,000 words)
• Best Long Story (4,001 to 8,000 words)
• Best Novelette (8,001 to 20,000 words)

Related links:

Join the Short Mystery Fiction Society (membership is always free)

Derringer Award Policy

All Derringer Award Winners and Finalists (1998-Present)

Kicking off 2026 with the Short Mystery Fiction Society!

The talented writers of the Short Mystery Fiction Society finished out 2025 with a wealth of great new publications, and are heading into 2026 raring to give readers more!

• The January/February issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine is another proud contribution to the storied history of mystery fiction's flagship magazine as it heads for its 85th anniversary! SMFS members Stephen M. Pierce, E.A. Aymar, Smita Harish Jain and Anna Scotti provide highlights.
  
  
  
• And don't overlook the January/February Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, featuring stories by our own Michael Bracken, Mark Thielman, Steve Liskow and Andrew Welsh-Huggins!
  
  
  
• Making an exciting return to the shelves is the first issue of the new Von Stray's Crimestalker Casebook, featuring smashing new classics from Barb Goffman, John M. Floyd, Michael Bracken, Art Taylor and more!
  
  
  
• And as always, Black Cat Weekly has holiday cheer that lasts the whole year with hundreds of pages a week of new and classic yarns! Among recent authors in its virtual pages are John M. Floyd, Steve Liskow and Tom Milani.
  
  
  
• A stellar collection of tales about female private eyes can be found in the latest edition of Crimeucopia, The Not So Frail Detective Agency. On hand are a host of SMFS's best, including Debra H. Goldstein, Steve Liskow, Debra Bliss Saenger, Kathleen Kalb, Karen Odden, Michael J. Ciaraldi, Adam Meyer, and N. M. Cedeno.
  
  
  
• SMFS all-star Michael Bracken kicks off a long-overdue series with the first annual installment of The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025, edited by Matt Coyle. You can't go wrong with these stories, including contributions from Robert J. Binney and M. E. Proctor.
  
  
  
• Also edited by an SMFS member, Lyn Worthen, A Dark and Stormy Holiday brings a touch of noir to the festive season, including contributions from Annie Reed and Merrilee Robson.
  
  
  
• For pulse-pounding excitement look no further than the latest issue of Thrill Ride Magazine, including spy stories from Robert J. Binney and David H. Hendrickson!
  
  
  
• Liz Filleul thinks it's "A Season For Suspects" at The People's Friend.
• Gregory Meece graces Gumshoe Review with "Open and Shut."
• At the House of Long Shadows, James H. Lewis has a story of justice deferred in "After a Brief Illness."
• Paul Ryan O'Connor wants to tell you about "Whitey's Elephant" at Cold Caller.
• D.K. Snyder wins the 53-word story contest at Prime Number Magazine with "Internal Breach."
• Looking for a great listen? Check out recent episods of Mysteryrat;s Maze featuring stories from Merrilee Robson and Jane Limprecht!
  
  
  
• Terena Elizabeth Bell stars in the latest hard-hitting issue of Punk Noir.
• And finally, close out the month with a touch of the speculative in donalee Moulton's "Moist" at Metastellar.

Phew! That's a strong end to the year. On to 2026, and keep looking for more from the Short Mystery Fiction Society!

SMFS Spotlight: Josh Pachter

Elena Smith kicks off 2026 in style with her third interview of an SMFS member, and she's got a real all-star this time out.  Josh Pachter is a recipient of the Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in Short Mystery Fiction, and has received or been nominated for more awards than can easily be listed. He's published scores of fantastic stories, and translated dozens more from a variety of languages. He's also edited a number of terrific anthologies, and anybody who's had the pleasure of meeting him knows that he's a great conversationalist with a plethora of amazing tales from the history of our genre and his own globe-trotting adventures. Take it away, Elena!

Your first story was published by EQMM when you were a teenager. Was it the first one you submitted, or had you been trying for a while?

 

“E.Q. Griffen Earns His Name” was written when I was sixteen, but I’d turned seventeen by the time EQMM published it in their December 1968 issue. As far as I can remember, it was the first time I’d ever written a piece of fiction. I’d previously contributed a poem to a fanzine published by the Soupy Sales fan club. (It was called “The Midnight Ride of Soupy Sales,” and it began, “Listen, my children, no cries, no wails, / And I’ll tell you the story of Soupy Sales.” And, yes, I still have a copy of the fanzine on my bookshelves. I was about twelve or thirteen when it came out….) 

 

Which mystery authors were your early influences? What was it that engaged you in their work?

 

Ellery Queen, of course. Rex Stout, Agatha Christie. I think what engaged me more than the crimes, more than the mysteries, were the characters, those idiosyncratic, intelligent people who were able to use their minds to make sense out of confusion. One short story that was uniquely influential was Richard Deming’s “Open File,” a police procedural in which the cops failed to solve the case they were investigating. I read it in an EQMM reprint anthology in 1967 and thought that enough clues had been presented to make the identity of the guilty party obvious. So at the age of fifteen I wrote a new ending and sent it off to the magazine. A couple of weeks later, I received a two-page handwritten response from editor Frederic Dannay, who was also half of the “Ellery Queen” writing team, suggesting that I try writing a complete story of my own. I did, and that was “E.Q. Griffen Earns His Name,” and Mr. Dannay bought it.

 

How long have you been a member of SMFS?

 

A little more than six years. 

 

How did you learn about SMFS?

 

I think it was probably either Rob Lopresti or Michael Bracken who suggested I join.

 

Are there other professional organizations you’d recommend joining?

 

SMFS is the first professional organization I recommend people interested in crime fiction join, even if they’re not themselves writers. I think it provides more day-by-day value than any of the other organizations I belong to … and unlike most of the others, which charge annual dues, SMFS is free! I’m also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers (also free). The SMFS list serve provides market news, cautionary notes about iffy publishers, and especially camaraderie every single day, and I don’t get nearly as much of that anywhere else. And of course I like the idea of being able to participate actively in the nomination and voting and (occasionally, when my time permits) judging parts of the Derringer process. Then there’s the f2f lunch every spring at the Malice Domestic conference, which is always attended by fifteen or so members and always a good time.

 

I have read several of your short stories – “Monkey Business,” “The Great Filling Station Holdup,” and “Only the Good Die Young,” from the anthologies of the same names. I’ve noticed your skill with dialects. In “Monkey Business,” it’s intellectual; in “The Great Filling Station Holdup,” it’s southern twang, and “Only the Good Die Young” hat-tips classic detective noir. Do you write your stories then go back and apply the dialect, or do your characters speak to you as you create?

 

I’ve always been good with languages and accents. When I’m writing characters with distinctive voices, I just write their dialogue the way it seems to me it ought to sound.  Then I read my stories aloud before I submit them, and if bits of dialogue don’t sound right, I fix them.

 

How do you know so many dialects? Is it because you have lived in different places, or is it from binge-watching TV? 

 

Well, I don’t really watch a lot of television, but I lived in Europe and the Middle East for more than a decade, teaching on US military bases. All that time spent in other parts of the world has helped me develop an ear for other ways of speaking. I’m glad to know that you think I do it well. Thanks!

 

You have edited eight anthologies of crime stories inspired by songs written by well-known singer/songwriters and rock groups. Have some been more successful than others? If so, what do you attribute that to?

 

How do you define “success”? How I define it is: “Would the question ‘Have people read the book and enjoyed it?’ be answered with a ‘Yes’?” And by that definition, all eight of the books have been equally successful. I recognize, though, that other people have other definitions of success, and by those definitions, sure, some of the books have been more successful than others. The Joni Mitchell and Jimmy Buffett books have  —  so far  —  sold the most copies, but perhaps that’s not surprising, since they were the first two to be published and have therefore been out in the world the longest. 

 

The Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Beatles, and Grateful Dead volumes were all finalists for the Best Anthology Anthony Award that’s given out at Bouchercon every year, and the Dead one was a finalist for 2025’s first-ever Best Anthology Derringer. Stacy Woodson’s take on “River” from the Joni book and Michael Bracken’s on “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’” from the Billy Joel one won Derringers, and Dru Ann Love and Kristopher Zgorski’s “Ticket to Ride” from the Beatles anthology won the Anthony, Agatha, and Macavity awards. James D.F. Hannah’s “No Man’s Land” from the Billy Joel book was reprinted in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and David Avallone’s “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)” from the Dead one was reprinted in Best Mystery Stories of the Year. The Stephen Sondheim book had a standing-room-only launch event featuring ten of the twenty contributors at the Drama Book Shop in New York and was recently streamed as an episode of the DBS’s Drama Book Show podcast.

 

All of these are examples of measures of success. To what do I attribute the fact that certain books achieved some of them while others didn’t? I wish I knew. If I understood what comprised that secret sauce, I would apply it to all of my projects!

 

Were you the first person to do this? If so, what gave you the idea? 

 

No. To the best of my knowledge, Joe Clifford got there first, with anthologies inspired by the songs of Bruce Springsteen in 2014 and Johnny Cash in 2017. In 2019, I wrote a story inspired by Joni Mitchell’s “The Beat of Black Wings” and couldn’t find an appropriate market for it. I happened to stumble across Clifford’s books right around then and thought, I know what I’ll do! I’ll edit a book of stories inspired by Joni songs, and then I can buy my story from myself! Not only did that work out, but it turned out to be fun, so I decided to do more of them, inspired by the songs of other lyricists I admire … plus an anthology inspired by the films of the Marx Brothers. 

 

I was fortunate to find publishers who were interested in taking on the books, and the books have been fortunate to find readers who’ve been interested in reading them. Unfortunately, the publisher who released the Joni, Billy Joel, and Marx Brothers books was bought out by a company that didn’t want to support short-form fiction, and the company that did the Buffett, Simon, Beatles, and Dead books shut down with no warning two weeks before it was supposed to release a similar volume of stories inspired by Lyle Lovett songs. The good news is that Open Road Integrated Media re-released the Joni anthology in January 2025 and will be putting out the Lyle book and re-releasing the Beatles and Dead books in 2026, then in 2027 doing new editions of the Buffett and Simon books (with new stories inspired by songs from the albums Jimmy and Paul released after those books’ original publications), while Level Best will be re-releasing the Marx and Billy Joel books (each with a new story that wasn’t in the original edition).

 

When you read for pleasure, do you have a favorite mystery/ crime genre?

 

Not really. I have favorite authors, mostly people I’ve been reading for a long time (Ellery Queen, Rex Stout, John D. MacDonald), plus some who younger readers would call old-timers but who to me are “newer” writers (James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, Lawrence Block). I will gladly read everyone who seems interesting to me — men, women, nonbinary, straight, LGBTQIA+, Caucasian, POC, American, international — but I acknowledge that, when I look at that short list of favorites, all six of them are straight white American men. I feel as if I ought to apologize for that, but I’m not sure what exactly I’d be apologizing for. For liking what I like?

 

When you write, do you have a favorite mystery/ crime genre?

 

My stuff used to be all over the map, but recently I’ve been concentrating on two series, each of them in a subgenre that’s relatively new to me. My Helmut Erhard stories are about a private eye who, despite his German name, is a Texan, born and bred, and my Dr. Guislain stories are historicals, set in Ghent (Belgium) in the mid-Nineteenth Century. There are fourteen Helmut stories so far, with more to come, but the Dr. Guislain stories are a miniseries — for a reason that is revealed in the fifth and final story.  

 

Are there any mystery/crime genres that you have not yet written in? Which ones? Do you plan to try them out some day?

 

Hmm. I’ve done a traditional whodunit novel (Dutch Threat, Genius Book Publishing), a children’s/YA mystery (First Week Free at the Roomy Toilet, Level Best Books), a mystery/horror crossover (“Pisan Zapra,” AHMM, November 2016), pastiches (my Puzzle Club miniseries), and parodies (of Ellery Queen, Ed McBain, and Edward D. Hoch). I have not done a science-fiction mystery, so perhaps I’ll give that a shot at some point.

 

Who would you recommend that I interview next? (Feel free to name more than one person)

 

Since your previous interviews were men, how about going with a woman next? I recommend Barb Goffman, who has been a finalist for major crime-fiction awards umpty-eleven times, won more of them than I can count, and received the SMFS’s Golden Derringer in 2024. 

 

Or, taking my logic two steps further, since your first three interviews were with straight white men, how about interviewing a queer Black woman next? In that case, I vote for Cheryl Head, who in addition to her many accomplishments as a writer is also co-chair of the organizing committee for the 2027 Bouchercon, which will be held in Washington, D.C.

 

SMFS Spotlight: Bruce Robert Coffin

Short Mystery Fiction Society member Elena Smith has graciously offered to conduct interviews spotlighting members of the Society.  Here is the second, with bestselling novelist and short story writer Bruce Robert Coffin.  Take it away, Elena!

You are the author of three novel series - the John Byron series, 4 books, published by Witness Impulse (Harper Collins); Turner and Mosley Files, 5 books, co-authored with LynDee Walker, published by Severn River; and the detective Justice series, 3 books, published by Severn River. I need to catch my breath — such a long list in a fairly short time! The John Byron series and the Detective Justice series are both police procedurals, whereas the Turner and Mosley Files were action/ adventure. How did it feel to switch genres? What was your reason for this decision?

 

Seeing this as an opportunity my fab literary agent, Paula Munier, wanted me to step outside my comfort zone and try my hand at a standalone thriller. I think I started five different manuscripts before I finally found one that I loved and knew had legs. I was in the middle of writing that thriller when Paula contacted me about coauthoring a brand new action/adventure series with LynDee Walker. Long story short, it took about four months before agreeing to coauthor what would become The Turner and Mosley Files.

Your readers might be surprised to know that switching gears from the procedural to action/adventure really wasn’t the jarring transition you might imagine. 

Though there are clearly differences in the two genres, the process of writing a compelling storyline with interesting characters doesn’t change all that much. I actually found it rather freeing as a writer to step outside the boundaries typical of a procedural mystery. The hardest part was writing with another established author. Once LynDee and I got to the point where we trusted each other as writers, the whole process became an absolute blast!

What did you like most about writing action adventure?

I guess the thing that was the most fun was really diving deep into my imagination. LynDee and I both knew we wanted to take the readers on a thrill ride where almost anything could happen. I guess it was our attempt to recapture that feeling of watching the original Indiana Jones movies. To write novels with a historic treasure — partly based in reality, fun characters, a plethora of bad guys —  then stretch believability a bit to make each book a fantastical and exciting tale. The Turner and Mosley Files have been so much fun to write. Hopefully the readers have enjoyed them too!

What do you like most about writing detective fiction?

Probably the same things I like about reading detective fiction. I believe that the reason mystery novels have such a broad appeal is that the stories become interactive in that the reader gets caught up in trying to solve the crime right alongside the protagonists. I’ve had many readers tell me that they absolutely feel like they were right there with my detectives conducting an interview or chasing down a bad guy. When I read detective fiction I want to feel like I’m part of what is happening. When I write them, I want to give my readers that same experience.

What made you decide to stop writing each series?

As I alluded to earlier, it’s less about my wants as a writer and more about the business of writing. Every author hopes to pen a series that becomes so wildly popular that it never ends. But the harsh reality is that publishing is a business, and sales will always dictate the length of a series. Besides, I never like to think of my series as having ended, more like we pressed pause. 

Your second series, Turner and Mosley Files, was co-authored with LynDee Walker. Writing is often considered a solitary procedure. What aspect(s) of writing with a partner did you find easier to do? Any aspects that were harder?

Believe it or not, I didn’t find writing with another person all that different than writing alone, maybe due to the fact that we live so far apart. Some things LynDee and I obviously did together like fleshing out the early things about who the characters were and what made them tick, but much of the writing and plotting we did on our own then passed it off to the other. That’s why I say the trust aspect of coauthoring is so important. LynDee did the lion’s share of the plotting, while I focused on the first draft of the manuscript. Working that way required me to trust that LynDee would come up with a fabulous storyline, and she had to trust that I wouldn’t ruin her idea with too much improvisation. Coauthoring, regardless of how the work gets divided, is a true partnership.

How did you first meet LynDee Walker?  I.e. - through your job, or through Sisters in Crime or another professional organization?

You know we’ve discussed this at length, and though neither of us is sure I think we first met at Malice Domestic years ago. Probably why Malice remains one of my favorite conferences. And of course neither of us could have imagined writing novels together! Just goes to show that none of us really knows what the future holds.

I am glad to see you writing a detective series again. I’d heard that some of the major publishers were steering clear of police procedurals. Did you find that to be true? Are these books “in favor” with publishers once again?

Thank you. It is nice to be back in the procedural saddle again, as it was where I began my writing career. It feels a bit like coming home. Getting to know Brock Justice, Chloe Wright, and the rest of my new characters has been great fun. I hope readers agree!

As for procedurals falling out of favor, I’m not entirely sure that was ever true. While publishers might worry about the winds of change in the industry, I think readers are the ultimate deciders of what is popular. Some good examples of ongoing popular procedural series would be Michael Connelly’s Bosch, Tracy Clark’s Harriet Foster, John Sanford’s Lucas Davenport, Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch, and Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache. Those are just a few of my personal favorites.

How often do you write short mystery fiction? Do your short stories come from ideas you want to pursue, or are you more likely to respond to prompts for anthologies?

It is really something I have no control over. When an idea for a short story comes to me I write it. Sometimes it’s due to an anthology invite or call, but more often the idea simply shows up like an uninvited guest. Normally, I write a short story just to exorcise the idea from my head. There is nothing worse than having a short story begging for your attention while you’re busy writing a novel under a deadline. I find the best way to handle that is to write it down quickly, while the idea is still fresh. If the story is any good, I’ll go back later and flesh it out into something I’m proud to share.

Are there any SMFS members you would you like to recommend for future interviews?

The very first name that popped into my head was the inimitable Josh Pachter!

Stocking Stuffers from the Short Mystery Fiction Society

With the holidays coming, it's a great time to pick up some of the exciting new publications from the multi-talented authors of the Short Mystery Fiction Society for the readers in your life--and for yourself! We've got another sterling selection of anthologies, collections, and stories to feature, and there's something for every taste to be found here. And while you're in a festive mood, why not subscribe to your favorite mystery mag, and pick up a few gift subscriptions as well? It's a terrific way to support the continuing health of the field we all love.

With no further ado, let's take a look at some of the fantastic new work from SMFS!

• Any fan of mystery stories--or of short stories in general--should know and honor the name of John M. Floyd, author of more than a thousand published stories and the recipient of countless awards and honors, including the Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement from SMFS. It's almost unfair that John isn't just among the most prolific writers working today--he's also among the very best. That status is only confirmed with the release of his latest collection from Crippen & Landru, River Road and Other Mystery Stories.  This collection of 17 stories will have a place of honor on your shelves for years.  And don't overlook the signed edition!
  
  
  
• And be sure to make room alongside it for Death and the Final Cut, the latest entry in G. M. Malliet's award-winning series starring Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just. Devotees of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers will find perfect fireside reading in this story of the mysterious murder of a fading star of the silver screen!
  
  
  
• Turning to anthologies, it's never too late for some tasty Thanksgiving leftovers! In The Perp Wore Pumpkin II, eleven short story writers spin humorous mysteries around your favorite holiday dishes. SMFS is proud to be represented here by Kevin R. Tipple, Sandra Murphy, Stephen M. Pierce, donalee Moulton, Sally Millikin and Wendy Harrison. All the proceeds from this collection go to Feeding America to benefit local food banks, so you can get a fun read and help out all at once!
  
  
  
• Sticking with the culinary theme, editor and SMFS member Lyn Worthen brings us Cooking Up Death, a menu of sixteen cozy mysteries featuring toxic treats and lethal luncheons--plus some bonus recipes to savor. SMFS members at the table include Alan Orloff, Annie Reed, Sally Millikin and John M. Floyd (there's that name again!).
  
  
  
• The latest sizzling anthology from Cimeucopia, You Ain't Read Nothin' Yet, spans the spectrum of crime fiction, from cozy through to hard-edged noir and grindhouse. Along the way you'll find stellar contributions from SMFS's own Peter W. J. Hayes and Merrilee Robson, so don't miss out!
  
  
  
• Looking for a little bit of everything in one great package? Check out Four Corners Voices, a collection of stories, essays and poetry from the Four Corners writing community of Cortez, Colorado. Among the highlights is SMFS member donalee Moulton's unforgettable "Mannequin."
  
  
  
• Heading west, we find LAXtras: Los Angeles-style Crime Stories, with a host of crime-writing superstars, including the shining talent of M. E. Proctor. This is another charity anthology, benefitting the California Community Foundation's Wildlike Recovery Fund, so you're doing some good while treating yourself to great stories!
  
  
  
• Not every mystery involves death--as we see in Anything But Murder: Heists and Hooligans. This companion volume to the highly regarded Mysteries to Die For podcast brings us proves there are endless ways to create mayhem, and SMFS members Debra H. Goldstein and Robert J. Binney are among your fiendishly clever hosts.
  
  
  
• Taking a quick jaunt down under, Scarlet Stiletto: The 17th Cut is the latest entry in the long-running series featuring award-winning crime stories culled from thousands of entries to the Scarlet Stiletto Awards, presented by Sisters in Crime Australia. SMFS is delighted to see Liz Filleul's "A Time for Crime" on that list!
• The Strand has ben one of the leading mystery magazines for years, brining us contemporary masters and classic names alike. The cream of the crop can be found in Best of The Strand: 25 Years of Twists, Turns and Tales from the Modern Masters of Mystery and Fiction. You'll find superstars ranging from Tennessee Williams to James Lee Burke in these pages--and you'll also find SMFS powerhouse John M. Floyd, taking his well-deserved place among them. Way to go, John!
  
  
  
• Of course, SMFS's writers don't limit themselves to crime fiction. David H. Hendrickson turns his pen to matters of love in Romance for All Seasons: Winder Warmth.
  
  
  
• And Debra Bliss Saenger shows she has science fiction skills to spare in her contribution to Beyond The Stars: Starbase Indy Anthology 2025.
  
  
  
• Turning to periodicals, the eleventh issue of Dark Yonder highlights the very best in neo-noir, including contributions from Joseph S. Walker, Michael Bracken and Billie Livingston.
  
  
  
• Michael Bracken, master of all genres, can also be found in the first issue of Kissmet Quarterly, The Greatest Holiday Romance Stories Ever Written, where he's joined by SMFS's Karen McCullough.
  
  
  
• Once again showing that SMFS isn't limited to mystery, don't miss Terena Elizabeth Bell's poetic contribution to the Winter 2025 issue of Exacting Clam.
  
  
  
• SMFS members David H. Hendrickson and Diana Deverell are featured in the latest edition of Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem, 24 Spies.
  
  
  
• Karen McCullough sets loose the latest entry in her Market Center Mysteries series with Unleashed for Murder.
  
  
  
• Over at Gumshoe Review, don't miss James Patrick Focarile's "It All Comes Out in the Wash," one of the many great free online reads SMFS members give us all year long.
  
  
  
• And here's another--"You Can't Be Killed Twice," at the House of Long Shadows site, is the latest from SMFS first-stringer Gregory Meece.
  
  
  
• And one more: Literary Garage hosts M. E. Proctor's cold-case narrative, "Ramona."
• Crime blog The Yard is quickly establishing itself as one of the most exciting new sources for contemporary crime flash fiction, thanks to outstanding tales like Jessica Slee's "Word of Mouth" and Bern Sy Moss's "Cold Turkey on Black Friday."
  
  
  
• Finally, as always, Black Cat Weekly continues to offer fans of pulp fiction of all varieties the most value for their dollar with hundreds of pages of new and classic fiction every week. SMFS members recently on its pages include donalee Moulton, Terena Elizabeth Bell, and--stop me if you've heard this one before--the wildly inventive John M. Floyd. A BCW subscription is a great gift for any fan of exciting reading! 
  
  
  

That's enough reading to keep any mystery fan happy through the holiday break. Stay tuned for more incredible work from SMFS in 2026!