June News from the Short Mystery Fiction Society

 In June, the members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society closed out the first half of 2025 with another round of gripping stories for readers of all tastes.  A lot of the highlights are listed here--but if you love reading, writing, or talking about short stories and mystery, why not join the Society?  It's free, and you'll get to rub elbows with many of the best writers working today.  Onward to some of the best stuff that came out in June!

It was a fantastic month for anthologies!

MIDNIGHT SCHEMERS AND DAYDREAM BELIEVERS is the fifth entry in the outstanding series of Superior Shores Press anthologies, edited by SMFS's own Judy Penz Sheluk.  Desire or desperation, revenge or retribution--these twenty-two stories explore how far people are willing to go to make a dream come true.  Among the host of SMFS authors included are Joseph S. Walker ("Quincy and Crow"), donalee Moulton ("Maladaptives Anonymous"), Debra Bliss Saenger ("Checking Out at the Live Free or Die Motel" ), and of course Judy Penz Sheluk herownself ("A Foolproof Plan").  The previous anthology in this series was just nominated for a Silver Falchion award, and you won't want to have missed out when the honors start flooding in for this one.  Be sure to check out Judy's appearances on the Write Focus and House of Mystery podcasts, too!

Another long-running anthology series saw a terrific new entry in June with the release of CRIMEUCOPIA: A LOAD OF BALLS from Murderous Ink Press.  Once again, a host of SMFS's finest grace the pages of this collection of sports-themed stories that take twists as unexpected as a major league knuckleball.  Check out stellar contributions from Arthur Vidro ("The Purple Figurine Murders"), Robert Petyo ("The Perfect Game"), Wendy Harrison ("Be Careful What You Wish For"), John M. Floyd ("Rules of the Game"), and S. B. Watson ("Dust in the Field").  As the name suggests, there's always more great stuff to be found in Crimeucopia!

And now for something completely different!  DESERT OF DREAMS is the first anthology of short stories from the Historical Novel Society North America, exploring all the comic and tragic elements of the fascinating history of America's city of dreams, Las Vegas.  SMFS member Sally Millikin joins the fun with "Cowboy Justice."

Of course, it was also a fantastic month . . . for magazines!

The July/August issue of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, on shelves now, includes contributions by Joseph S. Walker ("When You Leave This Place") and Terena Elizabeth Bell ("What Blue Found"), alongside a wealth of legendary writers like Sara Paretsky, Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini.  Decades after its founding, EQ remains, as the cover proclaims, the world's leading mystery magazine.  No serious reader should be without it!

BLACK CAT WEEKLY shouldn't be overlooked--every week it brings readers hundreds of pages of mystery, science fiction, and pulp goodness, both classic and new.  donalee Moulton ("Second Line"), Paula Messina ("The Little Girl") and Veronica Leigh ("Two Against Time") are just a few of the tremendous writers who graced its digital pages in June.  If you don't have a subscription to BCW yet, what's stopping you?  They're still going strong after 200 issues, delivering the best value any reader could ask for!

The prolific donalee Moulton also appears in the new issue of JOURN-E: THE JOURNAL OF IMAGINATIVE LITERATURE with "Shadowbird," in which a Halifax PI is hired to find a stalker--and win a candlepin bowling tournament.

Over in THE LOUISVILLE REVIEW, SMFS member Robert Weibezahl delivers a bouquet of "Red Rhododendrons," in which a forgotten memory of a childhood encounter has an unexpected impact on the present.

The past comes back again when Gregory Meece offers up "Something Lost," a haunting mystery about memory, love, and the secrets time refuses to keep in the pages of the quarterly PARABNORMAL MAGAZINE.

And of course, it wouldn't be an SMFS news report without a mention of the amazing John M. Floyd's latest contribution to WOMAN'S WORLD, "A Case of Names and Numbers," in which a cashbox goes missing from a local festival.  Another masterclass in the short form from SMFS's most prolific member!

And it need hardly be said that it was a fantastic month . . . for online magazines!

SMFS members could be found all over the web in June, serving up free reads that pack a punch readers would be happy to pay for.  You can enjoy them on the virtual pages of THE SATURDAY EVENING POST (Billie Livingston's "Bringing in the Dead"), THE FREEDOM FICTION JOURNAL (Robert J. Binney's "Ghosted") YELLOW MAMA (Abe Margel's "Country Living" and Gregory Meece's "Lightning Strikes"), GUILTY (James Patrick Focarile's "The Drop"), SPILLWORDS (Bern Sy Moss's "The Man Under the Bridge"), and CLOSE TO THE BONE (Gregory Meece's "Straight Shooter").  In just a few minutes each, these stories prove that great writers deliver, no matter the length!

Of course, SMFS members don't only publish short stories in magazines and anthologies.  June was a fantastic month . . . for single-author books!

Anna Scotti's IT'S NOT EVEN PAST collects her massively popular "Librarian on the Run" stories, many of which appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and three of which were selected for BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR.  Two previously unpublished stories flesh out what is unquestionably one of the great series of stories in the recent history of our genre.  This belongs on every mystery lover's shelf!

SMFS member Veronica Leigh's novel THE KEEPER OF LOST DAUGHTERS is a deeply moving story of a woman's desperate bid for survival in WWII Krakow, and the adopted daughter she'll do anything to save.  A treat for any lover of historical fiction!

In his collection CRIME FANTASTIQUE: STORIES OF MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE, short story master David H. Hendrickson shares eight riveting tales combining mystery and suspense with elements of the fantastic.  Includes introductions to each story, for those who want a glimpse behind the curtain!

Finally, a highlight of any month is new work from SMFS master craftsman Steve Liskow.  His collection SWEET LADIES OF DEATH brings together no fewer than 30 of his finest, all delving into crime and mystery but dabbling in romance, science fiction, and the supernatural.  You won't soon forget Liskow's ladies!

Looking for still more great reading?  Be sure to check out KEVIN'S CORNER, the blog where former SMFS president and his guests, including SMFS members like Paula Messina, review recent releases and keep you up to date on news.  Always worth a visit!

And with that, the SMFS will see you again in a month.  Happy reading!

May News From the Short Mystery Fiction Society

As 2025 turned the corner from spring to summer in May, the talented writers of the Short Mystery Fiction Society kept the thrills coming with a bevy of new publications.  Readers take note--there's a lot of great stuff to seek out here!

Issue 22 of the quarterly MYSTERY, CRIME, AND MAYHEM focuses on white-collar crime, and SMFS members are there to document the evil deeds of the well-to-do!  David H. Hendrickson's "The Telltale Scrape" pits some particularly ruthless players against each other at a new casino's poker tables.  In Annie Reed's "Not Dead Yet," a pair of crooks long retired from the protection racket are called back into action when young punks make a play for their old boss's territory.  Diana Deverell's "Reckless Endangerment" concerns another one-time felon, a bookkeeper who has to find an embezzler before the cops decide her record makes her the guilty party.  And in Joslyn Chase's "Judge, Jury, and Executioner," two rural policemen risk everything to root out corruption in their local justice system.

Not content with their publications in MCM, Annie Reed and David H. Hendrickson also have powerful contributions to the 39th issue of PULPHOUSE FICTION MAGAZINE.  Annie's "Be Someone" dives into the harrowing world of a pair of fifteen-year-old car thieves, while David's "Blue Note Heaven" has what is surely a most unusual setting for a crime story--heaven, where a newly arrived jazz musician isn't quite ready to play by the rules. 

Taking a quick trip across the pond, British publication THE PEOPLE'S FRIEND features SMFS member Liz Filleul's "School for Murder" in their 2025 Feel-Good Fiction Special.  When a teacher dies at an evacuated boarding school during WWII, policewoman Evelyn Masefield quickly realizes there's more to this "accident" than meets the eye!

In Christina Hoag's "My Mother's Knives," a May feature at ALL DUE RESPECT, we meet Mary Grace, whose interest in her new downstairs neighbor just might be edging into obsession, with murderous results.  A free-to-read thriller!

SMFS's Rob Lopresti graces BLACK CAT WEEKLY with "Shanks Gets Lost," the latest tale featuring his popular series character, mystery writer Leopold Longshanks, who has a puzzle to solve after a confrontation with an angry man.  Another issue of BCW brings us John M. Floyd's "Thursday's Child," about a loser who steps up when his workplace is robbed.

Of course, the prolific Mr. Floyd is never happy with just one publication a month!  Over at THE STRAND, he offers readers another treat with "Boom," in which two Army criminals face an unusual form of military justice.

Two SMFS members saw stories published in May in the venerable Saturday Evening Post.  In Marcelle Dube's "Liminal State," Estelle's last Christmas with her sister proves more fraught than anyone expected.  And in "Redemption Blues," Jennifer Slee takes us back to the Old West with the gripping story of an outlaw gang and one member who may see a way to a different kind of life.

Issue 14 of GUILTY CRIME STORY MAGAZINE hits hard with a double dose of SMFS member Brandon Barrows, who delivers both "Seen This Girl?," featuring his series character Sam Harrigan, and "Yowl," a you-solve-it mystery.

M. E. Proctor is yet another SMFS writer with two May publications to celebrate!  "Shadow Play" is her contribution to the horror flash Twitter/X magazine Mythic Picnic; "Shag Haul," in the Workers Write! anthology TALES FROM THE CLEANERS, features a pair of crime scene cleaners making a discovery that will change their lives forever.

As always, SMFS members don't confine themselves to fiction, and aspiring writers can learn a lot from their blog posts and other writings.  At THE FIRST TWO PAGES, Kevin Egan discusses the opening pages of "Buds," his recent story in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.  Over at MYSTERY FANFARE, Christopher Deliso reflects on how to create a sense of place in a story.  Meanwhile, at THE GOTHIC WANDERER, P. A. DeVoe is recognized for "Cold Blooded Murder," her winning story in their Gothic contest.  Congrats, P. A.!

SMFS President Joseph S. Walker's story "Bonus Round," first published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine in 2019, was the subject of a May episode of THE MYSTERY HOUR podcast, hosted by Rabia Chaudry.  The episode includes a reading of the story, about a murder timeline that just doesn't add up, as well as a discussion of the real-life case that inspired it.  Find it wherever you get your podcasts!

Finally, let's recognize those members of SMFS who published full-length books in May!  First up, Brandon Barrows is back again with LONG BEFORE THEY DIE, in which part-time PI Tom Ahearn is plunged into the sex and drugs of the hippie scene in 1968 Los Angeles.

In the gripping YA novel IMHOTEP AND THE QUEST TO KUSH, the second in a series, A. L. Sirois takes us to ancient Egypt's Third Dynasty as young Imhotep embarks on a perilous search, seeking remedies for his ailing king.

In Tom Milani's thriller PLACES THAT ARE GONE, a man who leads a life of dull routine is drawn into dangers beyond anything he's experienced when he picks up a hitchhiker whose past refuses to be left behind.

And we finish this month's news where we started, with David H. Hendrickson.  The multi-talented writer caps off a strong SMFS May with his collection CRIME FROM ANOTHER TIME, six stories of mystery and suspense set in times ranging from the ancient world to just a few decades ago.  Don't miss this riveting set from an acclaimed writer!

Stay tuned for more engaging reads from SMFS as we approach the second half of the year.  And remember, if you love writing or reading short mysteries, there's a place in the Society for you!

 

SMFS Members Published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025

SMFS list members are published in the Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025 issue. The issue is available at the publisher and other vendors. The SMFS members that reported being in the issue are:

 

David Bart with “Going the Distance.”

 

Marcelle Dubé with “No Title, No Clout.”

 

Paul Ryan O'Connor with “As You See The World.”

 

Josh Pachter with a translation of François Bloemhof’s “The Wages of Sin.”

 

Manon Wogahn with “Kanab Noon.”

SMFS Members Published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025

SMFS list members are published in the Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025 issue. The issue is available at the publisher and other vendors. Those list members that reported being published in the issue are:

 

Joslyn Chase with “Santa's Eyes.”

 

Marcelle Dubé with “King of the Visigoths.”

 

Kevin Egan with “The Guardianship of Willie Musslburgh.”

 

John M. Floyd with “The Cado Devil.”

 

James A. Hearn with “The Nine Lives of Dr. Impossible.”

 

Jillian Grant Shoichet with “The Toll.”

SMFS Members Published in Dark Yonder: Issue 8

SMFS list members reported being published in Dark Yonder: Issue 8. Billed as the Holiday Issue 2024, the print version came out back on November 13^th with the digital version released on December 1^st. Published by Thalia Press, the read is available at Amazon. The SMFS list members that reported being in the read are:

 

Recita Clemons with “Have Turkey, Will Travel.”

 

Zakariah Johnson with “Residents and Renters.”

 

Ed Teja for “Toys for Thugs.”

 

Amazon Description:

Bah, Humbug!

Yeah, yeah, we know. Peace on earth and all that. We’re fans. But we also recognize that all the eggnog in the world can’t stop reality from eventually crashing down on us amidst the revelry. Check out ten great stories of holiday mayhem and mystery by these outstanding neo noir authors:

Starter Home by Jedidiah Ayres

Have Turkey, Will Travel by Recita Clemons

Isaiah by Bradley Harper

Residents and Renters by Zakariah Johnson

Merry Christmas, You Son of a Bitch by Charlie Kondek

All I Want for Christmas by Meagan Lucas

A Lot in Common by Stanton McCaffery

Silver Cord by Sarah Smith

Go Elf Yourself by Casey Stegman

Toys for Thugs by Ed Teja

Issue 8 also features the Drunk Uncle, a special holiday cocktail recipe that honors everyone’s favorite holiday dinner guest, along with commentary by editors Katy Munger and Eryk Pruitt.

SMFS Member Podcast News: Gnomes For the Holidays by Margaret S. Hamilton

SMFS list member Margaret S. Hamilton reported that her short story, Gnomes For the Holidays, is featured this week at Mysteryrat's Maze podcast. Produced by Kings River Life Magazine, the podcast can be heard here.

 

Website Description:

This episode features the Christmas mystery short story Gnomes For the Holidays by Margaret S. Hamilton. It is read by local actor Donna Beavers. You can learn more about the author on her website.

In each episode, we share with you mystery short stories and mystery novel first chapters read by actors from the San Joaquin Valley. Our theme song was written and performed by Kevin Memley. If you enjoyed this episode please review or rate it as that helps more people be able to find us! Also, consider subscribing so you never miss an episode!

If you would like to help support this podcast and Kings River Life financially, and get some fun rewards, check out our Patreon Page. You can also make a one time donation through Paypal and you can purchase some fun Mysteryrat's Maze merchandise on Redbubble.

You can find more mystery fun on our websites Kings River Life Magazine and KRL News and Reviews.

 

SMFS Member Publishing News: Waterproofing by Abe Margel

 

SMFS list member Abe Margel reported that his short story, Waterproofing, was published at Freedom Fiction Journal.  You can read the story online for free here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Home Front by John M. Floyd

SMFS list member John M. Floyd reported that his short story, The Home Front, was published at Punk Noir Magazine. You can read the piece for free online here.

SMFS Members Published in Farm to Foul Play: 2024 Capitol Crimes Anthology

 

SMFS members reported that they were published in the anthology, Farm to Foul Play: 2024 Capitol Crimes Anthology. Published late last week by Capitol Crimes, the book is available at Amazon. The SMFS list members that reported being in the anthology are:

.

 

Tori Eldridge wrote the forward.

 

Karen Harrington with “Midtown Market Girl.”

 

Amazon Description:

Sacramento, California, lies at the heart of the largest agricultural producer in the nation. Known as the Farm-to-Fork Capital of America, this beautiful region produces hundreds of crops each year and has become recognized as a great restaurant city thanks to the chefs who use locally-grown, locally-sourced ingredients.

Fifteen amazing authors — William Bishop, Sarah Bresniker, Chris Dreith, Susan Egan, Elaine Faber, Karen Harrington, Debra Henry, Virginia V. Kidd, Karen A. Phillips, Brian Shea, Linda Joy Singleton, Darrell Smith, Joanna Vander Vlugt, Nick Webster, and Dänna Wilberg — have captured the bounty of all Sacramento has to offer … with a little mayhem thrown in.

Expert judges selected fifteen stories by Capitol Crimes members, who captured the bounty of all Sacramento has to offer ... with a little mayhem thrown in.

SMFS Members Published in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42²

SMFS members reported that they were published in the anthology, 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42². Published late last month by MacKenzie Publishing, the book is available at Amazon. The SMFS list members that reported being in the anthology are:

 

Joan Leotta with “Serving Lavender Tea Can Make A Person Free.”

 

Karen McCullough with “Being in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time.”

 

Amazon Description:

Behold, 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42², or Project 42², filled with time, devotion, and passion. 1,764 micro stories of exactly 42 words, circulated through 42 genres.

Some readers might wonder, “Why 1,764 stories?” 42 stories times 42 genres equals 1,764. Hence, the book’s logo and title having 42². In order to have such an omnium-gatherum of works in one book, the team searched for authors around the world, from East to West. Finding stories for the book proved a challenge. Therefore, anthology staff accepted up to four works, using pseudonyms, from the same author, which were chosen by one critique partner, one story editor, and one reviewer from a staff of 42. The book had to have 1,764 author names in conjunction to the stories. There are still over 1,200 unique writers responsible for writing this anthology. A full list of authors is available within the anthology website, listed in the introduction.

In keeping with the theme, titles of stories are approximately 42 characters and biographies are roughly 42 words. The judges of the 42 Story of Excellence Awards (SOE) were the authors of the Craft of Writing Chapter, and the award for that chapter was selected by judges.

Along with the stories, we found 42 unique works of chapter art from talented artists and photographers. Notably, the Sports chapter has an original high-resolution photo of JACKIE ROBINSON, by PATRICK A. BURNS/The New York Times/Redux, which we purchased the rights to in order to be included in the anthology.

Moreover, the book cover, front and back, has 42 photos on each side, by the talented photographer, KATYA BROWN.

Enjoy the fun, 42 words at a time.

SMFS Member Publishing News: The One I Loved by Elizabeth Dearborn

 

SMFS list member Elizabeth Dearborn reported that her short story, The One I Loved, was published at Punk Noir Magazine. You can read the piece for free online here.

SMFS Member Podcast News: The Jumper by John M. Floyd

SMFS list member John M. Floyd reported that his short story, The Jumper, is featured this week at Mysteryrat's Maze podcast. Produced by Kings River Life Magazine, the podcast can be heard here.

 

Website Description:

This episode features the mystery short story The Jumper by John M. Floyd. It is read by local actor Larry Mattox. The Jumper was originally published in the Autumn 1999 issue of Crimestalker Casebook. You can learn more about the author on his website.

In each episode, we share with you mystery short stories and mystery novel first chapters read by actors from the San Joaquin Valley. Our theme song was written and performed by Kevin Memley. If you enjoyed this episode please review or rate it as that helps more people be able to find us! Also, consider subscribing so you never miss an episode!

If you would like to help support this podcast and Kings River Life financially, and get some fun rewards, check out our Patreon Page. You can also make a one time donation through Paypal and you can purchase some fun Mysteryrat's Maze merchandise on Redbubble.

You can find more mystery fun on our websites Kings River Life Magazine and KRL News and Reviews.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Jim Thomsen's Photographs

SMFS list member Jim Thomsen reports that his photographs are published in Rock and a Hard Place, Issue 12: Fall 2024. Published by Rock and a Hard Place Press, the read is available at Amazon.

 

Amazon Description:

Beowulf for Dummies . . . and loan sharks.
When the gun is the hero, that's noir.
Revenge is a dish best served with a smile.
When community services is more dangerous than doing time.

In issue 12, Rock and a Hard Place goes international. We go for the horror. We even sneak in a little paranormal. But you can count on us—we never lose the noir. With stories by: Craig Francis Coates, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Bob Ellis, Nils Gilbertson, Michael A. Gonzales, Dave Hangman, Nick Kolakowski, M. Palmer, Ivan Richardson, Mark Rogers, S.A. Smith, and Melissa Witcher.

Rock and a Hard Place is the literary magazine that knows that a dozen may be dirty, but 12 is just another way to say you've got two good graves . . . or three bad ones.

SMFS Members Published in Agatha and Derringer Get Cozy: Thirteen Tales of Murder Mystery and Master Detection

Today is publication day for the anthology, Agatha and Derringer Get Cozy: Thirteen Tales of Murder, Mystery, and Master Detection. Published by Down & Out Books, the read is edited by SMFS list member Gay Toltl Kinman and Andrew McAleer. The book is available at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS list members that reported being in the anthology are: 

 

John M. Floyd with “Sunlight and Shadows.”

 

Barb Goffman with “The Postman Always Flirts Twice.”

 

BV Lawson with “The Final Chapter.”

 

Robert Lopresti with “The Nurse Log.”

 

Alan Orloff with “Murder in the Kitchen.”

 

Josh Pachter with “The Land of Entrapment.”

 

Art Taylor with “Tuesday Night Teas.”

 

Stacy Woodson with “The Figs We Tell.”

 

Description

In Agatha and Derringer Get Cozy, thirteen of today’s cleverest mystery and suspense authors get cozy with mystery fans in thirteen original mysteries written exclusively by Agatha and Derringer Award-winning authors. In some of their most creative and cunning cozy stories yet, these modern masters of suspense—John Floyd, Barb Goffman, Tara Laskowski, BV Lawson, Robert Lopresti, Kris Neri, Alan Orloff, Josh Pachter, Stephen D. Rogers, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Marcia Talley, Art Taylor, and Stacy Woodson—have meticulously planned for mystery enthusiasts a full docket of murder, mischief, and mayhem.

The list of quaint homicidal hometowns and unlikely cloak-and-cozy amateur detective heroes is as inexhaustible as the imaginations of their ingenious creators. Keep the lights on and your head on a swivel, Mystery Fans, because with these poisoned-pen masters on the prowl, your safe little nook just might be the next cozy crime scene!

SMFS Members Published in Janie's Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith

Today is publication day for the anthology, Janie's Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith. Published by White City Press, the read is edited by SMFS list member Michael Bracken. The book is available at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS list members that reported being in the anthology are:

 

 

 

Bill Baber with “Same Old Song and Dance.”

 

Eve Fisher with “Round and Round.”

 

John M. Floyd with “Hole in my Soul.”

 

Steve Liskow with “Dude Looks Like a Lady.”

 

Jeffrey Marks with “Three Mile Smile.”

 

Adam Meyer with “Livin' on the Edge.”

 

Tom Milani with “Jesus Is on the Main Line.”

 

M.E. Proctor with “Drop Dead Gorgeous.”

 

Ed Ridgley with “Dream On.”

 

Joseph S. Walker with “Janie's Got a Gun.” 

Publisher Description: 

With a career spanning over 50 years, Aerosmith has been a trend-setter in the world of rock and roll. From early hits such as “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion” to their legendary collaboration with Run DMC for a cover of “Walk This Way” to their contribution of “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” on the soundtrack for Armageddon, Aerosmith has proved time and again to be a band capable of reinvention and constant influence on the music scene.

With their 2024 announcement that the band will no longer tour, 16 crime fiction authors have come together to produce an anthology paying tribute to some of Aerosmith’s greatest hits and their studio albums. This literary trip across the rock and roll landscape is courtesy of multi-award winning editor Michael Bracken with stories by Ed Ridgley, Bill Baber, Eve Fisher. Avram Lavinsky, John C. Bruening, Jeffrey Marks, Mary Dutta, Tom Mead, Steve Liskow, Joseph S. Walker, Adam Meyer, John M. Floyd, Leone Ciporin, M.E. Proctor, Tom Milani and Jim Winter.