Richard McKenna

Charles F. Myers

Hal Charles

Shannon Taft

Norman Spinrad 

O’Neil De Noux 

Darrell Schweitzer 

Gil Brewer 

Andy Adams 

Cordwainer Smith 

This issue features original mysteries by O’Neil De Noux and Shannon Taft (thanks to our Acquiring Editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman), a Gil Brewer crime classic, and another entry in the Biff Brewer mystery series by Andy Adams. And what issue would be complete without a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles? On the more fantastic side of things, you might say things have gone to the birds…we have a pair of classic avian-themed stories by Cordwainer Smith and Richard McKenna. But we also have a terrific Norman Spinrad short, about the effects of virtual entertainment on actors, and Darrell Schweitzer contributes a poignant tale of a man whose father has delusional battles against the dreaded Zeppelin Gang. Or are they delusions? And a few issues ago, I promised more of the humorous Toffee tales from Charles F. Myers. Well, in my research through the pulps, I only looked at titles…imagine my surprise when The Shades of Toffee turned out to be a novel, instead of a short story! Here it is. More Toffee shorts (I assume they’re short) will follow in future issues. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The James Mason Effect,” by O’Neil De Noux [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Clue in the Conservatory,” Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “A Tail of Justice,” by Shannon Taft [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Gesture,” by Gil Brewer [classic short story] The Mystery of the Caribbean Pearls, by Andy Adams [novel, Biff Brewer series] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “A Man of the Theater,” by Norman Spinrad “Fighting the Zeppelin Gang,” by Darrell Schweitzer “The Night of Hoggy Darn,” by Richard McKenna [classic short story] “From Gustible’s Planet,” by Cordwainer Smith [classic short story] The Shades of Toffee, by Charles F. Myers [novel, Toffee series]

Black Cat Weekly #114

Apparently paying homage to Thorne Smith and "Topper", Charles F. Myer (real name Charles H. Myers) wrote a series of stories starring Toffee, a dream girl in the strictest sense of the word: she resided in Marc Pillsworth's mind. She also existed in the real world whenever she could escape Marc's subconscious. The Toffee stories are pure fantasy, are fun to read, and are a bit mischievous and spicy. All ten Toffee stories are contained in this volume and all of the original illustrations from the pulps and digest magazines where the stories first appeared are included.

The Complete Adventures of Toffee

Charles F. Myers

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