Ken Derry

Richard Helms

At the cutting edge of crime fiction, Mystery Magazine presents original short stories by the world's best-known and emerging mystery writers. The stories we feature in our monthly issues span every imaginable subgenre, including cozy, police procedural, noir, whodunit, supernatural, hardboiled, humor, and historical mysteries. Evocative writing and a compelling story are the only certainty. Get ready to be surprised, challenged, and entertained--whether you enjoy the style of the Golden Age of mystery (e.g., Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle), the glorious pulp digests of the early twentieth century (e.g., Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler), or contemporary masters of mystery. ★ In this issue ★ In our cover feature, "All Her Diamond Rings" by C.W. Blackwell, an auto-mechanic and former car thief gets an opportunity from an unlikely source. "Corpse Cake" by Richard Helms: In 1843 London, legendary-some say notorious-thief-taker Vicar Brekonridge encounters Athelney Cribbins, a law clerk and surreptitious sin-eater, who has a curious story to tell about a possible murder. "How Do I Get To Mount Julep?" by Ken Derry: Fancy Mike was murdered last week on my watch. I was tasked to find out what happened. This was a job for a younger buck. "The Pink Coat" by Siobhan Wright: Amelia, a 17-year-old, heads South for spring break on a Greyhound bus and is lured into the world of crime in the Cleveland bus station. "Trouble At First Sight" by Edward Lodi: A private eye's search for a young girl's stolen dog leads him to a shack at the edge of a swamp, where things are not as they appear, and where survival depends on determining who is friend, and who is foe. In the caper, "Zen Man's Sandbag" by George Wilhite, a Zen master who can move through solid substances cons bank robbers. In "Cold Turkey" by Steve Liskow, Harley is doing community service and trying to be a Good Boy. Then two bank robbers on the run break in and take a classmate hostage. What's a guy with a nose ring gonna do? In "Wine Into Water," A You-Solve-It By Laird Long, a crate of wine allegedly ends up in the river. Can you decern what happened? Custom Cover Art By Robin Grenville Evans

November 2023

Mystery Magazine

John C. Lyden

The trailers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens made a strong impression on fans. Many were excited by what they saw as a return to the spirit of George Lucas's 1977 creation. Others--including several white supremacy groups--were upset and offended by key differences, most notably the shift away from a blond, blue-eyed, male protagonist. When the film was finally released, reactions similarly seemed to hinge on whether or not The Force Awakens renewed the "mythic" aspects of the original trilogy in ways that fans approved of. The Myth Awakens examines the religious implications of this phenomenon, considering the ways in which myth can function to reinforce "traditional" social and political values. In their analyses the authors of this book reflect on fan responses in relation to various elements of (and changes to) the Star Wars canon--including toys, video games, and novels, as well as several of the films. They do so using a variety of critical tools, drawing from studies of gender, race, psychology, politics, authority, music, ritual, and memory.

Ken Derry

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