Cynthia Ward

Lester del Rey

Frank Kane

Laird Long

Hulbert Footner

Richard Wilson

Michael Allan Mallory

Allan Danzig

James H. Beard

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #23. Lots of good stuff this time—highlighted by a novel from Golden Age mystery author Rufus King, Duenna for a Murder. Plus a few novellas, and lots of great short stories, a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles, and great selections from Michael Bracken (Laird Long’s “Taken for a Ride”—which qualifies as both a mysery and a fantasy story) and Barb Goffman (Michael Allan Mallory’s “Random Harvest”). On the science fiction side, the Cynthia Ward Presents story is missing this week, but that’s only because we have a fantastic alternate-history story from Cynthia herself! Check out her “On Stony Ground.” Plus an epic disaster story from Allan Danzig, a fantasy from Unknown by Lester del Rey and James H. Beard, a space-based tale by Richard Wilson, and a miniature military SF story from Larry Tritten. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Soul Searching,” by Laird Long [short story] “A Fine Kettle of Fish,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Dead Wrong,” by Frank Kane [short story] “Taken for a Ride,” by Hulbert Footner [short novel] “Random Harvest,” by Michael Allan Mallory [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Duenna to a Murder, by Rufus King [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “On Stony Ground,” by Cynthia Ward [short story] “Corrigan’s Homunculi,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Carillon of Skulls,” by Lester del Rey and James H. Beard [short story] “Abel Baker Camel,” by Richard Wilson [short story] “The Great Nebraska Sea,” by Allan Danzig [short story]

Black Cat Weekly #23

David Housewright

Duane Swierczynski

Stuart Neville

Gary Phillips

William Kent Krueger

Nick Petrie

Randy Wayne White

Michael Stanley

Jenny Milchman

Lissa Marie Redmond

Jess Lourey

Michael Bracken

Michael A. Black

Reed Farrel Coleman

Lois Greiman

Eric Beetner

Scott Adlerberg

Jen Conley

Libby Fischer Hellmann

John Gaspard

Kristi Belcamino

Jessie Chandler

Terrence McCauley

Don Bruns

Gary R. Bush

Austin Camacho

Dave Case

Case Younggren

Edited by Rick Ollerman. Alphabetical list of contributors: Scott Adlerberg, Eric Beetner, Kristi Belcamino, Michael A. Black, Michael Bracken, Don Bruns, Gary R. Bush, Austin Camacho, Dave Case, Jessie Chandler, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jen Conley, John Gaspard, Lois Greiman, Libby Fischer Hellmann, David Housewright, William Kent Krueger, Jess Lourey, Michael Allan Mallory, Terrence McCauley, Jenny Milchman, Stuart Neville, Rick Ollerman, Nick Petrie, Gary Phillips, Lissa Marie Redmond, Michael Stanley, Duane Swierczynski, Randy Wayne White, and Case Younggren. Many of today’s top writers get together to celebrate the themes of books and bookstores (and even a tuba or two!) As we celebrate the life of Mystery Writers of America Raven Award-winning Gary Shulze, long-time owner of the legendary Once Upon a Crime bookstore in Minneapolis. Gary left an indelible mark on the crime fiction community across the world before he passed away in 2016 due to complications from leukemia. Join as Duane Swierczynski, William Kent Krueger, Randy Wayne White, Jess Lourey, Stuart Neville and more come together in this tribute to a man whose legacy will not be forgotten.

Blood Work

Marilyn Victor

Zoologist "Snake" Jones and her wolf-biologist friend Gina discover four wolf carcasses in the woods near Wolf Lake, Gina swears vengeance against the shooter. When a cantankerous local man with outspoken anti-wolf sentiments is murdered, Gina falls under suspicion.

Michael Allan Mallory

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