This issue features a pair of novels. The first, The Man in the Queue, by Josephine Tey, kicks off her Inspector Alan Grant series. The second, The Enchantress of World’s End, by Lin Carter, continues the epic far-future, sword-and-sorcery saga begun last issue.

As for our mystery shorts, we have a great lineup. Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken has selected an original Ecuadoran-set thriller by Tom Larsen, and Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman has uncovered a terrific tale by Janice Law, one of our favorite mystery writers. From Gordon Linzner—whose many claims to fame include purchasing a mock-epic poem the editor of BCW wrote when he was a mere lad of 15 (his first sale!) some 40-odd years ago—comes a murder mystery set in a bookstore. And, of course, we also have a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles.

On the science fiction and fantasy end of things, we have an original reverse-causality tale by Sam W. Pisciotta, a demon-story by the ever-amazing Nina Kiriki Hoffman, a Weird Tales classic by Henry S. Whitehead, and a classic science fiction story by Philip E. High. Truly, something for every taste!

Here’s the complete lineup—

NOVELS

The Man in the Queue, by Josephine Tey
Murder in a theater queue! Inspector Alan Grant investigates.

The Enchantress of World’s End, by Lin Carter
The Gondwane Epic continues with the second (of five) volumes.

SOLVE-IT-YOURSELF MYSTERY

“Death Climbs the Charts,” by Hal Charles
Can you solve the mystery before the detective? All the clues are there!

SHORT STORIES

“El Coronel y El Capitán,” by Tom Larsen [Michael Bracken Presents short story]
A retired colonel and resolute captain clash, exposing Ecuador’s dark secrets.

“The Front Man,” by Janice Law [Barb Goffman Presents short story]
A ghostwriting deal stirs ambition, deception, and dire consequences.

“Ill Met at Bartleby’s,” by Gordon Linzner
Murder most foul at a small-town bookshop!

“Adventures in Causality,” by Sam W. Pisciotta
A cosmic sphere disrupts Delores’s life, sending her through bizarre timelines.

“The Devil You Know,” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
When Dominic is adopted by a demon, lessons are learned at a terrible cost.

“The Thin Match,” by Henry S. Whitehead
A battered match may prove its worth as a man struggles against the cold.

“Mumbo-Jumbo Man,” by Philip E. High
A stolen artifact ignites hidden powers, testing loyalty, fierce courage, and destiny.

Sam W. Pisciotta

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