Black Cat Weekly #110

Our mystery selections kick off with “A Matter of Trust,” N.M. Cedeño’s tale of a genetic genealogy detective trying to prove an illegitimate child’s claim to a family trust. Thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken for this one. And Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman has a Halloween-appropriate tale in “Grimalkin,” by Mark Thielman, in which a cat may be more than it seems. We also have fantasist Phyllis Ann Karr’s first sale—which turns out to be a mystery!—and a novel by British master J.S. Fletcher. And, of course, no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles.

   Continuing our seasonal celebration of all things Halloween, we have a pair of dark delights—tales by Adrian Cole and me. Have some ghoulish shivers on us!

   For lovers of science fiction, we have a recent tale by Norman Spinrad, plus classics by Charles V. De Vet and Lester del Rey. Great stuff.

   Here’s the complete lineup:

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

• “A Matter of Trust,” by N.M. Cedeño [Michael Bracken Presents short story]
• “The Case of the Munificent Musketeer,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]
• “Grimalkin,” by Mark Thielman [Barb Goffman Presents short story]
• “An Economical Means of Murder,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story]
• The Herapath Property, by J.S. Fletcher [novel]

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

• “In the Court of the Pumpkin King,” by Adrian Cole [short storyx, Nick Nightmare series]
• “Sand,” by John Gregory Betancourt [short story, SCP series]
• “Quarantine,” by Norman Spinrad [short story]
• “Survival Factor,” by Charles V. De Vet [short story]
• “The Band Played On,” by Lester del Rey [novelet]