WHAT'S NEW IN MAY 2009?
A LITTLE INTELLIGENCE, by Robert Silverberg and Randall Garrett
I knew science-fiction writer Robert Silverberg wrote a number of soft-core porn novels under several pseudonyms when young, and that another science-fiction writer Randall Garrett (1927-1987) wrote The Lord Darcy detective series such as TOO MANY MAGICIANS (Doubleday, 1967) and MURDER AND MAGIC (Ace, 1979), but I didn't know they co-wrote mystery stories as "Robert Randall," "Gordon Aghill," and "Clyde Mitchell." A LITTLE INTELLIGENCE (Crippen & Landru, 2009) contains 7 of their collaborative mystery stories, first 4 for Howard Browne-edited magazines and last 3 for Robert W. Lowndes-edited magazines. (Yes, that Howard Browne famous for his Paul Pine novels. Lowndes also edited several mystery and western magazines in the 50's.) The seven stories are follows:
"Catch a Thief," first published in the July 1956 issue of Amazing Stories as by "Gordon Aghill"
"Deadly Decoy," first published in the February 1957 issue of Amazing Stories as by "Clyde Mitchell"
"The Slow and the Dead," first published in the August 1956 issue of Fantastic Science Fiction Stories as by "Robert Randall"
"The Mummy Takes a Wife," first published in the December 1956 issue of Fantastic Science Fiction Stories as by "Clyde Mitchell"
"No Future in This," featuring The Reverand Sean Aloysius Riley, first published in the May 1956 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly as by "Robert Randall"
"Deus ex Machina," featuring The Rev. Riley, first published in the November 1956 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly as by "Robert Randall"
"A Little Intelligence," first published in the October 1958 issue of Future Science Fiction as by "Robert Randall"
"Introduction" by Silverberg is very informative and understandably moving. I recently read an article on Silverberg in The Los Angeles Times.
This collection comes in two editions: the hardcover edition ($42) limited to 200 copies, and signed and numbered by Robert Silverberg; and the trade softcover edition ($16). Each limited hardcover copy contains a separately printed pamphlet containing a story, "Human Reaction," by Randall Garrett, first published in the April 1964 issue of The Saint Mystery Magazine. Order from Crippen & Landru by e-mailing to info@crippenlandru.com, or by sending a letter to Crippen & Landru, Dept. G, P. O. Box 9315, Norfolk, Virginia 23505, USA. They honor Visa, MasterCard and Amex.
BACK TO CONTENTS
BLACK NOIR, edited by Otto Penzler
BLACK NOIR, edited by Otto Penzler (Pegasus Books, 2009; subtitled "Mystery, Crime, and Suspense Fiction by African-American Writers"), is not the first anthology of stories by black writers. The first one is SPOOKS, SPIES AND PRIVATE EYES, edited by Paula L. Woods (1995; subtitled "Black Mystery, Crime, and Suspence Fiction of the 20th Century"), and the second one, I assume, is SHADE OF BLACK, edited by Eleanor Taylor Bland (2004; subtitled "Crime and Mystery Stories by African-American Authors"). BLACK NOIR has 15 stories by black writers as follows:
"Old Boys, Old Girls," by Edward P. Jones, first published in the May 3, 2004 issue of The New Yorker
"I'll Be Doggone," by Paul L. Woods, featuring detective Charlotte Justice, first published in the Summer 1998 issue of Mary Higgins Clark Mystery Magazine< BR>
"Corollary," by Hughes Allison, first published in the July 1948 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Oprah's Song," by Robert Greer, featuring bailbondsman CJ Floyd, an original story
"On Saturday the Siren Sounds at Noon," by Ann Petry, first published in the December 1943 issue of The Crisis
"The Sheriff's Children," by Charles W. Chesnutt, first published in the November 7, 1889 issue of The New York Independent
"House of Tears," by Gary Phillips, a revised version of the story first published in the September 2006 issue of Murdaland #1
"The Canasta Club," by Eleanor Taylor Bland, featuring detective Marti MacAlister, first published in MURDER ON ROUTE 66 (Berkley, 1999; edited by Carolyn Wheat)
"Talma Gordon," by Pauline E. Hopkins, first published in the October 1900 issue of The Colored American Magazine
"Strictly Business," by Chester Himes, first published in the February 1942 issue of Esquire
"John Archer's Nose," by Rudolph Fisher, first published in the January 1935 (Vol. 1, No. 1) issue of Metropolitan Magazine
"The Shoemaker Murder," by George S. Schuyler, first published in The Pittsburgh Courier in 1933 as by "William Stockton"
"The First Rule Is," by Gar Anthony Haywood, an original story
"Summer Session," by Alice Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935), first published posthumously in THE WORKS OF ALICE DUNBAR-NELSON, VOL. 1(1988; edited by Gloria T. Hull)
"Black Dog," by Walter Mosley, featuring Socrates Fortlow, first published in ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED, ALWAYS OUTGUNNED (Norton, 1997)
I guess I can expect BLACK NOIR 2 soon.
BACK TO CONTENTS
THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST BRITISH CRIME 6, edited by Maxim Jakubowski
Maxim Jakubowski has been editing the anthology series of the annual best British crime stories for several years, first for Allison & Busby and now for Constance & Robinson. THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST BRITISH CRIME 6 edited by Maxim Jakubowski (Constable & Robinson, 2009) is the second one he did for Constance & Robinson with 39 short stories published/uploaded/broadcast in 2007 (with a couple of exceptions) as follows:
"Rumpole's Slimmed-Down Christmas," by John Mortimer, featuring barister Horace Rumpole, first published in the October 2007 (#23) and February 2008 (#24) issues of The Strand Magazine
"Money Short," by Ray Banks, first published in EXPLETIVE DELETED (Bleak House Books; edited by Jennifer Jordan)
"Where There's a Will...," by Amy Myers, first published in the February 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Stolen Child," by Brian McGilloway, first boadcast on BBC Radio 4
"The People in the Flat across the Road," by Natasha Cooper, first published in the May 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Mandelbrot's Patterns," by Keith McCarthy, first published in the December 2007 issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
"No Place to Park," by Alexander McCall Smith, first published in the October 2005 (#17) issue of The Strand Magazine
"Girl's Best Friend," by Judith Cutler, first published in the August 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Preacher," by Kevin Wignall, first published in EXPLETIVE DELETED (Bleak House Books; edited by Jennifer Jordan)
"The Angel of Manton Worthy," by Kate Ellis , first published in the June 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Going Back," by Ann Cleeves, first published in the March/April 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Fiery Devil," by Peter Tremayne, first published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF DICKENSIAN WHODUNNITS (Constable & Robinson; edited by Mike Ashley)
"Un Bon Repas Doit Commencer par la Faim," by Stella Duffy, first published in PARIS NOIR (Serpent's Tail; edited by Maxim Jakubowski)
"Room for Improvement," by Marillyn Todd, first published in the December 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Makeover," by Bill James, first published in the March/April issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Train, Night," by Nicholas Royle, first published in 3:AM Magazine
"The Prints of the Beast," by Michael Pearce, first published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF DICKENSIAN WHODUNNITS (Constable & Robinson; edited by Mike Ashley)
"Glazed," by Danuta Reah, first published in GETTING EVEN (Serpent's Tail; edited Mitzi Szereto)
"Twenty Dollar Future," by John Richards, first published in EXPLETIVE DELETED (Bleak House Books; edited by Jennifer Jordan)
"Served Cold," by Zoe Sharp, featuirng body-guard Charlie Fox, first published in A HELL OF A WOMAN (Busted Flush Press; edited by Megan Abbott)
"The Mystery of Canute Villa," by Martin Edwards, first published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF DICKENSIAN WHODUNNITS (Constable & Robinson; edited by Mike Ashley)
"Rosehip Summer," by Roz Southey, first published on the website of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne
"Entanglement," by H. P. Tinker, first published in EXPLETIVE DELETED (Bleak House Books; edited by Jennifer Jordan)
"The Mummy," by Peter Turnbull, featuirng Ins. Hennessey and Sgt. Yellich, first published in the December 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Nora B.," by Ken Bruen, first published in A HELL OF A WOMAN (Busted Flush Press; edited by Megan Abbott)
"The End of Little Nell," by Robert Barnard, first published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF DICKENSIAN WHODUNNITS (Constable & Robinson; edited by Mike Ashley)
"Johnny Seven," by David Bowker, first published in EXPLETIVE DELETED (Bleak House Books; edited by Jennifer Jordan)
"Bumping Uglies," by Donna Moore, first published in A HELL OF A WOMAN (Busted Flush Press; edited by Megan Abbott)
"Epiphany," by Margaret Murphy, first published in the February 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"Call Me, I'm Dying," by Allan Guthrie, first published in A HELL OF A WOMAN (Busted Flush Press; edited by Megan Abbott)
"Heroes," by Anne Perry, a different version (in Barrington Stokes booklet form for adults with a reading age of 8 plus) from the Edgar-winning story first published in MURDER AND OBSSESSION (Delacorte Press, 1999; edited by Otto Penzler)
"Mother's Milk," by Chris Simms, first published in the May 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Shakespeare Express," by Edward Marston, first published in the August 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Other Half," by Colin Dexter first published in the February 2007 (#21) issue ofThe Strand Magazine
"Threat Management," by Martyn Waites, first published in Succour Magazine in 2007
"Fingers to the Bone," by Andrew Taylor, first published in the January 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Price Confederate," by Andrew Martin, first published in the June 2007 (#22) issue of The Strand Magazine
"Popping Round to the Post," by Peter Lovesey, first published in the November 2007 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
"The Uninvited," by Christopher Fowler, first published in INFERNO (Tor Books; edited by Ellen Datlow)
With 39 stories, it is a mammoth book all right. Its acknowledgments pages are somewhat imperfect and I have to make further researches. Okay, here's my two cents on the title. Since the fifth best anthology he did last year was entitled THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST BRITISH MYSTERIES (Constance & Robinson, 2008), the new title is extremely confusing to its readers/consumers, and some readers may think it is an anthology of true crime stories. I hope he will use the same title or change it to THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST BRITISH CRIME STORIES 2010 next year.
BACK TO CONTENTS
TO WHAT'S COOL last time?
BACK TO HOMEPAGE