WHAT'S NEW IN JUNE 2014?
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, by Edward D. Hoch
Edward D. Hoch (1930 - 2008) was a rare mystery writer. He made a living by mostly writing short stories with a lot of memorable series characters, and he had a several short story collections published featuring Nick Velvet (unique thief), Simon Ark (Satan hunter), Captain Jules Leopold, Jeffery Rand (decoding expert) among others. I have translated great many stories by him for Japanese publishers, including six short story collections containing all the Dr. Sam Hawthorne. Dr. Sam is a country doctor in the town of Northmont in New England and his stories are set in the 1920's, 30's and 40's.
Douglas G. Greene, the publisher of Crippen & Landru (C&L), has been publishing short story collections by Ed Hoch for a long time, and NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, FURTHER PROBLEMS OF DR. SAM HAWTHORNE (Crippen & Landru, 2014; also available in e-book) is C&L's third Hawthorne story collection, after DIGANOSIS: IMPOSSIBLE, THE PROBLEMS OF DR. SAM HAWTHORNE (C&L, 1996; first one with Dr. Sam's first 12 cases) and MORE THINGS IMPOSSIBLE: THE SECOND CASEBOOKS OF DR. SAM HAWTHORNE (C&L, 2006; with Dr. Sam's next 15 cases). The third one, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBE contains Dr. Sam's 15 more cases (cases 28 thru 42) as follows:
- "The Problem of the Graveyard Picnic," first published in the June 1984 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine [=EQMM]
- "The Problem of the Crying Room," first published in the November 1984 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Fatal Fireworks," first published in the May 1985 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Unfinished Painting," first published in the February 1986 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Sealed Bottle," first published in the September 1986 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Invisible Acrobat," first published in the Mid-December 1986 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Curing Barn," first published in the August 1987 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Snowbound Cabin," first published in the December 1987 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Thunder Room," first published in the April 1988 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Black Roadster," first published in the November 1988 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Two Birthmarks," first published in the May 1989 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Dying Patient," first published in the December 1989 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Protected Farmhouse," first published in the May 1990 issue of EQMM
- "The Problem of the Haunted Tepee," first published in the December 1990 issue of EQMM, also featuring Ben Snow (gunman detective in the Old West, one of his other series character)
- "The Problem of the Blue Bicycle," first published in the April 1991 issue of EQMM
It has an informative Introduction by Janet Hutchings, the present editor of EQMM. I hope C&L will publish more Dr. Sam story collections in the near future. Hoch may be dead but his works are not. Steve Steinbock are editing a science fiction story collection by Hoch, THE FUTURE IS OURS: TALES OF SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY, AND HORROR to be published by Wildside Press late this year.
This collection comes in two editions: the hardcover edition ($45) limited to 175 copies, and signed and numbered by the publisher Greene; and the trade softcover edition ($19). Each limited hardcover copy contains a separately printed pamphlet, "The Problem of the Secret Patient," the final Hawthorn story, first published in the May 2008 of EQMM (Avon, 2001). 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.
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