The Malice Domestic anthology series returns with a new take on mysteries in the Agatha Christie tradition—original tales with a devilish bent! Included are: Rita Owen · IntroductionLeah Bailey · A Killer in the FamilyPaula Gail Benson · Reputation or SoulM. A. Blum · Little White LiesMichael Bracken · Locked MesaSusan Breen · The Demon ValentineMarco Carocari · All in the PlanningMary Dutta · Devil’s AdvocateChristine Eskilson · The ReunionNancy Gardner · Death’s DoorBarb Goffman · Go Big or Go HomeAlexia Gordon · Happy BirthdayB. J. Graf · Servant of the Place of TruthMaurissa Guibord · Into the Devil’s DenVictoria Hamilton · Reunion with the DevilKerry Hammond · Strangers at a TablePeter W. J. Hayes · The Ice HouseSmita Harish Jain · Keeping Up with the JainsesCynthia Kuhn · There Comes a TimeMargaret Lucke · The Devil’s-Work BallSharon Lynn · The Professor’s LessonTim Maleeny · A Cure For MadnessLisa Q. Mathews · Fly Me to the MorgueAdam Meyer · Crime RateAlan Orloff · There Once Was a Man Named LarueKeenan Powell · Miss Millie MunzGraham Powell · A Rough IdeaLori Robbins · Accidents HappenCynthia Sabelhaus · ExegesisNancy Cole Silverman · The Case of the Sourdough StarterShawn Reilly Simmons · The Devil’s in the DetailsC. J. Verburg · A Terrible TragedyAndrea Wells · Taking Umbrage

   Our 51st issue is another strong one one, with four of our acquiring editors finding tales for us. Michael Bracken has an original Bev Vincent mystery, and Barb Goffman has a winner from R.T. Lawton. Cynthia Ward turns the tables on fellow editor Michael Bracken and selects a haunted house story by him! And too-long-absent editor Paul Di Filippo has picked a powerful story by Sheree R. Thomas. Good stuff.    As if that’s not enough (which it never is for the Black Cat!), we have gone back to the pulps for some historical mystery-adventure tales by Harold Lamb and Philip M. Fisher, and dived even deeper for a collection of mysteries by Dick Donovan called The Chronicles of Michael Danevitch of the Russian Secret Service .    On the science fiction front, we have novellas by Arthur Leo Zagat and George O. Smith, plus Skylark Three , by E.E. “Doc” Smith.    Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Death Sentence,” by Bev Vincent [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Letter Perfect,” Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Tightening of the Bond,” by R.T. Lawton [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Man Who Measured the Wind,” by Harold Lamb [novella] “The Yangtze Horde,” by Philip M. Fisher [short story] The Chronicles of Michael Danevitch of the Russian Secret Service , by Dick Donovan [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Little Spring,” by Michael Bracken [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “Thirteen Year Long Song,” by Sheree R. Thomas [Paul Di Filippo Presents short story] “The Faceless Men,” by Arthur Leo Zagat [novella] The Kingdom of the Blind, by George O. Smith [novella] Skylark Three , by E.E. “Doc” Smith

The first Black Cat Mystery Magazine of 2021 presents 7 compelling original tales, plus a classic reprint by Donald Barr Chidsey. Included are: TRIP UP ON HIGH STREET, by John HegenbergerST. KILLIAN’S CHOICE, by M.A. MonninYOU LOSE, WE FIND, by Jon Matthew FarberTHE BIG PICTURE, by John M. FloydAN ARTIST IN THE HAREM, by Elizabeth ZelvinPLANTED IN MIDAIR, by D.V. BennettAN INCONVENIENT SLEUTH, by Barb Goffman"Just Another Bum," by Donald Barr Chidsey