I had intended to write another screed for today, but on second thought decided that I would demonstrate what it is I love about mystery short stories by pointing out the things I admire about a great story. Alexander Sergeievich Pushkin (1799-1836) is the greatest poet of Russia, a genius known for his romantic lyricism […]

NUMB3RS, Part 4: CHOCOLATE CALCULATOR by Leigh Lundin I love the little puzzles and games readers send in, more than to be mystified, I like to demystify. Here is the fourth in our series, this time from South Beach, Florida. The best puzzles are like the best mysteries, enigmatic at first, requiring the reader to […]

DIAL S FOR SUSPENSE by John M. Floyd Often I’ll read a novel or story or see a movie and be reminded of some technique (a.k.a. trick) that the author or director used to make the story better. Sometimes I suspect it wasn’t even a conscious effort — with many of the masters this kind […]

PHONE-LAG by Steve Steinbock I know people who have given up their land-lines and now use wireless (cellular) phones exclusively. This summer, being away from home, I’ve had to rely on my cell phone for all telephone communications. I’m not a phone-junkie, but after two months, I can’t wait to have access to my home […]

WHO ARE YOU REALLY? by Deborah Elliott-Upton I arrived a bit late to the game of Facebook, but find it’s a lot like going into the “Cheers” bar: everyone knows your name, people seem happy to see you and you’re expected to say and do something while you’re there. One reason people enjoy Facebook more […]

CLIFFHANGERS by Rob Lopresti LOOK OUT! Don’t you see that car fishtailing up the road, barely staying on the pavement? It’s heading straight to the cliff, zooming like the brakes have been cut, and it seems that in just a few seconds it will crash to certain doom. We may have just enough time to […]

What follows is generally considered to be the earliest American short story, first published in 1793 — it is, of course, about a murder. —JLW SOMNAMBULISM, A FRAGMENT. by Charles Brockden Brown (The following fragment will require no other preface or commentary than an extract from the Vienna Gazette of June 14, 1784. “At Great […]