GUNS and ROSES by Leigh Lundin This week I focus on two unrelated stories, the latter peculiar in a mysterious sense and the first peculiar in a What-the-hell-were-they-thinking? sense. Jesus Rifles Last year, one of our readers mentioned he was so disgusted by the unChristian-like behavior of the Christian Ultra-Right, he couldn’t bring himself to […]

IN GOD’S COUNTRY by John M. Floyd Years ago, while taking an IBM class at Princeton University, I went with a friend one night to see a movie at nearby Quaker Bridge Mall (one of Stephanie Plum’s hangouts, if you’re an Evanovich fan). All we wanted was a little diversion, a few hours’ escape from […]

COMING TO A NEWSSTAND NEAR YOU by Steve Steinbock The emails started coming in last weekend, on Saturday to be precise. My pal Neal in sunny Florida wrote: I just pulled the new Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine out of my mail box. As usual, I checked out the TOC before even closing the mail box […]

MUSICALLY SPEAKING by Deborah Elliott-Upton Sometimes I forget how important music has been in my life, especially since I am not a musician. When I hear a certain song, there’s usually an emotion tied to it. Many times it’s a gentle tug; others it’s a gut-wrenching reaction catching me by surprise. Stories do that to […]

UFF, UFF by Rob Lopresti Here’s a pop quiz. Don’t bother to get out a number 2 pencil. There’s only one question. Who is the most popular author of fiction in Germany? I mean someone at a near-J.K. Rowling level of fame. An author whose ouevre is celebrated every year in festivals held near Bavarian […]

2010 EDGAR NOMINEES and ROBERT L. FISH AWARD WINNER Mystery Writers of America has announced the nominees for this year’s Edgar Awards. Of particular interest to us is the list of honored short stories. Here they are: Edgar Nominees for Best Short Story: “Last Fair Deal Gone Down” by Ace Atkins, Crossroad Blues (Busted Flush […]

Here is the second installment of Hawthorne’s seminal short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil”. Part 1 can be found here. This section is the most poignant part of the story, because it shows in a very personal way the human cost of guilt and secrecy. In a technical sense, it is brilliant, and for several […]