Nellthu

by Anthony Boucher

This deal with the devil short story was first published in the August 1955 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

It was then re-printed in Deals with the Devil edited by Basil Davenport which was published in 1958.

2 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 1955

About the author

William Anthony Parker White, better known by his pen name Anthony Boucher, was an American author, critic, and editor who wrote several classic mystery novels, short stories, science fiction, and radio dramas. Between 1942 and 1947, he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle. In addition to "Anthony Boucher", White also employed the pseudonym "H. H. Holmes", which was the pseudonym of a late-19th-century American serial killer; Boucher would also write light verse and sign it " Herman W. Mudgett" (the murderer's real name).
In a 1981 poll of 17 detective story writers and reviewers, his novel Nine Times Nine was voted as the ninth best locked room mystery of all time.

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony Boucher is a well-known author of many highly regarded SF short stories and many highly regarded science fiction anthologies.

One of his best known SF short stories is the Quest for Saint Aquin.

This short story is only 2 pages long. I probably first read it when I was 30 years old.

It is well written with a creative and incredibly well-thought-out plot.

I have read it many times. I think it is one of the 10 best short stories I have ever read in my life.

And I have read a ton of short stories in my life.