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Black Cat Mystery Magazine #1
Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a new journal devoted to the best in mystery short fiction. Crime? Noir? Cozy? Private eye? You'll find all genres present and accounted for -- with new tales by the best writers of today! The first issue features contributions by Art Taylor, John Floyd, Alan Orloff, Kaye George, Josh Pachter, Barb Goffman, Meg Opperman, Michael Bracken, Dan Andriacco, and Jack Halliday. Plus 2 classic reprints by James Holding and Fletcher Flora!
Complete
Getting Away, by Alan Orloff
Fairy Tales, by Art Taylor
Eb and Flo, by Josh Pachter
Crazy Cat Lady, by Barb Goffman
A Pie to Die For, by Meg Opperman
Murder at Madame Tussaud’s, by Dan Andriacco
Rooster Creek, by John M. Floyd
Don’t Bank on It, by Jack Halliday
Dixie Quickies, by Michael Bracken
Flight to the Flirty Flamingo, by Kaye George
The Italian Tile Mystery, by James Holding
Beside a Flowering Wall, by Fletcher Flora
The ABCs of Murder, by Josh Pachter
[This is version 1.3 of the file.]
Complete
Getting Away, by Alan Orloff
Fairy Tales, by Art Taylor
Eb and Flo, by Josh Pachter
Crazy Cat Lady, by Barb Goffman
A Pie to Die For, by Meg Opperman
Murder at Madame Tussaud’s, by Dan Andriacco
Rooster Creek, by John M. Floyd
Don’t Bank on It, by Jack Halliday
Dixie Quickies, by Michael Bracken
Flight to the Flirty Flamingo, by Kaye George
The Italian Tile Mystery, by James Holding
Beside a Flowering Wall, by Fletcher Flora
The ABCs of Murder, by Josh Pachter
[This is version 1.3 of the file.]
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2017
24 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
John Gregory Betancourt
397 books68 followersJohn Gregory Betancourt is a writer of science fiction, fantasy and mystery novels as well as short stories. He has worked as an assistant editor at Amazing Stories and editor of Horror: The Newsmagazine of the Horror Field, the revived Weird Tales magazine, the first issue of H. P. Lovecraft's Magazine of Horror (which he subsequently hired Marvin Kaye to edit), Cat Tales magazine (which he subsequently hired George H. Scithers to edit), and Adventure Tales magazine. He worked as a Senior Editor for Byron Preiss Visual Publications (1989-1996) and iBooks. He is the writer of four Star Trek novels and the new Chronicles of Amber prequel series, as well as a dozen original novels. His essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in such diverse publications as Writer's Digest and The Washington Post.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 10, 2018
This is a superb collection of current short fiction along with a couple of excellent vintage stories. I loved that each story has it's own unique voice to differentiate them, as opposed to some mystery short story collections that can seem repetitious with plots that sometimes blend into each other in one's overtaxed mind. I am looking forward to the next issue. Highly recommended for mystery short story readers.
May 15, 2018
Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One opens with a note from editors John Gregory Betancourt and Carla Coupe stating that their magazine will focus on mystery short stories. In addition to publishing the occasional classic piece from decades ago, they will publish quality mystery stories regardless of the niche the story fits in the genre. In short, this is a magazine designed to appeal to all mystery readers. That goal is easily met in the first issue.
“Getting away” by Alan Orloff starts the issue off. Eddie “Light Touch” Elkins needs a new identity and he now has one thanks to his new passport. The forgery looks perfect. Good thing the guy at Lloyd Birnbaum Travel knew who to hook him up with so that he could make a clean getaway. For the guy at the travel agency, having a side business is important, as the internet has pretty much killed the travel industry. Why use a travel agent when you can make all the arrangements yourself?
Back in the day kids were respectful when they walked through the neighborhood. Those days are long gone in “Fairy Tales” by Art Taylor. In the here and now, William Washington is fed up and getting closer and closer to taking back his neighborhood.
At 92 Uncle Eb tends to tell the same several stories over and over including the one about he meet Aunt Flo. It is part of his routine at the Choctaw Nursing Home. So too is the Wednesday visit with his nephew, the sheriff of Lamar County. This Wednesday he is running a bit behind due to a murder. He has a tale for his uncle and his Aunt in “Eb and Flo” by Josh Pachter.
Her cat, Sammy, is missing as the “Crazy Cat lady” by Barb Goffman begins. The horror and suspense author, Zephyr, is sure somebody has been in the house. Zephyr is a bit spooked, but as she looks around she begins to think her worry was for nothing as Sammy is fine though he does not seem pleased. He might have a good reason.
She is looking forward to seeing Benedict again. The rendezvous is set for thirty minutes from now. Her only obstacle is how to get away from her husband so she can do what she yearns to do in “A Pie To Die For” by Meg Opperman.
Albert Poe loves introducing new attractions to visitors at the world famous wax museum. The latest unveiling in 1888 goes spectacularly wrong in “Murder At Madame Tussauds” by Dan Andriacco. The new figure was supposed to be a wax impression of Ormond Struthers known to one and all as the “Grosvenor Square Ghoul” with wax impressions of some of the heads he had severed. The latest addition looks all too real because it is. Time to contact Scotland Yard. They will need help and that is where the ‘Count of Conjuring” and his assistant will step in whether they are wanted or not.
Katie Harrison is in big trouble as “Rooster Creek” by John M. Floyd begins. As long as she can balance on the chair with that rope around her neck and up into the tree she will be okay. How she got to this position in the month since she stepped of the stagecoach in Perdition is the focus of this highly entertaining western tale.
Her name is Marilyn Baker. She is a bank teller at First American Union. She is unforgettable in “Don’t Bank On It” by Jack Halliday. Good thing he is a private investigator.
Every town has that notorious motel where business is done in hourly increments. In “Dixie Quickies” by Michael Bracken, the Dixie Motel located on the outskirts of Chicken Junction is one such place. The twelve rooms are the site of quite few romantic encounters. The most recent encounter did not result in a happy ending for one guy as he is very much dead in his room. His death and the repercussions of that are going to become a bigger and bigger problem in this steadily expanding tale.
Kaye George is up next with her tale, “Flight To The Flirty Flamingo.” In this case, the main setting is not a motel, but a strip club known as “The Flirty Flamingo.” Fin runs the place and treats the talent right and makes sure the customers do too. Jodie Vive is in trouble and on the run for good reason. Whether Fin can help with a problem that big is the real question.
“The Italian Tile Mystery” by James Holliday was originally published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in September 1961 and is republished as the next story in this first issue of Black Cat Mystery Magazine. It is a drab wintery day with the rain coming down in Positano. The dampness penetrates everything in the village on the cliffs above the Mediterranean Sea. That penetrating dampness invades the guests of Savoia Hotel. Several of the guests are huddled in their sweaters before the fire while being intrigued by a certain table and the tiles across its top. The table was created by Lemuel v. Bishop. He was an American who lived in Italy most of his life. During those last months as he battled illness he lived at the hotel and created the table. The table holds a secret that several guests, including two mystery authors, are determined to figure out.
“Beside A Flowering Wall” by Fletcher Flora comes next. This short story was originally published in April 1968 in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Ruth has a sterile stale life of regimen. She lives this certain way in order to hold things together. That is until Pat Brady calls and intrudes into her life once again.
“The ABC’s Of Murder” by Josh Pachter winds up the first issue. Every letter of the alphabet has its own special mystery related designation in this poem dedicated to all things murder and crime related.
Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One is a broad spectrum mystery magazine filled with good stories. Built off of classic tales as well as modern ones, the reads here all meet the editors stated intention of ignoring niches and being open to all types of tales. This is a magazine designed to appeal to a broad swath of mystery readers and does so with ease. Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One is also a good one.
Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One
Editors John Gregory Betancourt and Carla Coupe
Wildside Press
http://wildsidepress.com/magazines/BCMM/
ASIN: B075FDS9PP
September 2017
eBook (also available in print)
152 Pages
$3.99
Material was purchased to read and review back in December 2017 by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2018
“Getting away” by Alan Orloff starts the issue off. Eddie “Light Touch” Elkins needs a new identity and he now has one thanks to his new passport. The forgery looks perfect. Good thing the guy at Lloyd Birnbaum Travel knew who to hook him up with so that he could make a clean getaway. For the guy at the travel agency, having a side business is important, as the internet has pretty much killed the travel industry. Why use a travel agent when you can make all the arrangements yourself?
Back in the day kids were respectful when they walked through the neighborhood. Those days are long gone in “Fairy Tales” by Art Taylor. In the here and now, William Washington is fed up and getting closer and closer to taking back his neighborhood.
At 92 Uncle Eb tends to tell the same several stories over and over including the one about he meet Aunt Flo. It is part of his routine at the Choctaw Nursing Home. So too is the Wednesday visit with his nephew, the sheriff of Lamar County. This Wednesday he is running a bit behind due to a murder. He has a tale for his uncle and his Aunt in “Eb and Flo” by Josh Pachter.
Her cat, Sammy, is missing as the “Crazy Cat lady” by Barb Goffman begins. The horror and suspense author, Zephyr, is sure somebody has been in the house. Zephyr is a bit spooked, but as she looks around she begins to think her worry was for nothing as Sammy is fine though he does not seem pleased. He might have a good reason.
She is looking forward to seeing Benedict again. The rendezvous is set for thirty minutes from now. Her only obstacle is how to get away from her husband so she can do what she yearns to do in “A Pie To Die For” by Meg Opperman.
Albert Poe loves introducing new attractions to visitors at the world famous wax museum. The latest unveiling in 1888 goes spectacularly wrong in “Murder At Madame Tussauds” by Dan Andriacco. The new figure was supposed to be a wax impression of Ormond Struthers known to one and all as the “Grosvenor Square Ghoul” with wax impressions of some of the heads he had severed. The latest addition looks all too real because it is. Time to contact Scotland Yard. They will need help and that is where the ‘Count of Conjuring” and his assistant will step in whether they are wanted or not.
Katie Harrison is in big trouble as “Rooster Creek” by John M. Floyd begins. As long as she can balance on the chair with that rope around her neck and up into the tree she will be okay. How she got to this position in the month since she stepped of the stagecoach in Perdition is the focus of this highly entertaining western tale.
Her name is Marilyn Baker. She is a bank teller at First American Union. She is unforgettable in “Don’t Bank On It” by Jack Halliday. Good thing he is a private investigator.
Every town has that notorious motel where business is done in hourly increments. In “Dixie Quickies” by Michael Bracken, the Dixie Motel located on the outskirts of Chicken Junction is one such place. The twelve rooms are the site of quite few romantic encounters. The most recent encounter did not result in a happy ending for one guy as he is very much dead in his room. His death and the repercussions of that are going to become a bigger and bigger problem in this steadily expanding tale.
Kaye George is up next with her tale, “Flight To The Flirty Flamingo.” In this case, the main setting is not a motel, but a strip club known as “The Flirty Flamingo.” Fin runs the place and treats the talent right and makes sure the customers do too. Jodie Vive is in trouble and on the run for good reason. Whether Fin can help with a problem that big is the real question.
“The Italian Tile Mystery” by James Holliday was originally published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in September 1961 and is republished as the next story in this first issue of Black Cat Mystery Magazine. It is a drab wintery day with the rain coming down in Positano. The dampness penetrates everything in the village on the cliffs above the Mediterranean Sea. That penetrating dampness invades the guests of Savoia Hotel. Several of the guests are huddled in their sweaters before the fire while being intrigued by a certain table and the tiles across its top. The table was created by Lemuel v. Bishop. He was an American who lived in Italy most of his life. During those last months as he battled illness he lived at the hotel and created the table. The table holds a secret that several guests, including two mystery authors, are determined to figure out.
“Beside A Flowering Wall” by Fletcher Flora comes next. This short story was originally published in April 1968 in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Ruth has a sterile stale life of regimen. She lives this certain way in order to hold things together. That is until Pat Brady calls and intrudes into her life once again.
“The ABC’s Of Murder” by Josh Pachter winds up the first issue. Every letter of the alphabet has its own special mystery related designation in this poem dedicated to all things murder and crime related.
Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One is a broad spectrum mystery magazine filled with good stories. Built off of classic tales as well as modern ones, the reads here all meet the editors stated intention of ignoring niches and being open to all types of tales. This is a magazine designed to appeal to a broad swath of mystery readers and does so with ease. Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One is also a good one.
Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue One
Editors John Gregory Betancourt and Carla Coupe
Wildside Press
http://wildsidepress.com/magazines/BCMM/
ASIN: B075FDS9PP
September 2017
eBook (also available in print)
152 Pages
$3.99
Material was purchased to read and review back in December 2017 by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2018
September 28, 2017
Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a welcome new arrival for fans of crime fiction magazines. Its content fulfills its promise of something for all mystery readers—hardboiled, cozy, noir, crime, private eye, suspense, and thriller. Each story is a satisfying example of its sub-genre. My favorites were those by Michael Bracken, Kaye George, and Fletcher Flora; but I lean toward the dark side. If you enjoy the full range of crime fiction, you’ll love the variety here. And frankly, variety is what a great anthology is all about.
September 8, 2017
Black Cat Mystery Magazine #1 ...
I haven't read all the stories yet, but "Crazy Cat Lady" and "Flight to the Flirty Flamingo" have already given me "my money's worth" as Dad used to say. There are times that a short story is just right, like while waiting at the allergist's (and have never minded a wait less). As I drove home, I thought of the Jamaican folk saying, "He who won't hear must feel.” Diabolical and very clever writing and lessons to be learned.
I haven't read all the stories yet, but "Crazy Cat Lady" and "Flight to the Flirty Flamingo" have already given me "my money's worth" as Dad used to say. There are times that a short story is just right, like while waiting at the allergist's (and have never minded a wait less). As I drove home, I thought of the Jamaican folk saying, "He who won't hear must feel.” Diabolical and very clever writing and lessons to be learned.
October 6, 2017
Loved this magazine. I'll be getting a copy each time it comes out.
October 22, 2017
This is a collection of short mysteries. I love that each story can be finished in a short time. Wonderful and fun mysteries and some of them have a great twist.
December 3, 2017
I won this issue of Black Cat Mystery Magazine and enjoyed reading it. I tend to skip around when I read magazines, and I don't finish every story. That said, I'd like to read the next issue when it comes out. None of the stories have graphic violence, which I was glad about.
As promised in the note from the editors at the beginning, this magazine includes different kinds of mysteries. "Fairy Tales" by Art Taylor was my favorite. The protagonist and the neighborhood where the story is set seemed so real. I also liked "A Pie to Die For" by Meg Opperman and "Flight to the Flirty Flamingo" by Kaye George.
I wish that this magazine had sections, maybe Humor, Classic Reprints, etc., or something along those lines. The editors did group some similar stories so that they come one after the other, but I personally would like more help in identifying the subgenre of each story so that I have a better idea of what to expect when I start reading. Two stories are classic reprints from the 1960's "The Italian Tile Mystery" by James Holdingand and "Beside a Flowering Wall" by Fletcher Flora. I didn't like that style of story, and found myself skimming to the end. I'm mentioning the author names in case fans of those authors read this review.
As promised in the note from the editors at the beginning, this magazine includes different kinds of mysteries. "Fairy Tales" by Art Taylor was my favorite. The protagonist and the neighborhood where the story is set seemed so real. I also liked "A Pie to Die For" by Meg Opperman and "Flight to the Flirty Flamingo" by Kaye George.
I wish that this magazine had sections, maybe Humor, Classic Reprints, etc., or something along those lines. The editors did group some similar stories so that they come one after the other, but I personally would like more help in identifying the subgenre of each story so that I have a better idea of what to expect when I start reading. Two stories are classic reprints from the 1960's "The Italian Tile Mystery" by James Holdingand and "Beside a Flowering Wall" by Fletcher Flora. I didn't like that style of story, and found myself skimming to the end. I'm mentioning the author names in case fans of those authors read this review.
August 17, 2019
Since I love short stories, I keep going back and forth to this magazine and to Mystery Magazine to read one short story at a time.....like you would eat a rich dessert.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews