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Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon
Across five studio albums with Art Garfunkel (1964-1970) and fourteen solo albums (1965-2018), Paul Simon’s music and lyrics have inspired generations of listeners. For
Paranoia Blues
, nineteen masters of contemporary short crime fiction wrote new stories, each inspired by one of Simon’s one from each of the five Simon and Garfunkel studio albums (plus a bonus second story inspired by a song from
Bridge Over Troubled Water
) and one from each of the fourteen solo studio albums.
The contributors include award-winners E.A. Aymar, Martin Edwards, Cheryl A. Head, Edwin Hill, Tom Mead, Raquel V. Reyes, Gabriel Valjan, and a dozen more—plus the first new story by Robert Edward Eckels in more than forty years!
This is the fifth “inspired by” anthology edited by Josh Pachter, a recent winner of the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s Golden Derringer Award for Lifetime Achievement; the previous books drew on the music of Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel, and Joni Mitchell—and the films of the Marx Brothers.
The contributors include award-winners E.A. Aymar, Martin Edwards, Cheryl A. Head, Edwin Hill, Tom Mead, Raquel V. Reyes, Gabriel Valjan, and a dozen more—plus the first new story by Robert Edward Eckels in more than forty years!
This is the fifth “inspired by” anthology edited by Josh Pachter, a recent winner of the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s Golden Derringer Award for Lifetime Achievement; the previous books drew on the music of Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel, and Joni Mitchell—and the films of the Marx Brothers.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2022
About the author
Josh Pachter
122 books30 followersJOSH PACHTER is a writer, editor and translator. More than a hundred and twenty of his short crime stories have appeared in EQMM, AHMM, and many other periodicals, anthologies, and year’s-best collections. THE TREE OF LIFE (Wildside Press, 2015) collected all ten of his Mahboob Chaudri stories. His 2023 novel DUTCH THREAT was named a finalist for the Agatha, Lefty, and Macavity awards. FIRST WEEK FREE AT THE ROOMY TOILET, his first chapter book for younger readers, was published in 2024 and was a finalist for the Agatha Award in the Best Childrens/YA Mystery category.
He is the editor of many anthologies, including:
• FRIEND OF THE DEVIL: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD (Down and Out, 2024)
• HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE BEATLES (Down and Out, 2023)
• THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL (Untreed Reads, 2020)
• THE MISADVENTURES OF NERO WOLFE (Mysterious Press, 2020)
• THE MAN WHO READ MYSTERIES: THE SHORT FICTION OF WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2018)
• THE MAN WHO SOLVED MYSTERIES: MORE SHORT FICTION BY WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2022)
• PARANOIA BLUES: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF PAUL SIMON (Down and Out Books, 2022).
He also co-edited AMSTERDAM NOIR (Akashic Books, 2019), THE MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2018), AND THE FURTHER MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2020), and co-wrote (with the legendary Ellery Queen) THE ADVENTURES OF THE PUZZLE CLUB (Crippen & Landru, 2022).
Coming in 2025:
• EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Level Best)
• CRYIN' SHAME: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF LYLE LOVETT (Down and Out)
He is the editor of many anthologies, including:
• FRIEND OF THE DEVIL: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD (Down and Out, 2024)
• HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE BEATLES (Down and Out, 2023)
• THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL (Untreed Reads, 2020)
• THE MISADVENTURES OF NERO WOLFE (Mysterious Press, 2020)
• THE MAN WHO READ MYSTERIES: THE SHORT FICTION OF WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2018)
• THE MAN WHO SOLVED MYSTERIES: MORE SHORT FICTION BY WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2022)
• PARANOIA BLUES: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF PAUL SIMON (Down and Out Books, 2022).
He also co-edited AMSTERDAM NOIR (Akashic Books, 2019), THE MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2018), AND THE FURTHER MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2020), and co-wrote (with the legendary Ellery Queen) THE ADVENTURES OF THE PUZZLE CLUB (Crippen & Landru, 2022).
Coming in 2025:
• EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Level Best)
• CRYIN' SHAME: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF LYLE LOVETT (Down and Out)
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 5, 2026
I cant imagine anyone but Simon fans will have an interest I’m this. and they, at least the serious ones, will find it dreadful.
A song taken from each album, from the 1960s to 2016s brilliant Stranger to Stranger’. each is to be the inspiration for a short story. i will say two things: the stories don’t in any way expand upon the subject of the song. they do not fit the mood. Neither do the stories sound particularly inspired by the song.
here is what you’ll find: 1. most involve murder or suspicious deaths. i haven’t gone back to count. i would say 3/4 of the stories. 2. they’re not well written! 3. each will drop a portions of a lyric or a name that apparently ties the story to the song. For example, “next you’ll be telling me she’s got diamonds on the soles of her shoes’. there are one or two Paul Kane’s who pop up. there is really only one of the twenty that hits the mark. The BOTW inspired story weaves the song thru a plot of young boys who struggle to communicate but for lines of the song. #rosie.
A song taken from each album, from the 1960s to 2016s brilliant Stranger to Stranger’. each is to be the inspiration for a short story. i will say two things: the stories don’t in any way expand upon the subject of the song. they do not fit the mood. Neither do the stories sound particularly inspired by the song.
here is what you’ll find: 1. most involve murder or suspicious deaths. i haven’t gone back to count. i would say 3/4 of the stories. 2. they’re not well written! 3. each will drop a portions of a lyric or a name that apparently ties the story to the song. For example, “next you’ll be telling me she’s got diamonds on the soles of her shoes’. there are one or two Paul Kane’s who pop up. there is really only one of the twenty that hits the mark. The BOTW inspired story weaves the song thru a plot of young boys who struggle to communicate but for lines of the song. #rosie.
February 11, 2025
What a great collection of crime fiction inspired by the songs of Paul Simon. I loved the variety!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews