For our 106th issue, we seem to have developed a television theme, with a pair of great speculative fiction stories about TV: Norman Spinrad’s “Prime Time” and Henry Slesar’s “The Show Must Go On.” Spinrad’s tale is a look at a future where people can retire to relive television. And Slesar’s is a darkly cynical look behind the curtain of television production. Jack Vance, H.B. Fyfe, and Joseph Payne Brennan round out our SF and fantasy contributors this issue. “Prime Time,” incidentally, is Norman Spinrad’s fiction debut in Black Cat Weekly, and it won’t be his last story for us. He kindly went through his short fiction and selected 10 favorite stories for us to reprint in coming issues, so you’re in for a real treat.
And speaking of treats, our editors are already working on some special Halloween surprises for October. I know you’ll be thoroughly spooked by some of them. Something to look forward to, as we approach my favorite holiday season. (There’s a reason we have a black cat for a mascot.)
Our novel this issue is a mystery: Scarhaven Keep, by Golden Age British author J.S. Fletcher. Also in mysteries, we have an original from Nikki Knight (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and a terrific crime story by Brendan DuBois, who remains a mainstay of short mystery fiction. Of course, no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself short from Hal Charles.
Great stuff indeed.
Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:
“The New York Goodbye,” by Nikki Knight [Michael Bracken Presents short story]
“Last Shot,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]
“The Road’s End,” by Brendan DuBois [Barb Goffman Presents short story]
Scarhaven Keep, by J.S. Fletcher [novel]
Science Fiction & Fantasy:
“Prime Time,” by Norman Spinrad [short story]
“The Show Must Go On,” by Henry Slesar [short story]
“The Visitor in the Vault,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story]
“The Night of No Moon,” by H.B. Fyfe [short story]
“The Men Return,” by Jack Vance [short story]