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Black Cat Weekly #79

Our 79th issue features a pair of original mysteries by N.M. Cedeño (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Bryon Quertermous (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). Cedeño is no stranger to BCW readers, having already appeared in our pages twice before. Hopefully Bryon Quertermous will match that hat trick, too.

Rounding out the mystery section are a pair of novels: Francis Beeding’s The House of Doctor Edwardes (filmed by Alfred Hitchcock as Spellbound) and The House on the Cliff, by Franklin W. Dixon, which you may recognize as the very first Hardy Boys book. If you grew up reading the modern revisions of the original Hardy Boys series (which began in 1927), you’re in for a shock: these brothers are tougher, edgier, and face real peril. They were definitely watered down beginning in the 1950s. And often the titles were the only things that remained from the original stories.

And, of course, no issue would be complete without a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles (the writing team of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet).

In the science fiction & fantasy section, Phyllis Ann Karr continues the adventures of her legendary fantasy duo, Frostflower and Thorn, in “Night of the Short Knives.” Don’t skip her Afterword about the story; it’s fascinating. Plus we have tales by Philip José Farmer, a rare science fiction foray by mystery author Wenzell Brown, and tales by Oliver Saari and George O. Smith. Great stuff.

Here’s the lineup:

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

“Disappearance of a Serial Spouse,” by N.M. Cedeño [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

“An Impossible Theft,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]

“Visiting Artist,” by Bryon Quertermous [Barb Goffman Presents short story]

The House of Doctor Edwardes, by Francis Beeding [novel]

The House on the Cliff, by Franklin W. Dixon [novel, Hardy Boys #1]

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

“Night of the Short Knives,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story, Frostflower & Thorn]

Daughter,” by Philip José Farmer [short story]

“Murderer’s Chain,” by Wenzell Brown [short story]

“Moon Dust,” by Oliver Saari [short story]

“Bombs Awry,” by George O. Smith [novella]



  1. Black Cat Weekly #74

    Norman Spinrad, Neil Plakcy, Murray Leinster, Frank Belknap Long, Norbert Davis, Edmond Hamilton Murr, Ray Bradbury, Phyllis Ann Karr, James A. Hearn

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  2. Black Cat Weekly #72

    Phyllis Ann Karr, Dave Zeltserman, John Barrett, Theodore Sturgeon, Hal Charles, Earl Derr Biggers, Vicki Weisfeld, Murray Leinster, Hal Meredith, George O. Smith

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  3. Black Cat Weekly #56

    Phyllis Ann Karr, Laird Long, Carol Cail, Charlie Jane Anders, Hal Charles, James Holding, Edgar Wallace, Murray Leinster, Theodore Sturgeon, George O. Smith

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  4. Black Cat Weekly #191

    Phyllis Ann Karr, Elizabeth Elwood, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Bud Pharo, Hal Charles, E. C. Tubb, Jeffery Farnol, Edgar Wallace

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  5. Black Cat Weekly #162

    Philip E. High, Zeman Angela, Phyllis Ann Karr, John S. Glasby, Bobbi A. Chukran, Hal Charles, Nelson S. Bond, Zenith Brown, Hannah Birss, Linda Cahill

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  6. Black Cat Weekly #135

    Mark Thielman, John M. Floyd, Hal Charles, G.K. Chesterton, Sapper, George R. Hahn, Phyllis Ann Karr, John Hollis Mason, Wallace West, Albert Teichner

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  7. Black Cat Weekly #115

    Simon Wood, Norman Spinrad, Richard McKenna, Jack Ritchie, Richard R. Smith, Phyllis Ann Karr, Veronica Leigh, Robert Ernest Gilbert, David Goodis

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  8. Glyphs

    Clifton Alfred Hoyt, Phyllis Ann Karr

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  9. Black Cat Weekly #110

    Lester del Rey, Mark Thielman, Charles V. deVet, J. S. Fletcher, Phyllis Ann Karr, Norman Spinrad, Hal Charles, John Gregory Betancourt, Adrian Cole, N.M. Cedeño

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  10. Black Cat Weekly #109

    Donna Andrews, Phyllis Ann Karr, Adrian Cole, Robby Robinson, Hal Charles, Joseph Payne Brennan, Hal Meredith, Randall Garrett, Charles F. Myers

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  11. Black Cat Weekly #101

    Joseph Payne Brennan, Phyllis Ann Karr, Stephen Marlowe, Hulbert Footner, Anne Swardson, Nicholas Carter, Neil S. Plakcy, Hal Charles, Francis Beeding

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  12. Black Cat Weekly #98

    Joseph Payne Brennan, Alan LeMay, Hal Charles, Philip Jose Farmer, Jack Halliday, Adam Meyer, Phyllis Ann Karr, Frank Gruber, Dharma Kelleher, John W. Campbell

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