Black Cat Mystery Magazine #6

by Michael Bracken, Trey R. Barker, Robert Guffey

The sixth issue of Black Cat Mystery Magazine presented a stellar lineup of new stories, plus a classic reprint. Included in this issue NEW SEVEN CARD JOKER HIGH, by Trey R. Barker THE LOSER, by Robert Guffey BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS, by Michael Bracken THE MAGNIFICENT SCORE, by John Hegenberger WORSE THAN DEATH, by Robert Lopresti THE LAST THING HE REMEMBERED, by Patricia Dusenbury PAINT THE CLOWN RED, by Laird Long CLASSIC REPRINT THE CONTAGIOUS KILLER, by Bryce Walton

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2020

About the author

Although he is the author of several books—including the private eye novel All White Girls—Michael Bracken is better known as the author of more than 1,300 short stories published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Espionage, Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, The Best American Mystery Stories and many other publications.

Bracken is editor of six crime fiction anthologies, including The Eyes of Texas and the three-volume Fedora series, and is co-editor (with Trey R. Barker) of the serial novella anthology series Guns + Tacos.

Bracken served one term as vice president of the Private Eye Writers of America and three terms as vice president of the Mystery Writers of America’s Southwest chapter.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quality throughout, but my favorite this time was “The Loser” by Robert Guffey. Also a pleasure to read the latest stories from author’s I’ve interviewed for The Digest Enthusiast, Michael Bracken and Robert Lopresti; along with new work from Trey R. Barker, John Hegenberger, Patricia Dusenbury, and Laird Long. The issue wraps with a reprint from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine (Jan. 1966), “The Contagious Killer” by Bryce Walton (1918–1988). Wildside is working to reprint all of his short fiction.

[Gabriela Galescu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this kind of books are not supposed to be an intellectual feast. But this one was appallingly bad! Maybe not all stories, but overall it totally failed to entertain me.