It’s murder in the worst degree when an executive at a knife factory is killed with its newest product, a curved blade called the tiger claw. Was Sam Park murdered because of the “private project” he was working on, one that threatened to expose dirty secrets? Ominous message fragments only deepen the mystery. Most perplexing of all is why the dead man’s outstretched hand is resting on the open page of a world atlas. Was he naming his killer? All is not as it seems as Detectives Henry Lau and Janet Lau try to answer these and other questions, leading them to a startling revelation that undercuts everything they thought they knew in a puzzling investigation Henry refers to as “very Agatha Christie.” Elements of the murder recall challenging moments from Henry’s distant past. Meanwhile, Janet, his niece and work partner, deals with the aftereffects of a concussion that she struggles to keep from affecting her work on the investigation.

The murder of an art expert and the disappearance of a priceless artifact propels Detective Henry Lau into the nebulous world of ancient antiquities. Complicating matters is a parade of dodgy suspects who wouldn’t know a truthful statement if it bit them on the leg. What is the Bronze Dragon? And why do so many people covet it, one enough to commit murder? Unlocking the mystery may hinge on deciphering a cryptic message left by the dead man. Back on active duty after debilitating injuries sidelined him for months, Henry is determined to prove to himself and his boss that he can still do the job. What he doesn’t know is that his new partner has been tasked with evaluating his fitness for duty. Henry Lau’s investigative ability and Wing Chun kung fu skills are pushed to the limit as the case spirals to a dangerous showdown.

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #23. Lots of good stuff this time—highlighted by a novel from Golden Age mystery author Rufus King, Duenna for a Murder. Plus a few novellas, and lots of great short stories, a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles, and great selections from Michael Bracken (Laird Long’s “Taken for a Ride”—which qualifies as both a mysery and a fantasy story) and Barb Goffman (Michael Allan Mallory’s “Random Harvest”). On the science fiction side, the Cynthia Ward Presents story is missing this week, but that’s only because we have a fantastic alternate-history story from Cynthia herself! Check out her “On Stony Ground.” Plus an epic disaster story from Allan Danzig, a fantasy from Unknown by Lester del Rey and James H. Beard, a space-based tale by Richard Wilson, and a miniature military SF story from Larry Tritten. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Soul Searching,” by Laird Long [short story] “A Fine Kettle of Fish,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Dead Wrong,” by Frank Kane [short story] “Taken for a Ride,” by Hulbert Footner [short novel] “Random Harvest,” by Michael Allan Mallory [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Duenna to a Murder, by Rufus King [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “On Stony Ground,” by Cynthia Ward [short story] “Corrigan’s Homunculi,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Carillon of Skulls,” by Lester del Rey and James H. Beard [short story] “Abel Baker Camel,” by Richard Wilson [short story] “The Great Nebraska Sea,” by Allan Danzig [short story]

Zoologist "Snake" Jones and her wolf-biologist friend Gina discover four wolf carcasses in the woods near Wolf Lake, Gina swears vengeance against the shooter. When a cantankerous local man with outspoken anti-wolf sentiments is murdered, Gina falls under suspicion.

Zookeeper Lavender "Snake" Jones must find a murderer after Anthony Wright, the cut-throat Director of the Minnesota Valley Zoo, is found dead and Snake's friend, is arrested for the crime.

Crime and murder flourish under the cover of darkness and stormy weather. Bad weather seems to bring out the worst in some people. Edward Bulwer-Lytton's oft-mocked opening sentence sets the stage for these short tales of mystery and misadventure.

At the cutting edge of crime fiction, Mystery Magazine presents original short stories by the world's best-known and emerging mystery writers. The stories we feature in our monthly issues span every imaginable subgenre, including cozy, police procedural, noir, whodunit, supernatural, hardboiled, humor, and historical mysteries. Evocative writing and a compelling story are the only certainty. Get ready to be surprised, challenged, and entertained--whether you enjoy the style of the Golden Age of mystery (e.g., Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle), the glorious pulp digests of the early twentieth century (e.g., Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler), or contemporary masters of mystery. In this issue: In our cover feature, "Death In Seventeen Syllables" by Sherryl Clark, somebody is killing old ladies who write haiku. Is it a poetry hater, or someone with a personal grudge? DS Vicky Wright and her sidekick, DC Miller, have to work out the clues in seventeen syllables. "The Girl Who Was Only Three Quarters Dead" by Craig H. Bowlsby: In the near future, a detective tries to save a girl from death, who is already legally dead. In "Easy Money" by Jacqueline Freimor, life on the New York City streets is hard for Gus. When he finally gets a chance to make a quick buck, he takes it-only to find that nothing for him is ever easy. "Miracle At Stonecroft Manor" by Michael Allan Mallory is a locked room mystery where Winston Stonecroft is murdered under impossible circumstances that dictate no one could have done it, yet someone in his house must have. In "No Escape" by Lida Sideris, a little old lady loses her cool after her caregiver abandons her and takes a joy ride in her vintage Mustang. How far will the elderly woman go to exact revenge? "Night Brings The Frost" by Răzvan-Gabriel Popa, a Grimme-like tale: Each year when the river freezes, the abandoned, bridgeless island fort is linked to the rest of the city, once again. And something lurking within the ruins is free to hunt and sate its hunger. In "The Last Of Their Line" by Robin Hazard Ray, a dying Bostonian orders his kin dug up and reburied. Cemetery superintendent Sumner Bascomb can't help wondering why. "Claws" by Edward Lodi: Ignoring warnings that a hurricane is rapidly approaching, two thieves set out in a boat to pull off a heist on a remote island. In "Death For The Daffodils" by S.B. Watson, a daffodil struggles to understand the nature of love. John M. Floyd's You-Solve-It, "A Case Of Poetic Justice," has Sheriff Lucy Valentine and her mother at work again solving a fiery murder. ♥ Custom Cover Art by Robin Grenville Evans.

They're all here: appetizers, entrees, salads, and plenty of desserts-not all of them just. It's a delectable menu, served up by some of the region's finest crime and mystery writers, and each story is accompanied by a recipe or two that have been tried and proven entirely non-lethal. Rare or well-done, piquant or bland, sugary sweet or a little on the dry side, no matter. These tales will leave you drooling for more... Book jacket.

The Malice Domestic anthology series returns with selection of new tales in the Agatha Christie tradition-this time featuring new takes on the traditional mystery. Incuded are works by: Zara Altair Anne Louise Bannon Chris Chan M.M. Chouinard Jennifer Chow Sherry Clitheroe Sharon Love Cook Susan Daly Tina deBellegarde Karen Dent Carolyn Eichhorn Eve Elliot Maurice Givens Kerry Hammond Madeleine Harris-Callway Lawrence Kelter James L'Etoile Jean Macaluso Michael Allan Mallory Rob McCartney Tom Mead Gregory Meece Michele Bazan Reed Lori Robbins Verena Rose Cynthia Sabelhaus Nancy Cole Silverman Shawn Reilly Simmons Susan Thibadeau Gabriel Valjan Arthur Vidro Kari Wainwright