Short Stories

Two of my short stories have recently appeared in lovely American anthologies. The first is 'No Peace for the Wicked', which is included in an Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine collection edited by Janet Hutchings and titled Twisted Voices. Janet has just announced her retirement after a long and distinguished career as editor of EQMM. I first met her in New York City back in the mid-90s and I've spent a good many happy hours in her company since then. 

Janet has accepted many of my short stories for inclusion in EQMM and 'No Peace for the Wicked' is the most recent. There was a mishap with its original publication, when the final part of the story was omitted, rather in the manner of 'Lady Don't Fall Backwards' in that famous Tony Hancock show. But all was well in the end, and I'm delighted to see it in this book. Janet discussed the concept with me when we had a drink together at Malice Domestic last spring and said she wasn't sure what the title should be. Given that the connecting theme was unreliable (or unusual) narrators, I suggested Twisted Voices and she very kindly acknowledges this in the book. There are stories by some wonderful writers, including Ian Rankin and Joyce Carol Oates, and I'm very glad to be part of the project.

The second collection is seasonal - Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop, edited by Otto Penzler. This includes my story 'End Game', which Otto commissioned from me last year. Each year the bookshop gives a copy of the latest Christmas mystery to its most valued customers, and some wonderful writers have been commissioned by Otto over the years. Again, I'm truly thrilled to be rubbing shoulders, at least as far as our stories go, with such luminaries as Jeffery Deaver Thomas Perry, Ragnar Jonasson, and Laura Lippman.   

I haven't written many short stories this year, though 'The Widow' appeared in Midsummer Mysteries, the 2024 CWA anthology. This is simply due to lack of time, because of my other writing commitments. However, two more of my stories are slated to appear next year, and in 2025 I'll be editing no fewer than five anthologies. More details before long. In the meantime, I'm delighted to see these two collections.