Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021

Cover by Brian Stauffer

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021 edited by Janet Hutchings “The years keep coming and they just keep coming.” It seems like just a few months ago I reviewed a 75th anniversary issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, but in fact it was five years ago, and here’s the 80th anniversary issue. It’s… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021

Book Review: Blood Vengeance

Book Review: Blood Vengeance by Stuart Jason Today, we’re looking at another entry in the Seventies men’s adventure paperback series category, #13 (of 35) in “The Butcher” series. Bucher (who only has one name due to the orphanage administrator being drunk at the time) was a foundling who ran away from the orphanage, but was… Continue reading Book Review: Blood Vengeance

Magazine Review: Astounding Science Fiction July 1939

Magazine Review: Astounding Science Fiction July 1939 edited by John W. Campbell Astounding Science Fiction is now Analog, which is still being published; see earlier reviews on this blog. Today I’m looking at a key issue from the pulp days, July 1939. First, there’s this classic cover by Graves Gladney. Up front is “Addenda”, an… Continue reading Magazine Review: Astounding Science Fiction July 1939

Book Review: The Book of Poul Anderson

Book Review: The Book of Poul Anderson edited by Roger Elwood Poul Anderson (1926-2001) was an influential American science fiction author, first published in 1947 and winning seven Hugos and three Nebulas for his work. By the 1970s, he was well enough known, and had a large enough body of short fiction, that DAW Books… Continue reading Book Review: The Book of Poul Anderson

Book Review: Murder on a Stick

Book Review: Murder on a Stick by S.L. Smith It is 2013, and the Minnesota State Fair is crowded with thousands of people eating food on sticks. Usually the worst that could happen is a case of indigestion. But today, someone has put one of the sticks to a more sinister use–murder! Virginia Green is… Continue reading Book Review: Murder on a Stick

Book Review: Thief River Falls

Book Review: Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman “Write what you know.” Thriller author Lisa Power followed that maxim in her fourth book, entitled Thief River Falls. It’s set in her home town of Thief River Falls, Minnesota and features real locations there, and even the real names of some of the residents. The verisimilitude… Continue reading Book Review: Thief River Falls

Book Review: Dirty Doc Ames and the Scandal That Shook Minneapolis

Book Review: Dirty Doc Ames and the Scandal That Shook Minneapolis by Erik Rivenes City government corruption is a recurring problem in American politics. Some cities are notorious for their local corruption levels, while others have it come and go. Minnesota cities are no exception, though it has seldom reached the level of Mayor Albert… Continue reading Book Review: Dirty Doc Ames and the Scandal That Shook Minneapolis

Book Review: Roar at the Universe

Book Review: Roar at the Universe by Danith McPherson In her introduction, the author states that bad stuff happens, and people can deal with it in different ways. This anthology, then, is eleven stories and poems about characters who struggle with the bad stuff in their lives, not always successfully. “Folds of Blue Silk” starts… Continue reading Book Review: Roar at the Universe

Book Review: Wolf of the Tesseract

Book Review: Wolf of the Tesseract by Christopher D. Schmitz Claire Jones is excited about her upcoming marriage to hot movie star James, who she’s known since they were in high school together in Duluth, Minnesota. Her best friend and bridesmaid to be Jackie is also pretty enthused. Not so happy is the other bridesmaid,… Continue reading Book Review: Wolf of the Tesseract

Magazine Review: Water~Stone Review Volume 9: What Prevails

Magazine Review: Water~Stone Review Volume 9: What Prevails edited by Mary Francois Rockcastle It is time again to look at Hamline University’s annual literary magazine. This issue is from 2006. It’s dedicated to Frederick Busch, author of Girls, who had visited the university shortly before his death the previous year. The subtitle, borrowed from one… Continue reading Magazine Review: Water~Stone Review Volume 9: What Prevails