Penulis: Hal Charles

The Black Cat web site has been around for almost four years now, serving up a weekly buffet of new and classic mysteries—and more recently science fiction—to thousands of readers each week. Rather t …

The second issue of Black Cat Weekly presents more tales of the mysterious and fantastic—four mystery shorts, a complete mystery novel, four science fiction stories, and a fantasy novel, by some of t …

The fourth issue of Black Cat Weekly presents more tales of the mysterious and fantastic—4 mystery shorts, a mystery novel, 2 science fiction stories, a fantasy story, plus a science fiction novel. H …

Black Cat Weekly presents another selection of not-to-be-missed mystery and science fiction novels and short stories. With a great lineup of modern and classic fiction, here are— NOT DONE WITH THE NI …

Black Cat Weekly #6 features an eclectic mix of original, classic, and rare stories and novels—science fiction, mysteries, fantasy (light and dark), and the uncategorizable. The latest issue is no ex …

Black Cat Weekly #7 showcases the best new and classic science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, and suspense, with novels and short stories in every weekly issue. Mysteries “Death of a Light-Hearted Lady …

Black Cat Weekly #8 is now available, with an exciting mix of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, crime—and even a western! Here are: Mysteries & Suspense Mystery on Graveyard Head, by Edith Dorian ‘K …

From the editor: Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #10. Carlton Clarke, the famed Chicago telepathic detective, returns to our pages with “The Broken Marconigram.” First published in 1915, this tale takes …

On the mystery side this issue, we have a novel by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding, plus shorts by pulp master Paul Chadwick, rare mysteries from science fiction authors James Mac Creigh and Kris Neville, a …

   Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #15—enjoy our holiday cat cover!    The magazine is coming more sharply into focus, as our acquiring editors spread out through the myster …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #17—another fun issue, with great mystery and science fiction short stories, classic novels, and more! The lineup this time: Mysteries / Suspense: “Smart Cookie, ” by Hal …

For mystery readers, Michael Bracken brings us an original tale by Eve Fisher—“The Ghost of Eros” features art crime of a most creative sort. Barb Goffman’s presents an action-packed tale by David Ha …

Black Cat Weekly #28 features another interview by acquiring editor Darrell Schweitzer—this time with Larry Niven.. It originally appeared in Thrust, a review and critical essay magazine published by …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #29—another fine issue. We have a historical interview with Poul Anderson (originally published in 1976). As Darrell says, his old interviews fall “somewhere between oral …

Black Cat Weekly #30 is a fabulous issue. This time, Darrell Schweitzer has unearthed his 1980 interview with Tom Disch, which is fascinating. Disch talks about writing his classic fantasy novel, The …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #33. I think you’ll find this issue particularly interesting. Darrell Schweitzer’s historic interview with C.J. Cherryh from 1978 is fascinating, since she talks about her …

I mentioned to BCW’s acquiring editor Michael Bracken that I was enjoying the mystery/science fiction crossover stories he had been selecting for BCW, many of them originals, and he confessed to chal …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #36. We have another great issue featuring not one, but two full-length books—George O. Smith’s classic collection of linked science fiction stories, Venus Equilateral, an …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #37. Another hefty issue is in hand, featuring novels and novellas by some of the greats of the mystery and science fiction fields. And, as expected, our acquiring editors …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #41. Lots of great reading this time—including a classic mystery novel by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding. Once you finish it, you can cruise through an original blackmail story …

An exciting game is afoot, thanks to acquiring editor Michael Bracken! Yes—we are delighted to present an original Sherlock Holmes story by A.L. Sirois this issue. It’s one that only Sirois could wri …

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #30 is back with a special fiction issue featuring 6 Sherlock Holmes stories and a Mr. Moto story!  FEATURES: FROM WATSON’S NOTEBOOKS, by John H Watson ASK MRS H …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #46. This is one of our longest issues to date, thanks to no less than 3 novels! Not only is there a Nick Carter mystery novel, but we also have a classic time-travel nove …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #47. Another fine issue is at hand—with mysteries from Peter Lovesey (thanks to acquiring editor Barb Goffman), Laird Long (thanks to acquiring editor Michael Bracken), an …

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Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Crow’s Nest, ” by John M. Floyd [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Whom Do You Trust?” by Hal Charles [solve-it-yourself mystery] “Winter’s Journey, ” by R.J. …

Black Cat Weekly continues to present a mix of original, modern, and classic science fiction, fantasy, and mystery fiction. #71 includes 6 short stories, 3 novels, and a solve-it-yourself mystery. My …

Our 72nd issue is going to please a lot of our mystery readers. Not only do we have an original tale from the greatr Dave Zeltserman, courtesty of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken, but we havca a ter …

Our 73rd issue is another great one. It features an original mystery story by Laird Long (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken). Great modern tales from Diana Deverell (courtesy of Acquiring …

Our 76th issue is a mammoth one, with 4 novels and 6 short stories (including a new Sherlock Holmes adventure, courtesy of A.L. Sirois and Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken). Take a look at the conten …

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 …

   Our 80th issue has some great tales for you, starting with an original mystery by Hugh Lessit (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and a great reprint by Jim Thomsen (thanks …

Our 81st issue is among our best so far, if I do say so myself. We have an original mystery by H.K. Slade (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), a great modern tale by Ann Aptaker (courtesy …

Black Cat Weekly #83 has something for everyone — modern and classic mysteries? Check! Science fiction? Check! Fantasy? Check! Even a crime tale set in the Old West! Novels, short stories, seri …

    Our 84th issue features original mysteries from Bev Vincent and Stacy Woodson, plus a Bryce Walton Hollywood crime story and a Frank Kane mystery novel (featuring detective Jo …

Our 85th issue is quite the treat—three original tales by three top authors, a time-travel story, a fantasy bar story, two novels, and more! I leave it to you to explore this issue and find out what’ …

 Black Cat Weekly #86 features 3 original stories: a sequel to Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘The Casque of Amontillado’ by Phyllis Ann Karr, and mysteries by K.L. Abrahamson and Andrew Welsh-Huggins. Plus …

Black Cat Weekly #87 features more modern and classic mysteries, fantasies, and science fiction tales. Included this time are: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Weary Are At Rest, ” by Veronica …

As our 88th issue was coming together, I noticed that we have a pair of jungle adventure novels—the first Bomba the Jungle Boy story, as well as Tarzan and the Lost Empire. So I’m going to bill it as …

In our 89th issue, Michael Bracken pulls double duty to bring a pair of original mysteires to readers: great tales by Steve Liskow and Welsh-Huggins. Plus we have a crime novel by Johnston Mc Culley …

Our 91st issue features 3 original tales—mysteries by Jacqueline Freimor (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Kathleen Marple Kalb (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), and a science …

Our 92nd issue features a pair of classic novels, the science fiction tale Destiny Times Three, by Fritz Leiber, and The Clue of the New Pin, a mystery by Edgar Wallace. Leiber is one of my favorite …

   Our 93rd issue has a ton (we weighed it!) of great fiction, starting with an original crime story from John M. Floyd. John remains one of our most popular authors, and this one come …

 This issue features three original stories—a pair of mysteries (by Mindy Quigley and Mark Thielman, thanks to Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman), plus John Gregory Betancourt’s …

Our 95th issue has a lot of fun stuff—starting off with a pair of original mysteries by Robert Lopresti and Mindy Quigley (thanks to Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken an Barb Goffman). Also on the my …

Our 96th issue introduces some new contributors to the magazine—Smita Harish Jain (with an original mystery, thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Naomi Hirahara (with a riveting reprint my …

Our 97th issue is brimming with interesting items. On the mystery front, Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken has discovered a brand-new story from Dave Zeltserman for us, while Acquiring Editor Barb Gof …

Black Cat Weekly #98 features 10 short stories and a novel. This time, we have five mysteries (including a terrific original by Adam Meyer, courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), modern tales …

Our 99th issue is another great one, with stellar contributions from some of the best in modern and classic mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy. 8 short stories and 2 novelets round on this issue …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly. We can’t believe it’s been 100 issues! Time flies when you’re having fun. To celebrate, we are offering this issue at a special price. To help make this issue special, we …

Black Cat Weekly #101 presents 10 great tales of mystery. fantasy, and science fiction — a pair of novels, a novella, and 7 short stories. Hours of great reading await! Mysteries / Suspense / Advent …

Black Cat Weekly #102 has quite an eclectic lineup. We have modern mystery tales by Joseph S. Walker and Marc Lecard (thanks to Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman. A parody of Harlan …

Our 103rd issue is just one shy of our second anniversary issue, but we still have a whale of an issue for you. Regular readers will notice a new category (“Adventure”) below, which will appear occas …

 Here’s the complete lineup for our 104th issue—technically, the 2nd anniversary issue, but since we had our big celebration with our 100th issue (whose number seems a more significant milestone …

   Our 105th issue features a pair of original mystery stories, one by Steve Liskow (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and one by the late Henry T. Parry (revised and compl …

It seems the Halloween season starts earlier and earlier each year. I first began noticing Halloween candy in stores in July (!), and every time I turned around since then, there were more decoration …

For our 106th issue, we seem to have developed a television theme, with a pair of great speculative fiction stories about TV: Norman Spinrad’s “Prime Time” and Henry Slesar’s “The Show Must Go On.” S …

Our 107th issue has everything you could possibly want: police detectives, spacemen, cats, a man fighting an inner battle against cancer, boy detectives, an abandonned mill chimney, murder in space…. …

Our mystery selections kick off with “A Matter of Trust, ” N.M. Cedeño’s tale of a genetic genealogy detective trying to prove an illegitimate child’s claim to a family trust. Thanks to Acquiring Edi …

Finally, it’s October! Home to our favorite holiday—Halloween. The origins of Halloween trace back to ancient Celtic harvest festivals, linking it to themes of change and transition that often elemen …

This issue features a pair of original tales: a mystery from Kaye George (thanks to acquiring editor Michael Bracken) and a fantasy from Adrian Cole (written especially for this Halloween issue). On …

This issue we are headlining the appearance of Norman Spinrad’s masterful short novel, Riding the Torch—one of my favorites of his, and a work that surely deserved more attention than it’s received. …

This issue features original mysteries by O’Neil De Noux and Shannon Taft (thanks to our Acquiring Editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman), a Gil Brewer crime classic, and another entry in the Bif …

On behalf of the staff, the contributors, and myself, I’d like to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. (You may all burst into traditional Thanksgiving carols, should you wish.) Here’s our holiday lin …

We successfully completed Thanksgiving, but now we’re trapped in the dead zone between roast turkey and roasting chestnuts. When our first December issue arrives, we’ll kick off holiday celebrations …

   This issue, we have 17 short stories and 2 novel serials for you—one of our largest lineups ever! (Of course, quite a few of the stories are short, and hopefully you like awful-pun …

This issue, we have four original tales to entertain you—mysteries by Eve Fisher (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Joseph S. Walker (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman)—and scienc …

This is BCW’s last issue of the year—which explains why we have a New Year’s story from Elizabeth Elwood (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). We also have original mysteries from Mark Tr …

This time, we have a rare mystery from Hulbert Footner (whose Madame Storey mysteries I greatly enjoy). His novel Queen of Clubs in this issue is a jazz-age mystery that—well, I don’t want to spoil t …

This issue, we are happy to reprint Earl Derr Biggers’ third entry in the classic Charlie Chan detective series, Behind That Curtain. But the highlights don’t stop there! We have an original mystery …

This time, we have an original mysteries by George Wilhite (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Peter Di Chellis (a locked-room mystery), as well as an original science fiction story by …

   This issue, we have an original mystery by dbschlosser (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), a recent tale by Bruce Robert Coffin (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffma …

This issue has one of the best original stories we’ve published: Janet Law’s brilliant “Wrong Door, ” a tale very much in the classic Twilight Zone tradition. Don’t skip it! Though Janice is best kno …

   This issue, we have a pair of original tales—Aeryn Rudel’s “The Past, History” (which served double-duty as both science fiction and a crime story, courtesy of Acquiring Editor Mich …

This issue, we have original stories from Robert Jeschonek, John M. Floyd, Anne Swardson, and Phyllis Ann Karr, plus a recent tale by Anna Tambour. Classic reprints are from Keith Laumer, Piers Antho …

   You’re in for a mystery treat this time, with the first Honey West novel. (If you’re not familiar with Honey, she debuted in 1957—and created quite a stir as the first woman detecti …

This issue, we have an original mystery from Mike Adamson, plus a recent tale by Neil S. Plakcy (courtesy of our Acquiring Editors). Classic mystery reprints come from Dale Clark and Edgar Wallace. P …

This issue, we have a triple-play of original mysteries, with new works by John M. Floyd, Alan Orloff, and Pam Barnsley, plus a winter-themed solve-it-yourself puzzler, and something special: the fir …

After a brief hiatus, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine is back with a new issue and a new editor. Here are tales in mystery and detection in the classic manner, with a fine selection of new stories, …

Another great selection of mysteries and science fiction by great modern and classic authors. Here are 8 short stories and 2 novels: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Ear Worm, ” by Robert Jeschonek …

   This issue, we have 3 original tales. All are mysteries. Plus, we have 1 original science fiction tale, also a mystery. I leave you to unravel this puzzle! (Okay, I guess it’s not t …

Starting with this issue, famous science fiction artist, space illustrator, and author Ron Miller has agreed to become our Art Director, which means he will be pulling future covers from his personal …

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine returns with an intriguing issue featuring 9 original tales of crime and mystery, plus a classic by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Here’s the lineup: CANYON FODDER, by John …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly.    This issue, on the mystery side of things, we have original stories from Brendan Du Bois (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), E Senteio (crim …

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly. On the mystery side of things, we have original tales by Veronica Leigh (one that looks to be the start of a new series) and Richard A. Mc Mahon (courtesy of Acquiring Ed …

    This issue, we have original mysteries from Eve Fisher (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), Tony Rothman, and Michael Mallory (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Gof …

This issue, we have a pair of original stories: Stephen D. Rogers’ “Sonnenblumenkried” (which translates as Sunflower War, for those not fluent in German), courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracke …

This issue, we have a pair of original stories: Stephen D. Rogers’ “Sonnenblumenkried” (which translates as Sunflower War, for those not fluent in German), courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracke …

    If you like some of the series we’ve been publishing, you’re in for a treat this time. We have a new Smith Sisters story by Veronica Leigh, a Sexton Blake story by Hal Meredit …

This issue we have quite an all-star lineup. From modern masters of mystery like Donna Andrews and Andrew Welsh-Huggins to the greatest names in science fiction like Frank Herbert and Robert Silverbe …

This issue, we have the second of the long-running Dutch series featuring the adventures of Lord Lister (Alias Raffles), as the Robin Hood of England tangles with a jeweler who likes to cheat his cus …

This issue, we have original mysteries from Janice Law (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and our BCW’s very own Ron Miller (who moonlights as our Art Director), plus a modern masterpiece b …

We have another great issue this week, with original mysteries from N.M. Cedeño (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Brian Rieselman, plus a terrific tale by David Dean (courtesy of Acq …

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #33 presents new tales by modern writers, great nonfiction, as well as classic Holmes adventures. In this issue: FEATURES FROM WATSON’S NOTEBOOKS, by John H Watson, M …

This time, we have original mysteries from Wil A. Emerson (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Billie Livingston, plus a great tale by Art Taylor (thanks to Acquiring editor Barb Goffman) …

This issue, we have a pair of original mysteries (by Ron Miller and Shannon Taft, the latter two thanks to our Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), and our mystery novel is a Victorian-era sensation novel …

This issue, we have original mysteries by Christina Hoag and Greg Herren (both courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), plus a crime tale by Greg Herren (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffm …

This issue, we have original mysteries by Mark Thielman (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Joslyn Chase, plus a modern classic by Eve Fisher (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). O …

Welcome to our 150th issue. This time, we have terrific original tales by Neil S. Plakcy, Britin Haller & Shane Gericke, Bob Tippee, and Teel James Glenn … plus novels by Natalie Sumner Lincoln and …

This issue, we have five mystery stories, three of which are originals—tales by Tracy Falenwolfe (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), Veronica Leigh, and Teel James Glenn—these last two name …

   Three favorite series highlight this issue: First, Sherlock Holmes—or rather, several Sherlock Holmeses—feature in A.L. Sirois’s “The Matter of Time” (thanks to Acquiring Editor Mic …

We have three original stories this issue—mysteries by Charlie Kondek (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and M. E. Proctor, plus a science fiction tale by Glenn Dungan. Other mysteries incl …

This issue, we have original mysteries by Albert Tucher (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and James Blakey, plus a modern tale by SJ Rozan (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). Fo …

This issue features three original short stories (mysteries by M.A. Monnin [thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken], and Edd Vick & Manny Frishberg, plus a fantasy story by D J Tyrer), and an ori …

Exciting stuff this time: a new Velda P.I. story from Ron Miller, a new supernatural mystery from Steve Liskow (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), plus great modern tales from Melodie Joh …

Another week, another great issue—this time featuring terrific originals from H.K. Slade (part of his Friday Hampton/Ambrose Broyhill series, courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and Ken Fox …

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This time, we have an original mystery from Jack Roney (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and modern mysteries from Merrilee Robson (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and James Holdi …

MYSTERIES / SUSPENSE / ADVENTURE “Promised Land” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins  [Michael Bracken Presents short story]     Security specialist Erie Hollar uncovers a sinister consp …

   This issue, in addition to great tales from Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, we also have an original mystery from Kathleen Marple Kalb, a modern dark fantasy fro …

We have another great lineup this time, with original tales by Robert Lopresti (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), Shannon Taft (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), Wayne Carey, Teel …

Everyone is getting into the Halloween spirit this month! Our Acquiring Editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffen, have found supernatural detective stories by Dave Zeltserman and Joseph D’Agnese to k …

This is our third Halloween issue of the month, with ghoulishly fun (and seasonally appropriate) tales from John Shepphird (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), father-and-daughter writing team …

It’s our final Halloween issue of the year—with lots of treats and only a few tricks. Headlining this issue is Bram Stoker’s “lost” horror tale, “Gibbet Hill, ” which a researcher recently discovered …

This issue, we begin a 6-week experiment, as we serialize all three volumes of an epic fantasy trilogy by Edmund Glasby. This week, we have the first half of Book 1, The Pale Galilean. As soon as thi …

This issue, things lean a bit heavier into science fiction and fantasy than usual. The action starts with the return of Sir Galahad (only 1, 500 years late!) as he encounters the modern world. We als …

This issue, we begin the second volume in Ed Glasby’s monumental fantasy trilogy with The Dark Pilgrimage, plus we have a complete science fiction novel by Nelson S. Bond and a complete classic myste …