Mystery Magazine: January 2022

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: ? "Nothing Nefarious, Just General Badassery" by Daniel C. Bartlett: When a bored family man and his adventurous pal find buried treasure, they try to sell it only to find themselves pitted against a criminal crew set on ripping them off. Can the two friends come away with something to show for their efforts? ? "Noble Vista Blues" by Joseph S. Walker: Anyone would be impressed by Paul Moore's luxurious home. Only Paul knows that it was built with dirty money, and only Paul understands how dirty he'll have to get to keep it. ? "In The Beginning, The End" by Stephen D. Rogers: Some people just aren't meant for each other. ? "Bad Times At Big Rock" by John M. Floyd: The small and remote settlement of Big Rock is in trouble. Its sheriff is dead, the town is ruled by two merciless killers, and there are no more heroes left in the West. ? "All The Love You Can Handle For A Dollar" by Lamont A. Turner: To save a friend, Robert Doverman must find out who has gone to the trouble to counterfeit five-dollar bills, and how it all connects to a dead dancer with a fake name. ? "Superficial Appraisals" by K.R. Segriff: Six ghostly women have vowed to avenge their deaths, but the arrival of a living comrade complicates the execution of their carefully laid plan. ? "A Perfect Spiral" by David Bart: Rick and Maggie are forced in a new direction, but it involves killing people. ? "Out For Delivery" by Gregory L. Norris: A rural letter carrier solves a murder by taking notice of the mail he delivers. ? "Drive Through" by Keith Brooke: The quirky detective had run through all the standard questions. The vehicle's make and colour, the driver's description, the victim of the hit and run … But he had missed one very important question: Did you recognise the driver? ? "Man Overboard" A You-Solve-It by John H. Dromey: Not all insurance claims are created equal. The investigative ability, and possible bias, of an adjustor can have a significant influence—good or bad—on the outcome.