Author Archives: somethingisgoingtohappen

From Cozy to Creepy, with Quirky, Nail-biting, and Scary Thrown in Along the Way (by Denis Johnston)

California resident Denis Johnston makes his debut as a professional writer in the Department of First Stories of our current issue (September/October 2021) with the story “Snail Mail.” Like this post, the story is infused with the author’s offbeat humor. … Continue reading

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“A Nice Girl Like You” (by Hilary Davidson)

In addition to being the award-winning author of two popular crime-fiction series—the Shadows of New York and travel-writer Lily Moore novels—Hilary Davidson has produced more than four dozen short stories in our genre. She’s received two Anthony awards, a Derringer … Continue reading

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“The Joy and Sorrow of Magazines” (by Maxim Jakubowski)

This is the first post for our site by Maxim Jakubowski, but he’s someone whose name is known to nearly everyone in the mystery field. He worked for many years in publishing and later owned London’s Murder One bookstore for … Continue reading

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“A Semiforgotten Masterpiece of Short Fiction” (by Kevin Mims)

With EQMM’s 80th anniversary issue (September/October 2021) on sale now, this post, which begins by marking another significant anniversary in crime fiction, seems apt. It also calls attention to an important collection of short fiction of which I’d been unaware. … Continue reading

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Who, Why, and How: Mystery’s Most Important Questions (by M. Zizzari)

M. Zizzari’s fiction debut, “Rage and Ruin,” appears in the Department of First Stories in EQMM’s current issue (September/October 2021). The author is currently a student at Simon Fraser University, majoring in criminology with a minor in English. It’s evident … Continue reading

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SIGTH SCHEDULE UPDATE: New posts Thursdays!

Dear readers, we will now be posting updates to our blog on Thursdays rather than Wednesdays. Thanks for sticking with us and happy reading!

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“Mystery/Suspense and the Beauty of Brevity” (by Trey Dowell)

Yesterday, EQMM’s 80th Anniversary Issue (September/October 2021) went on sale. In it you’ll find Trey Dowell’s flash-fiction thriller “The Problem With Fish Markets.” (And yes, it’s possible to write a genuine international-intrigue thriller in one thousand words—though I might not have … Continue reading

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EQMM 80TH ANNIVERSARY TRIVIA CONTEST

We’re celebrating our eightieth anniversary with an EQMM anniversary tradition: A trivia contest! This year, we’ve reached out to Ellery Queen and EQMM experts to bring you a fresh challenge. To find their questions and enter the contest, visit our website at elleryqueenmysterymagazine.com.

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“Tick-Tick-Boom!: Ratcheting Up the Tension with a Ticking Clock” (by Sandy Smith)

Sandy Smith makes her EQMM debut in our 80th Anniversary Issue (September/October 2021)—on sale next week!  She’s had a number of stories published elsewhere. Two were nominated for Best of the Net (2018 and 2019) and another for the Pushcart … Continue reading

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“The Last Great Crime Novel of 1975?: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino” (by Kevin Mims)

In a follow-on to his March 10 post for this site entitled “The Greatest Year in the History of Crime Fiction” (1975),  essayist and short story writer Kevin Mims reviews one of 2021’s new books as if it were a … Continue reading

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