142cover465Hi Everyone,

It’s never to late to be appreciated—if you’re a writer, that is. The Library of America has recently published a collection of eight lost classics of the genre published in the 1940s and ’50s. Famous once but now (mostly) forgotten, these writers, all women, deserve more readers and more critical attention. To the rescue comes our critic, Jon L. Breen, who is delighted to see such vibrant, compelling work back in print. Crime writers Megan Abbott and Lisa Scottoline add their perspectives on their literary sisters in crime, as well.

Ashley Weaver sets her evocative 1930s mysteries featuring the glamorous Amory Ames and her wandering husband, Milo, right in the heart of upper-crust English society. It’s a time and a place familiar to fans of mystery fiction’s Golden Age and Weaver adds a poignant subplot of a troubled marriage. Joseph Goodrich speaks to the author in this issue.

Foyle’s War is a big favorite at our house and if you haven’t seen this homicide on the WWII homefront drama from the UK, well, you’re in for a treat. Joseph Goodrich discusses the best blending of actor (Michael Kitchen), writer (Anthony Horowitz), and character since Inspector Columbo was on the case.

Kevin Burton Smith comes to the rescue of all you procrastinators out there with our annual gift guide for mystery lovers. Personally, I’ve fallen for The End Bookend, but the Poison Ring is also very tempting...

Orson Welles never met a studio head who didn’t mess with his work, but he still managed to make some outstanding contributions to the noir and thriller genres in his tumultuous career. Jake Hinkson gives us an overview of Welles’ work.

In this issue we welcome Oline Cogdill to the Mystery Scene masthead as a contributing editor. Regular readers already know Oline very well—she’s had the most cover articles of any writer in the history of the magazine, and she blogs at our website several times a week. We’ve all come to rely on her good advice and good cheer, thanks, Oline!

Happy holidays and all good wishes for a prosperous and healthy new year!

Kate Stine
Editor-in-chief

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