Saturday, October 10, 2026
KRL Update
Scott's Take: Iron Man Vol 1: A New Nightmare by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Carmen Carnero and Juann Cabal
Iron Man Vol 1: A New Nightmare by
Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Carmen Carnero and Juann Cabal is the
latest relaunch of the Iron Man series. So new status quo and new creative
team.
As this begins, Iron Man is in a late-night
tryst with the villain Madam Masque. He, for some inexplicable reason, thought
it was a good idea to tell her that his worst fear is that someone could
recreate the situation that turned him into Iron Man. Madam Masque, years
later, decides to use the information against him. She decides to kidnap a
bunch of genius years that have been picked by Stark as being the future of
Earth. Her plan is to have the brilliant minds create a new Iron Man for A.I.M. (a mad scientist terror group). That means
that the real Iron Man is forced into trying to save while also dealing with
the consequences of his decisions.
There is also someone working in the
shadows against him. Someone who wants revenge. That’s the plot of first five
issues.
Then, in the sixth and final issue of this
first series, Spider-Man guest stars while trying to diffuse a situation
between Norman Osborn and Tony Stark. They are in some sort of conflict over
the Iron Patriot Armor. Someone is trying to make them throw down while Spider-Man
just came by for a bagel. Will Spidey stop their fight? Will he get his bagel?
This is action packed adventure with
Tony facing tech that he forgotten about such as his old Hellicarrier. The art
is great. Tony is well written and is allowed to be a multifaceted character. There
are several short hero cameos including Captain America being disappointed in
Tony for his pillow talk. It is also weird how Spider-Man is also a better
character as a guest star now than in his own books.
The ending tease does not bode well for
Tony and his future. I am eagerly looking forward to Volume 2. I read this as individual
issues through Marvel Unlimited as
the trade won’t be out until late October. I also recommend most of Joshua
Williamsons various Superman runs too if you are looking for a good Superman
book.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4hoo4t2
Scott A. Tipple ©2026
Friday, October 09, 2026
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Art of Stealing: "The Episode of the Nine Monets" (2020) by Jamie Probin
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Annual Book Sale 2026: My Son's Books
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten Books" - Monkey Puzzle
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: A Plethora of Pulse-Pounding Pages as the Short Mystery Fiction Society Enters a New Age!
Thursday, October 08, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange
In Reference to Murder: The Birth of a New Magazine
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: Whodunit, Texas-Style: A Peek at Death in the Garden
Thursday Treats: 10/8/2026
Some reading opportunities of interest this week.
Black
Cat Weekly #266 is out and includes news of the
transition to the new ownership and more. SMFS list member donalee Moulton has the cover story, Indigo Bunting. SMFS list member Dave Zeltserman is also in it with his short story, An Evening in Argentina.
You can pick up the issue at the website.
The
latest issue of Dark Yonder is now out. Published by Thalia
Press, edited by Katy Munger
and Eryk Pruitt,
Dark Yonder: Issue 13 has short stories from SMFS list members Jay Butkowski (The Sofa Wars of Route 17), Curtis
Ippolito (A Righteous Heist) and Armand
Rosamilia (Hidden Weapons). You can pick it up
in print on Amazon. Past issues are also available there and on Kindle Unlimited.
In
addition to her publication in the above anthology, Claire A. Murray also announced that her short story, Ned's Bedevilment, placed as an Honorable Mention in the
Bethlehem Writers Roundtable 2026 Short Story contest. You can read the story,
for free, here.
SMFS
list member Michael Bracken announced
on social media that his short story, In-Country, appears in the recently
released, Flash of the Dead: Halloween '26. Published by Wicked
Shadow Press, the read is available at LuLu.
The
Black Beacon Book of Horror 2 is
now out. Published by Black Beacon Books,
the read includes the short story, Miranda's Moon Garden, by SMFS list member Cameron Trost. You can pick up the read at Amazon.
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SMFS
list member Mia Dalia announced
on the SMFS list that her novel, Tell Me A Story, is now back out
from a new publisher. Available in both print and digital versions, you can
pick it up at Amazon and other vendors.
The Sisters in Crime Colorado Chapter has announced that their lates anthology, Colorado Mystery Merge: Crime Fiction Collection 2, is coming out later this month. SMFS list members Chris Dreith (The Clueologists Club), and Lisa Harkrader (The Mall Walkers), reported being in the read. The 26 tales are not only complete individual mysteries; they also provide the clues to solve the overarching mystery of the book. Sounds pretty cool to this reader. Learn more at their website. You can also preorder the digital format at Amazon.
With a big
time thank you to fellow SMFS list member Nikita Costiuc who brought a number of our fellow members and their short
stories to my attention, I remind you that DEATH CAMAS: Best New England
Crime Stories 2026 is coming out tomorrow. Published by Crime Spell Books, the
anthology includes works from a number of SMFS list members. They are: Bruce Robert Coffin (Pump Number 2), C. Dan Castro (The Mass Murderer and a Little Disorder), Zakariah Johnson
(Dangerous Tastes in Literature) Nikki Knight (Milk. Bread. Homicide.), Avram Lavinsky (The
Daughter of the King), Steve Liskow (A Deed without a Name), Edith Maxwell (Cough
Lasagnas and Salty Memories), Ruth McCarty (I Hereby Bequeath), Ang Pompano (The Angel of Sachem Creek), Susan Oleksiw (All’s
Well That Ends . . .), Eugenia Parrish (Stopping by the Woods), Stephen D. Rogers (A Scene of Salt and Sea), Bonnar Spring (Safe?),
and Leslie Wheeler (The Wound Clinic). It can be purchased at Amazon and elsewhere.
Also out later this month is Tollund Man: Stories by SMFS list
member Jeff Esterholm who
announced this fact on social media. Published in print format by Cornerstone
Press, you can order it now in advance of the October 20th
publication day on Amazon.
Finally,
a reminder that Short Mystery Fiction Society Mystery Magazine: Volume 1
Number 1 - October 2026 has been published by Murderous Ink Press. This
first issue includes my short story, Sweet Dreams Are Made of This, as well as short
stories by other SMFS list members and other features. You can get it on Amazon.
Until next time….
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Wednesday, October 07, 2026
SleuthSayers: The Writing Life?
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: ARREST
Tuesday, October 06, 2026
SleuthSayers: More Books I Recommend
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Halloween Night Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, Liz Ireland
Monday, October 05, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday
Little Big Crimes: I'll Never Fall in Love Again, by Chris Curran
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Murder on 34th Street: A Novel by Mariah Fredericks
The newest historical mystery
from Mariah Fredericks will be released in early October by Minotaur. Murder
on 34th Street is a holiday story that is set in the flagship
Macy’s Department Store on 34th Street in New York City and narrated
by the personable Grace Verlander, assistant to the Human Resources Manager who
hides in his office all day while Grace does his job for him. it is a fine
period piece, not overloaded with obvious historical research but nonetheless
true to its time, which is November 1932, the depths of the Great Depression.
Macy’s is gearing up for the
holiday shopping season, which the store owners have every reason to believe
will not be especially successful, while preparing the floats for the annual
Thanksgiving Parade. One of the floats will carry the Macy’s Santa Claus in a
bid to bring children and their parents (with money) into the store. Grace is
alarmed to learn that Santa Claus, actually Harry Gardner of children’s shoes,
has received a threatening letter promising that he will not live to see
Christmas. Grace cannot imagine who would find the quiet older gentleman
offensive but she alerts store security in the person of former police officer
Frank Halsey. Halsey agrees that Santa is likely safe within the store but vulnerable
in his perch on the Macy’s float in full view of thousands and he decides to
ride on the float with Santa.
While Gardner survives the
parade, others do not, and Grace has a mystery to solve while dealing with
dozens of personnel crises that become more urgent daily as Christmas draws
near. She is also devoting more attention than perhaps absolutely necessary to
the window display section where the new creative manager has captured her imagination.
Absorbing story with
believable characters from the major to the folks with a single throw-away scene.
The operational details of the enormous store that occupied an entire block are
fascinating and worth the read alone. And the mystery is not forgotten. It
steadily unfolds bit by bit, ending with an entirely unexpected revelation.
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review &
Editor's Pick):
“Fredericks’ dialogue is sharp
as a box cutter and her cast of characters as lively and colorful as Christmas
itself. Grace is a marvel: witty, perceptive, and kind, yet not so perfect that
there’s no room for moments of self-reflection . . . Fredericks’ latest
adventure should be in everyone’s Christmas stocking this year, tied with a big
red bow.”
Expect to see this one on the
short list for major 2026 awards. I will be nominating it for a Lefty. Highly
recommended.
·
Publisher:
Minotaur Books
·
Publication
date: October 6, 2026
·
Language: English
·
Print
length: 288 pages
·
ISBN-10:
1250367549
·
ISBN-13:
978-1250367549
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4xZDSc3
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal
It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Annual Book Sale 2026: My Husband's Books
Publishing News: Sweet Dreams Are Made of This
As you may have seen, Short Mystery Fiction
Society Mystery Magazine: Volume 1 Number 1 - October 2026, is now out. It
includes a short story of mine; Sweet Dreams Are Made of This. You can pick it
up on Amazon in both print and digital
formats.
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