Sam Merwin, Jr. (1910-1996) is one of those great "lost" authors. Equally adept and mystery and science fiction, he produced a significant body of work in both fields. In fact, this volume adds as a bonus two of his classic mystery stories, in addition to a selection of 7 science fiction stories. Included are:JUDAS RAMTHE AMBASSADORTHE FINAL FIGUREREEL LIFE FILMSA WORLD APARTIT'S ALL YOURSTESTINGAMY STOPS THE CLOCK (Bonus Mystery Sto...

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. Koreto [Barb Goffman Presents short story]Smoke of the .45, by Harry Sinclair Drago [novel]A Certain Dr. Thorndyke, by R. Austin Freeman [novel]Science Fiction & Fantasy:“All in the Golden Afternoo...

When telepath Lynne Fenlay is mysteriously brought from Earth to Mars, she finds herself caught in a battle for the planet's future. As Mars' atmosphere is restored, invisible alien creatures that feed on electricity are gaining strength and possessing the minds of human telepaths. To save Mars, Lynne must penetrate the nightmarish crystalline tower where her twin brother battles madness and discover the true nature of the aliens. But even if she triumphs, will she have a home to return to...

Worlds of If' was a three-time winner of the Hugo Award for best science fiction magazine. 'Worlds of If' discovered many talented writers who would go on to dominate genre fiction. This is the second in our 'Worlds of If' series, with even more memorable stories from its tremendous run. '2BR02B' by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. 'Do Unto Others' by Mark Clifton 'Robots of the World! Arise!' by Mari Wolf 'Disqualified' by Charles L. Fontenay 'Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?' by Kenneth O'Hara 'Vital Ingr...

Fantastic Universe started publishing in 1953 and continued until March 1960. It was one of the better magazines to launch during the boom in science fiction magazines publishing. It published many important stories' by some of the fields best known writers. This is our third Fantastic universe Superpack. Collected in this over sized edition are more than 100,000 words of science fiction and fantasy. Escape back to the golden age of science fiction! 'Gods of the North' by Robert E. Howard ...

Fantastic Universe' started publishing in 1953 and continued until March 1960. It was one of the better magazines to launch during the boom in science fiction magazines publishing. It published many important stories' by some of the fields best known writers. Collected in this over sized edition are more than 175,000 words of science fiction and fantasy. Escape back to the golden age of science fiction! 'Exile from Space' by Judith Merril 'Cogito, Ergo Sum' by John Foster West 'Grove of th...

It was a strange and bitter Earth over which the Chancellor ruled—a strange and deformed world. There were times when the Chancellor suspected that he really was a humanistic old fool, but this seemed to be his destiny and it was difficult to be anything else. Human, like all other organic life on Earth, was dying. Where it spawned, it spawned monsters. What was to be the answer?

Charles Justin paused briefly in the encroaching darkness to look at the north front of the Old State House in Boston. He was engaged in the process of walking home from his office on State Street to his house in Louisburg Square. The ancient building, he thought, with its palladian windows and gilded lion and unicorn, still looked much as it must have when Paul Revere engraved his crude but effective print of the Boston Massacre, back in 1773. One of the things Justin loved most about Bos...

The story is set in a future where humanity has established contact with alien civilizations and is engaged in interstellar diplomacy. The protagonist, the Ambassador, is tasked with representing humanity's interests in negotiations with alien races.As the Ambassador navigates the complexities of intergalactic politics, he encounters intrigue, betrayal, and danger. The novel explores themes of diplomacy, power struggles, and the challenges of communication and understanding between differe...

The novel likely explores themes of advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and the ethical implications of human interaction with intelligent machines. Given the era in which it was written, "The Final Figure" might also touch upon Cold War anxieties and the race for technological supremacy between nations.Sam Merwin, Jr.'s writing typically includes fast-paced narratives, speculative science, and social commentary. "The Final Figure" is expected to reflect his style of blending fut...

"Judas Ram" is a science fiction novel that blends elements of mystery and adventure. The story revolves around the discovery of an alien artifact and its implications for humanity.The plot typically follows the protagonist or a group of characters who come into contact with the alien artifact, which may possess mysterious or dangerous properties. As they investigate the artifact, they encounter various challenges and uncover secrets that have significant consequences for their world.

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 Goffman), and a slightly older tale by James Holding. Our mystery novel is As a Thief in the Night, by R. Austin Freeman—part of his Dr. Thorndyke series. And, of course, a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles.On the science fiction side, we have an original story by Larry Tritten, plus classics...