Josh Pachter

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About Josh Pachter

Josh Pachter's short crime fiction first appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in 1968. Since then, he's published over 100 stories in magazines and books in the US and around the world. He's also edited a dozen anthologies (for publishers in the US, England, Holland, Germany, France, Finland, and Brazil) and translated both fiction and nonfiction from Dutch and Flemish into English. In 2020, he received the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer Award for Lifetime Achievement and won the SMFS Derringer for Best Flash Story — the first time anyone has taken home a Golden Derringer and a competitive Derringer in the same year.

When he's not writing, editing or translating, Josh is either teaching communication-studies and film classes at Northern Virginia Community College or traveling with his wife Laurie or daughter Becca.

Otto Penzler

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Ellery Queen

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Amsterdam Noir (Akashic Noir) Jan 8, 2019

by Herman Koch, Hanna Bervoets, René Appel, Josh Pacter

( 15 )

$9.99

This anthology of new noir fiction set in the Dutch capital “features superior writing from authors largely unknown to an American audience” (Publishers Weekly).

From its numerous coffee shops where drugs are openly available, to its world-famous Red Light District where prostitutes display themselves in shop windows, Amsterdam is a city where almost anything goes in broad daylight. And yet, this serene city of canals has its dark side as well. In fifteen tales of greed, jealousy and revenge, some of the finest Dutch crime writers—including literary award-winners and international bestsellers—explore the seamy shadows of this historic city.

Amsterdam Noir features brand-new stories by: Michael Berg, Anneloes Timmerije, Murat Isik, René Appel & Josh Pachter, Simon de Waal, Hanna Bervoets, Karin Amatmoekrim, Christine Otten, Mensje van Keulen, Max van Olden, Theo Capel, Loes den Hollander, Herman Koch, Abdelkader Benali, and Walter van den Berg, whose story "Get Rich Quick" won the inaugural Literatuurprijs Nieuw-West award.

Other Formats: Paperback

The Great Filling Station Holdup: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffett Feb 22, 2021

by Josh Pachter, Robert J. Randisi, Elaine Viets, Bruce Robert Coffin, Jeffery Hess, M.E. Browning, Michael Bracken, John M. Floyd, Don Bruns

( 62 )

$6.99

Jimmy Buffett is one of the great contemporary singer/songwriters, and it’s hard to imagine a citizen of Planet Earth unfamiliar with such classic hits as “Margaritaville.” Jimmy has also written novels, children’s books, memoirs, and a stage musical based on Herman Wouk’s Don’t Stop the Carnival, and his family-friendly concerts almost always sell out to audiences comprised of a mix of dedicated Parrotheads, casual fans, and newbies.

In The Great Filling Station Holdup, editor Josh Pachter presents sixteen short crime stories by sixteen popular and up-and-coming crime writers, each story based on a song from one of the twenty-nine studio albums Jimmy has released over the last half century, from Leigh Lundin’s take on “Truckstop Salvation” (which appeared on Jimmy’s first LP, 1970’s Down to Earth) to M.E. Browning’s interpretation of “Einstein Was a Surfer” (from 2013’s Songs from St. Somewhere).

If you love Jimmy’s music or crime fiction or both, you’ll love The Great Filling Station Holdup. Mix yourself a boat drink, ask Alexa to put on a buffet of Buffett tunes, kick back, and enjoy!

Table of Contents

Introduction by Josh Pachter

Down to Earth (1970)
“Truckstop Salvation” by Leigh Lundin

A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean (1973)
“The Great Filling Station Holdup” by Josh Pachter

A1A (1974)
“A Pirate Looks at Forty” by Rick Ollerman

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (1977)
“Tampico Trauma” by Michael Bracken

Son of a Son of a Sailor (1978)
“Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Don Bruns

Volcano (1979)
“Volcano” by Alison McMahan

Coconut Telegraph (1981)
“Incommunicado” by Bruce Robert Coffin

Somewhere Over China (1981)
“If I Could Just Get It On Paper” by Lissa Marie Redmond

One Particular Harbour (1983)
“We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About” by Elaine Viets

Riddles in the Sand (1984)
“Who’s the Blonde Stranger?” by Robert J. Randisi

Last Mango in Paris (1985)
“Everybody’s on the Run” by Laura Oles

Hot Water (1988)
“Smart Woman (in a Real Short Skirt)” by Isabella Maldonado

Off to See the Lizard (1989)
“The Pascagoula Run” by Jeffery Hess

Don’t Stop the Carnival (1998)
“Public Relations” by Neil Plakcy

Beach House on the Moon (1999)
“Spending Money” by John M. Floyd

Songs From St. Somewhere (2013)
“Einstein Was a Surfer” by M.E. Browning

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The Man Who Read Mysteries (Lost Classics) Dec 29, 2018

by William Brittain, Josh Pachter

( 56 )

$8.99

It's been worth the wait. One of the authors most requested by Crippen & Landru readers throughout its 25-year history has been mystery writer William Brittain, whose fiction challenges the reader with tricky plots presented in a unique style. For the first time, all of the popular Man Who Read stories and a selection of the Mr. Strang stories have been collected into a single volume. Both series appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine during the mid-years of the 20th century. Sadly, Brittain later forsook mystery fiction to become a children s author, and his YA novel The Wish Giver earned him a Newbery Honor award. This collection was edited by Josh Pachter, who also wrote the introduction and compiled a bibliography of Brittain s many publications.

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The Misadventures of Ellery Queen Feb 6, 2018

by Ellery Queen, Jon L. Breen, Edward D. Hoch, Lawrence Block, Arthur Porges, James Holding, Josh Pachter, Dale C. Andrews, Richard Dannay, Rand Lee

( 46 )

$5.99

For generations, the name “Ellery Queen” has been synonymous with the finest in mystery fiction. When cousins Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred Lee (1905–1971) created the iconic character and byline in 1929, they had no idea how influential he (and they) would become. Books, movies, television programs, and radio shows have firmly rooted their characters in the public consciousness. To this day, their work remains among the best examples of “fair play” mystery fiction. Their fans -- including such luminaries as Stephen King, Agatha Christie, and Anthony Boucher -- are legion.

This volume assembles 16 stories by a wide variety of authors, all written (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) as homages to, and parodies and pastiches of, the character -- and writing team -- known as "Ellery Queen."

Included are:

INTRODUCTION: Elementary Questions, by Josh Pachter and Dale C. Andrews

INTRODUCTION: Sorely Missed Adventures, by Richard Dannay

INTRODUCTION: The Sincerest Form of Flattery, by Rand Lee

THE MYSTERY OF THE RED BALLOONS, by Thomas Narcejac

DYING MESSAGE, by Leyne Requel

THE GILBERT AND SULLIVAN CLUE, by Jon L. Breen

OPEN LETTER TO SURVIVORS, by Francis M. Nevins

THE REINDEER CLUE, by Edward D. Hoch

THE BOOK CASE, by Dale C. Andrews and Kurt Sercu

TEN MONTHS' BLUNDER, by J.N. Williamson

THE ENGLISH VILLAGE MYSTERY, by Arthur Porges

ELROY QUINN’S LAST CASE, by Dennis M. Dubin

THE NORWEGIAN APPLE MYSTERY, by James Holding

THE MAN WHO READ ELLERY QUEEN, by William Brittain

E.Q. GRIFFEN EARNS HIS NAME, by Josh Pachter

THE LAST CHECK, by Patricia McGerr

THE DEATH OF THE MALLORY QUEEN, by Lawrence Block

THE RANSOM OF EQMM #1, by Arthur Vidro

THE TEN-CENT MURDER, by Joseph Goodrich

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The Further Misadventures of Ellery Queen Oct 14, 2020

by Ellery Queen, J. Randolph Cox, Maxwell E. Siegel, Marion Mainwaring, Edward D. Hoch, Janet Hutchings, Arthur Porges, Jon L. Breen, Josh Pachter, Dale C. Andrews

( 32 )

$5.99

The editors of The Misadventures of Ellery Queen return with a new volume of Queen pastiches, parodies, and tributes by a stellar lineup of writers—including one by Ellery himself! Here are...

THE ADVENTURE OF THE LOGICAL SUCCESSOR,
by J. Randolph Cox

ONCE UPON A CRIME, by Maxwell E. Siegel

Chapter 11 from MURDER IN PASTICHE, by Marion Mainwaring

THE CIRCLE OF INK, by Edward D. Hoch

THE JAPANESE ARMOR MYSTERY, by Mǎ Tiān

THE MAD HATTER’S RIDDLE, by Dale C. Andrews

CHANGE OF SCENE, by Janet Hutchings

THE INDIAN DIAMOND MYSTERY, by Arthur Porges

THE LITHUANIAN ERASER MYSTERY, by Jon L. Breen

THE LITTLE SISTER IN CRIME, by Theodore B. Hertel, Jr.

THE GERMAN COLOGNE MYSTERY,
by Jon L. Breen and Josh Pachter

THE POLISH CHICKEN MYSTERY, by Rand B. Lee

E.Q. GRIFFEN’S SECOND CASE, by Josh Pachter

THE MISTAKE ON THE COVER OF EQMM #1,
by Arthur Vidro

THE PINK PIG MYSTERY, by Jeffrey Marks

THE MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN, by Ellery Queen

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The Mahboob Chaudri Mystery MEGAPACK ™: The Complete Mystery Series Jul 21, 2015

by Josh Pachter

( 20 )

$0.49

"When his hand reappeared, he was holding neither cigarettes nor keys. He was holding a small black revolver that glittered evilly in the diffused light admitted by the curtains, and his hand was steady as he touched it to the temple of the sleeping man in the bed..."

Murder, kidnapping, robbery, smuggling, industrial sabotage and international terrorism -- Mahboob Chaudri, a Pakistani native working as a police officer in the Middle Eastern island emirate of Bahrain, tackles all these crimes and more...and solves them with a charming mixture of logic, wisdom, wit, and heart.

From 1984 to 1986, seven short Chaudri stories by Josh Pachter appeared in the pages of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and three more were later published in other places. In his classic anthology, "The Ethnic Detectives," noted author/critic Bill Pronzini called Chaudri "one of crime fiction's most delightful new detectives," and the Chaudri stories have been reprinted in several "Year's Best" collections and other anthologies.

In The Mahboob Chaudri Mystery MEGAPACK™ (published in paperback as "The Tree of Life"), all 10 of the Chaudri stories are gathered together in a single volume for the first time, complete with a new introduction and new afterwords for each story by the author.

The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell Apr 7, 2020

by Marilyn Todd, Alan Orloff, Christine Poulson, Art Taylor, Elaine Viets, Greg Herren, Barb Goffman, Michael Bracken, John Floyd, Josh Pachter

( 22 )

$4.99

**WINNER** 2021 Derringer Award for Best Short Story: Stacy Woodson for "River"
**NOMINATED** 2021 Anthony Award for Best Anthology
**NOMINATED** 2021 International Thriller Awards for Best Short Story: Elaine Viets for "Dog Eat Dog"
**NOMINATED** 2021 Macavity Award for Best Short Story: Elaine Viets for "Dog Eat Dog"

1/3 of the author royalties will be donated to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in Joni Mitchell's name. With nine Grammys, multiple lifetime achievement awards, inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a Top Ten ranking on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” Joni Mitchell has established herself as one of the most important singer/songwriters, not only of her generation, but in the history of popular music. In this collection, 28 crime writers pay tribute to Joni’s musical legacy with short stories inspired by her lyrics, representing each of her seventeen studio albums from 1968’s Song to a Seagull to 2007’s Shine. Many of the classics are represented here, including “Both Sides, Now” (in the first literary collaboration between Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski, who have each won major awards for their fiction), “Big Yellow Taxi” (by Kathryn O’Sullivan, author of the Colleen McCabe series), and “River” (by Stacy Woodson, winner of the 2019 Readers Choice Award from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine), plus such equally fascinating titles as “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” (by Donna Andrews, author of the award-winning Meg Lanslow series), “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines” (by Amber Sparks), and “Ray’s Dad’s Cadillac” (by Michael Bracken). This anthology also includes contributions from Alison McMahan, Brendan DuBois, Edith Maxwell and many other talented writers.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe: Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street Apr 14, 2020

by Josh Pachter, Otto Penzler, Rebecca Stout Bradbury, Robert Goldsborough, Marvin Kaye, Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, John Lescroart, Robert Lopresti, Dave Zeltserman, Thomas Narcejac, Marion Mainwaring, Jon L. Breen, O. X. Rusett, Frank Littler, Patrick Butler, Mack Reynolds, Michael Bracken, William Brittain, Joseph Goodrich

( 218 )

$11.99

Stories that pay tribute to Rex Stout’s legendary private detective by Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, John Lescroart, Robert Goldsborough, and more.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin have been widely flattered almost from the moment Rex Stout first wrote about them in 1934. The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe collects two dozen literary tributes to one of crime fiction’s best-loved private detectives and his Man Friday. Included are:

A 1947 pastiche by award-winning crime writer Thomas Narcejac
Rollicking new stories written especially for this collection by Michael Bracken and Robert Lopresti
Stories by bestselling authors including Lawrence Block and Loren D. Estleman
Chapters from Robert Goldsborough’s authorized continuation of the Wolfe series; Marion Mainwaring’s 1955 tour de force Murder in Pastiche; and John Lescroart’s Rasputin’s Revenge, which reimagines a young Wolfe as the son of Sherlock Holmes

Also featuring a reminiscence from Rex Stout’s daughter, this is a treasury of witty and suspenseful crime writing for every fan of the portly private detective.

Other Formats: Library Binding , Paperback

Monkey Business: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Films of the Marx Brothers Sep 19, 2021

by Josh Pachter, Barb Goffman, Lesley A. Diehl, Sandra Murphy, Robert Lopresti, Marilyn Todd, Brendan DuBois, Jeff Cohen, Robert J. Randisi, Joseph S. Walker

( 12 )

$5.99

A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, Duck Soup, Animal Crackers…over the two decades between 1929’s The Cocoanuts and 1949’s Love Happy, the Marx Brothers—Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and sometimes Zeppo—entertained movie-goers around the world with their madcap antics, rapid-fire dialogue, and prowess on the piano, the harp, and in song.
Now, a Who’s Who of award-winning crime writers pays homage to the Marxes in fourteen short stories, each inspired by one of the brothers’ thirteen studio films. (Wait a second: fourteen stories inspired by thirteen films? How does that add up? You'll find the answer to that question…and so much more!...inside the covers of this book.)

The authors? Donna Andrews, Frankie Y. Bailey, Jeff Cohen, Lesley A. Diehl, Brendan DuBois, Terence Faherty, Barb Goffman, Joseph Goodrich, Robert Lopresti, Sandra Murphy, Robert J. Randisi, Marilyn Todd, Joseph S. Walker, and editor Josh Pachter, who is a recent recipient of the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s Golden Derringer Award for Lifetime Achievement and the editor of two previous “inspired by” anthologies from Untreed Reads, The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell and Only the Good Die Young: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Billy Joel.

To paraphrase Groucho: Outside of a dog, this book will be your best friend. (Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.)

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