''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' (AHMM) is a bi-monthly

digest size Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately , but can also be and , similar to the size of a DVD case. These sizes have evolved from the printing ...

fiction magazine specializing in

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

and detective fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for Alfred Hitchcock, the famed director of suspense films and television.

History

''AHMM'' was founded in 1956 by HSD Publications, which licensed the use of the director's name. Though there was no formal connection with the television show, stories published in the magazine were sometimes adapted by the producers of '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (and later, '' The Alfred Hitchcock Hour)''. A few writers, such as

Henry Slesar Henry Slesar (June 12, 1927 – April 2, 2002) was an American author, playwright, and copywriter. He is famous for his use of irony and twist endings. After reading Slesar's "M Is for the Many" in ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', Alfre ...

, wrote for both. Other contributors during the magazine’s early years included Evan Hunter/Ed McBain,

Ed Lacy Ed Lacy (August 25, 1911 - January 7, 1968), born Leonard S. Zinberg, was an American writer of crime and detective fiction. Lacy, who was Jewish American, is credited with creating "the first credible African American PI" character in fiction ...

, Bill Pronzini, Jim Thompson,

Donald E. Westlake Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 – December 31, 2008) was an American writer, with more than a hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into ...

and Charles Willeford (who briefly worked for the magazine, as did Patricia Hitchcock, Alfred's daughter). In 1975, ''AHMM'' was acquired by Davis Publications, and since 1992 it has been published by Dell Magazines (which also produces its sister publication, ''

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'' is a bi-monthly American digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction, and mystery fiction. Launched in fall 1941 by Mercury Press, ''EQMM'' is named after the fict ...

''). Cathleen Jordan edited the magazine from 1981 to 2002, and since then it has been edited by Linda Landrigan. After ''EQMM'', ''AHMM'' is the second-longest-running mystery fiction magazine. In 2006, the magazine celebrated its 50th anniversary with the publication of the anthology ''Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine Presents Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense''.

Black Orchid

In 2007, ''AHMM'' joined with The Wolfe Pack, a society founded in 1978 to celebrate the

Nero Wolfe Nero Wolfe is a brilliant, obese and eccentric fictional armchair detective created in 1934 by American mystery (fiction), mystery writer Rex Stout. Wolfe was born in Montenegro and keeps his past murky. He lives in a luxurious brownstone on West ...

stories of

Rex Stout Rex Todhunter Stout (; December 1, 1886 – October 27, 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and ...

, to sponsor the Black Orchid Novella Contest for stories in the “classic detective” style of Stout’s Nero Wolfe.

Content

Each issue contains original works of short crime or mystery fiction, as well as a book review column (“Booked & Printed”), a puzzle, a “Mysterious Photograph” story contest, and a "Mystery Classic" reprint.

Authors

Over its history ''AHMM'' has published short fiction by noted mystery novelists such as Robert Bloch,

Lawrence Block Lawrence Block (born June 24, 1938) is an American crime writer best known for two long-running New York-set series about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and the gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr. Block was named a Grand Ma ...

, G. K. Chesterton,

Ron Goulart Ronald Joseph Goulart (; January 13, 1933 – January 14, 2022) was an American popular culture historian and mystery, fantasy, and science fiction author. He published novelizations and other work under various pseudonyms: Kenneth Robeson, Co ...

Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...

, and

. The magazine has also regularly featured such short story specialists as John H. Dirckx, Kenneth Gavrell,

Edward D. Hoch Edward Dentinger Hoch (February 22, 1930 – January 17, 2008) was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories. Biography Hoch (pronounced ...

, Jack Ritchie, and Stephen Wasylyk. Many writers have published their first mystery story in ''AHMM'', including Mitch Alderman, Doug Allyn, Gregory Fallis, Steve Hockensmith, Martin Limón, D. A. McGuire, J. R. Parsons and I. J. Parker. In recent years, regular contributors have also included Rhys Bowen,

Jan Burke Jan Burke (born August 1, 1953) is an American author of novels and short stories. She is a winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel, the Agatha for Best Short Story, the Macavity, and Ellery Queen Readers Award. Bio Burke was born August 1, 1953, ...

, O'Neil De Noux, John F. Dobbyn, Joan Druett, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, David Edgerley Gates, Toni L. P. Kelner, R. T. Lawton, Robert Lopresti, Beverle Graves Myers, Jas R. Petrin, Anthony Rainone, Stephen Ross, Gilbert M. Stack, Marianne Wilski Strong, Steven Torres, Elaine Viets, James Lincoln Warren, Sarah Weinman, Mike Wiecek and Angela Zeman.

Awards

''AHMM'' stories have won almost every major mystery award, including The Edgar Award for Best Short story, presented by the Mystery Writers of America; the Robert L. Fish Award for Best First Short Story; the Agatha Award for Best Short Story, presented at the Malice Domestic conference; and the

Shamus Award The Shamus Award is awarded by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) for the best detective fiction ( P. I. = Private investigator) genre novels and short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one ...

for Best P.I. Short Story, presented by the Private-Eye Writers of America.

References

External links

''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' official website

Trace Evidence: ''AHMM'' official blog

* ttp://www.philsp.com/homeville/CFI/t5.htm#A152/ index to companion magazine ''Alfred Hitchcock's Anthology'' {{Dell Magazines Alfred Hitchcock Monthly magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1956 Magazines published in New York City Mystery fiction magazines Mystery fiction digests Penny Publications magazines 1956 establishments in New York (state)