Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine returns with its ninth issue, presenting the best in modern and classic mystery fiction! Included this time are the usual columns by Lenny Picker and Mrs Hudson, plus the following stories:BONEYARD, by Marc BilgreyBULLY FOR YOU, by Carla CoupeTHE HEREAFTER PARTY, by Paullette GaudetTHE HOT STOVE LEAGUE, by Janice LawTHE COIN AND THE CHEMIST, by Nijo PhilipTHE CASE OF VAMBERRY THE WINE MERCHANT, by Jack GrochotUP TO NO GOOD, by Laird LongWE'RE UPSIDE DOWN AND INSIDE OUT, by Jay CareyVALENTINE'S DAY, by John M. FloydTHE BLACKHEATH COLLAPSE, by Sherlock Holmes (as Edited by Bruce Kilstein)THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS, by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleSherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine is produced under license from Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.

Hilary takes on a pair of mysteries—one fictional, and one all too realIn college, Hilary Quayle dreamed of the stage, and playing all the great leading ladies that Shakespeare had to offer. But her interest was due less to the Bard than to another man: director, actor, and theatrical personality Michael Godwin. And though she got her wish, she found that acting onstage and romancing backstage did not add up to happiness. A decade past college, she's now a publicity wizard and occasional sleuth, but still nursing enough of a schoolgirl crush to help Michael Godwin when he calls. The director is in New York to stage a spectacular, arena-sized Macbeth, one that will answer the centuries-old question: Who is the mysterious third murderer who appears in Act III? When accidents begin to plague the production, Godwin and his company chalk it up to the play's curse. But when a real murderer enters the scene, only Hilary Quayle can guarantee a happy ending.

The worst comic in New York is dead, and Hilary wants to know who gave him the hookThe Sons of the Desert are serious about comedy, fond of cocktails, and utterly devoted to the films of Laurel and Hardy. Their meetings are always merry, boozy romps, but the laughter dies whenever Wayne Poe takes the stage. A comic with bad timing, bad material, and a mean streak, he's known for stealing jokes and getting nasty when they bomb—which is just about every time he steps into the spotlight. Wayne has been murdering comedy for years, and now someone has decided to return the favor. Press agent and occasional sleuth Hilary Quayle is at her first meeting of the Sons of the Desert, accompanied by her assistant, Gene, when Wayne unexpectedly takes his final bow. And while Hilary may not know much about Laurel and Hardy, only she has the wit to unmask the club member who's looking to get the last laugh.

The eighth issue of Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine features the usual assortment of stories and non-fiction, including "Sun Ching Foo's Last Trick," by Adam Beau McFarlane; "Do You Love Me?" by Marc Bilgrey; "The Somerset Wonder," by Ron Goulart; "The Hounds of Basketballville," by Hal Charles; "Hit One Out of the Park," by Jeff Baker; "Travelling Light," by John M. Floyd; "Date Night," by S. A. Stolinsky; "Anaconda, Montana," by Bruce Kilstein; and "The Man with the Twisted Lip," by Arthur Conan Doyle.

This long-awaited volume finally brings to light several cases of the world's most famous consulting detective that were originally suppressed to avoid scandal and embarrassment to the Crown, public figures, or to Holmes himself. Now, the truth is finally revealed regarding Holmes's exploits involving the Titanic, his rematch with Irene Adler, the childhoods of both Holmes and Watson, and such figures as Ida Tarbell, P.G. Wodehouse, and James McNeil Whistler. The Confidential Casebook of Sherlock Holmes is a cornucopia of Sherlockiana that will delight fans young and no-so-young.

New York's toughest PR woman takes on the city's deadliest business: toysHilary Quayle will do anything to get a client a bit of good press—no matter how late she has to stay out or how many martinis she has to knock back. But even though she is the best PR woman in Manhattan, she has a weakness: She has always wanted to be a detective. So when Trim-Tram Toys' hot new product is stolen and sold to a knock-off huckster named Sid Goetz, Hilary can't resist the case. And it only gets more interesting when the theft leads to murder. Hilary and her assistant, Gene, push their way through the crowd at the bustling Toy Fair, but when they reach Goetz's showroom they find it strangely subdued. Sid lies dead, shot in his sizeable stomach, three Scrabble tiles clutched in his fist. Chasing killers may not be a game, but that doesn't mean that Hilary won't have a good time playing.