''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' (AHMM) is a bi-monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

, the famed director of

suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...

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 ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'' (and later, ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was re ...

)''. A few writers, such as Henry Slesar, wrote for both. Other contributors during the magazine’s early years included Evan Hunter/Ed McBain, Ed Lacy,

Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini (born April 13, 1943) is an American writer of detective fiction. He is also an active anthologist, having compiled more than 100 collections, most of which focus on mystery, western, and science fiction short stories. Pronzini is ...

, Jim Thompson, Donald E. Westlake and

Charles Willeford Charles Ray Willeford III (January 2, 1919 – March 27, 1988) was an American writer. An author of fiction, poetry, autobiography, and literary criticism, Willeford is best known for his series of novels featuring hardboiled detective fiction, ...

(who briefly worked for the magazine, as did

Patricia Hitchcock Patricia Alma Hitchcock O'Connell (7 July 1928 – 9 August 2021) was an English-American actress and producer, acting under the name Pat Hitchcock. She was the only child of English director Alfred Hitchcock and film editor Alma Reville, and h ...

, Alfred's daughter). In 1975, ''AHMM'' was acquired by Davis Publications, and since 1992 it has been published by

Dell Magazines Dell Magazines was a company founded by George T. Delacorte Jr. in 1921 as part of his Dell Publishing Co. Dell is today known for its many puzzle magazines, astrology magazines, as well as fiction magazines such as ''Alfred Hitchcock's Myste ...

(which also produces its sister publication, '' Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine''). 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 The Wolfe Pack is a literary society devoted to Rex Stout's character Nero Wolfe. History As publicity for William S. Baring-Gould's book ''Nero Wolfe of West 35th Street'', Viking Press ran a "Mammoth New Nero Wolfe Contest" in ''The New York T ...

, a society founded in 1978 to celebrate the Nero Wolfe stories of Rex Stout, 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 Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime, psychological horror and fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and television. He also wrote a relatively small ...

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 Mas ...

G. K. Chesterton Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was an English writer, philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Of his writing style, ''Time'' observed: "Wh ...

, Ron Goulart, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Donald E. Westlake. The magazine has also regularly featured such short story specialists as John H. Dirckx, Kenneth Gavrell, Edward D. Hoch,

Jack Ritchie John George Reitci (February 26, 1922 – April 25, 1983) was an American writer of detective fiction who wrote under the name Jack Ritchie. Although he wrote one novel, he was primarily known for his vast output of short stories. Personal life ...

, and Stephen Wasylyk. Many writers have published their first mystery story in ''AHMM'', including Mitch Alderman, Doug Allyn, Gregory Fallis,

Steve Hockensmith Steve Hockensmith (born August 17, 1968) is an American author. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He currently lives in California's bay area with his wife, two children, and pet dog. Biography Hockensmith is the author of the ''Holmes on th ...

Martin Limón Martin Limón is an American writer of mystery fiction. He is the author of fourteen books in the Sueño and Bascom series, including ''Jade Lady Burning'' and the short story collection ''Nightmare Range'', inspired by his time in Korea. Biograp ...

D. A. McGuire Diane Andrews McGuire (born December 1, 1952, in Brockton, Massachusetts) is an American writer of mystery short stories. Her works have been published in the magazines ''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' and ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine' ...

, J. R. Parsons and I. J. Parker. In recent years, regular contributors have also included

Rhys Bowen Janet Quin-Harkin (born 24 September 1941, Bath, Somerset) is an author best known for her mystery novels for adults written under the name Rhys Bowen. Career Before she began writing novels, Quin-Harkin worked in the drama department of the B ...

, Jan Burke, O'Neil De Noux,

John F. Dobbyn John F. Dobbyn is an American mystery writer and Professor of Law at the Villanova University School of Law. As a mystery writer, he is best known for his stories set in Boston and featuring the lawyer's Lex Devlin and Michael Knight. His Devlin an ...

Joan Druett Joan Druett is a New Zealand historian and novelist, specialising in maritime history and crime fiction. Life Joan Druett was born in Nelson, and raised in Palmerston North, moving to New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, when she was 16. S ...

Brendan DuBois Brendan DuBois is an American mystery fiction and suspense writer who has twice won a Shamus Award for Best Short Story of the Year. He also had his short story "The Dark Snow'" published in ''Best American Mystery Stories of the Century'', edite ...

Loren D. Estleman Loren D. Estleman (born September 15, 1952, in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He is known for a series of crime novels featuring the investigator Amos Walker. Life and work Estleman graduated fro ...

, David Edgerley Gates, Toni L. P. Kelner, R. T. Lawton, Robert Lopresti,

Beverle Graves Myers Beverle Graves Myers (born March 31, 1951) is an American author of mystery novels and short stories. Her major work is the Tito Amato mystery series set in 18th-century Venice, published by Poisoned Pen Press. She is also the co-author, with Jo ...

, Jas R. Petrin, Anthony Rainone, Stephen Ross, Gilbert M. Stack, Marianne Wilski Strong, Steven Torres,

Elaine Viets Elaine Viets is a Midwestern American newspaperwoman and mystery writer. Life and career A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Viets has a degree in journalism and became a longtime popular media figure in St. Louis. She was a regular columnist for ...

, James Lincoln Warren,

Sarah Weinman Sarah Weinman is a journalist, editor, and crime fiction authority. She has most recently written ''The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World'' about the kidnapping and captivity of 11-year-old Flo ...

, Mike Wiecek and Angela Zeman.

Awards

''AHMM'' stories have won almost every major mystery award, including The

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

for Best Short story, presented by the Mystery Writers of America; the Robert L. Fish Award for Best First Short Story; the

Agatha Award The Agatha Awards, named for Agatha Christie, are literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write in the traditional mystery subgenre: "books typified by the works of Agatha Christie . . . loosely defined as mysteries that contain no expli ...

for Best Short Story, presented at the Malice Domestic conference; and the Shamus Award 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)