''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 . It is also a and format, similar to the size of a DVD case. These sizes evolved from the printing ...

fiction magazine specializing in

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

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 the ...

fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. 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 featu ...

, the famed director of

suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...

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, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'', and later, ''

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

''. A few writers, such as Henry Slesar, wrote for both. Other contributors during the magazine’s early years included

Evan Hunter Evan Hunter (born Salvatore Albert Lombino; October 15, 1926 – July 6, 2005) was an American author of crime and mystery fiction. He is best known as the author of '' 87th Precinct'' novels, published under the pen name Ed McBain, which ar ...

(under the pen name Ed McBain), Ed Lacy, Bill Pronzini, 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 wrote a series of novels featuring hardboiled detective fiction, detective Hoke ...

(who briefly worked for the magazine). Pat Hitchcock, Alfred's daughter, also briefly worked for the magazine. In 1975, ''AHMM'' was acquired by Davis Publications, which later sold the magazine along with its sister publication, '' Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'' to Dell Magazines in 1992. It was sold to 1 Paragraph Inc. in 2025. 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''. 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 Principality of Montenegro, Montenegro and keeps his past murky. He lives in a ...

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.

Owners

* HSD Publications (1956–1975) * Davis Publications (1975–1992) * Dell Magazines (1992–2025) * 1 Paragraph Inc. (2025–present)

Editors

* William Manners (1956–1961) * Lisa Belknap (1961–1962) * Richard E. Decker (1963–1964) * G.F. Foster (1964–1967) * Ernest M. Hutter (1967–1976) * Eleanor Regis Sullivan (1975–1981) * Cathleen Jordan (1981–2002) * Linda Landrigan (2002–present)

Circulation Figures

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 fiction, crime, psychological horror fiction, horror and Fantasy Fiction, fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and ...

, Lawrence Block, 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 worked on novels and novelizations (and other works) being published under various ps ...

Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers ( ; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime novelist, playwright, translator and critic. Born in Oxford, Sayers was brought up in rural East Anglia and educated at Godolphin School in Salisbury and Somerv ...

, 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, 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 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, Joan Druett, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, David Edgerley Gates, Toni 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 Elaine Viets is a Midwestern United States, Midwestern American journalist, newspaperwoman and mystery (fiction), mystery writer. Life and career A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Viets has a degree in journalism and became a longtime popular me ...

, James Lincoln Warren, Sarah Weinman, Mike Wiecek and Angela Zeman.

Awards

''AHMM'' stories have won almost every major mystery award, including the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Short Story, presented by the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is a professional organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the E ...

; the Robert L. Fish Award for Best First Short Story; the

Agatha Award The Agatha Awards, named for Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English people, English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short ...

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

Official blog

Official website

''AHMM''
at the Hitchcock Zone

(archived) {{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)