“We Are All Strangers Here”

A woman sipping an Amaretto Sour at a hotel bar during a business convention. A man approaching the stool beside her, asking if the seat is taken. Flirtation ensues, and assessments too—head to toe . . . and in other directions as well . . . though perhaps nothing between them is quite what it seems.

This is my first story for Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in more than three years, and it began in part as an exercise, building on some ideas I got while reading George Saunders’ terrific craft book A Swim in A Pond in the Rain—and specifically his chapter analyzing Anton Chekhov’s “In the Cart.” I’ll be writing more about that soon in a post for EQMM‘s blog “Something Is Going to Happen” and will link that soon.

Great to be back at EQMM and in such good company in this issue, alongside stories by friends including Martin Edwards, William Burton McCormick, David Dean, Leigh Perry, Joseph S. Walker, Smita Harish Jain, Twist Phelen, and the late, always great Paul D. Marks—miss him so much.

Book categories: Magazines