Nonfiction
The Heirs of Anthony Boucher: A History of Mystery Fandom

by Marvin Lachman
Poisoned Pen Press, August 2019, $17.99

Reviewing the first edition of this unique contribution to mystery history in issue No. 93, I called the author “one of the best and certainly the most prolific fan critic of mystery and detective fiction…[and] the ideal writer for his subject.” All that continues to be true, and the new edition, besides having a better cover and layout, adds considerable information on activity in the years since 2005. Especially useful are the summaries of organizations, conventions, and magazines. The pioneer Bouchercon convention is covered in detail in no less than six chapters, one on its Los Angeles debut in 1970 and five decade-by-decade from the 1970s to 2010s, through the St. Petersburg, Florida event in 2018. Also accorded separate chapters are Malice Domestic (from 1989 through 2018, always in the Washington, DC area) and Left Coast Crime (from 1991 in San Francisco through 2018 in Reno). Three longstanding periodicals surviving in the 21st century get full-chapter coverage: Mystery Scene (1985- ), CADS: Crime and Detective Stories (1985- ) and Deadly Pleasures (1993- ). Many other fanzines, organizations, and conventions are described more briefly, including some that debuted after 2005, e.g., The International Sister Fidelma Society (2000- ), New England Crimebake (2005- ), Give Me That Old-Time Detection (2002- ), Harrogate Crime Writing Festival (2003- ), Crimespree Magazine (2004- ), and CrimeFest (2008- ). Other updated elements include fan scholarship, fandom in cyberspace (including some notable bloggers), and prospects for the future.

Jon L. Breen
Teri Duerr
6767
Lachman
August 2019
the-heirs-of-anthony-boucher-a-history-of-mystery-fandom
17.99
Poisoned Pen Press