The Heirs of Anthony Boucher Marvin Lachman

Mystery*File (1 4–)
and new works co-exist, where older mysteries can be brought up and discussed as
well as those by the most recent hot authors, and where the careers of writers can
be looked at in perspective. Mystery*File will be for those fans who love to read and
talk about mysteries and series characters, and those who love to make checklists
and those who love to have them, and if you can assist in accomplishing any of these
goals, then so much the better.”
Lewis attracted knowledgeable fans who liked writing about mystery’s past because
the other current American fan magazines were specializing in reviews of new
books. Al Hubin wrote “Addenda to Crime Fiction IV,” correcting and updating his
bibliography which had gone through the year 2000 in its final edition. Bill Crider
wrote about (and reviewed) legendary paperback originals in “The Gold Medal Corner.”
Mike Nevins had a column of autobiographical mystery commentary called
“First You Read, Then You Write.” I had a column of reviews and miscellanea called
“The Crime of My Life.” Lewis encouraged my penchant for puns by naming his letters
column, at my suggestion, “Scarlet Letters,” and not complaining when I called
my film review section “Déjà View.”
In line with Lewis’s plan to cover past writers in depth, much of Mystery*File #42
was devoted to Robert Wade, best known as co-author of the Wade Miller mysteries
of the 1940s and 1950s. There were five articles about him and an interview with
him. #45 had Ed Lynskey’s article on Ed Lacy, probably the best writing ever on that
almost forgotten writer. #46 had an article, interview, and bibliography of Jonathan
Latimer (1906–1983). In February 2005 Lewis added The Crime Fiction Research Journal
to Mystery*File’s title to reflect the direction in which his readers had taken it.
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