The Strand Magazine 58th Issue: New Steinbeck Short Story, Plus Fiction by Joyce Carol Oates

The Strand Magazine: New Steinbeck Short Story, Plus Fiction by Joyce Carol Oates, and an Exclusive with Hank Phillippi Ryan

(New Steinbeck short story, fiction by Joyce Carol Oates, Robin Yocum, and David Marcum, exclusive interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan)

In our 58th issue, we’re proud to present the first American release of John Steinbeck’s “The Amiable Fleas.”

The new Steinbeck story, “The Amiable Fleas” revolves around a discerning cat named Apollo who serves as critic and confidant to the chef of a gourmet restaurant. Add in some family conflict and a restaurant critic and you have all the ingredients of a short comedic masterpiece.

From the humorous we shift to the sinister with “Final Interview” by the inimitable Joyce Carol Oates. It is a treat to publish such a prolific and influential writer, and Oates does not disappoint—offering a story about a burnt-out writer, a pathological youth, and a condescending journalist, all seemingly headed on a collision course. Also in this issue, Robin Yocum warns us not to underestimate an over-the-hill mobster with “The Last Hit,” and David Marcum, takes Holmes and Watson back to Dartmoor—of The Hound of the Baskervilles fame—to investigate a cold case in “The Dowser’s Discovery.”

For our spotlight interview we caught up with bestselling author and investigative journalist Hank Phillippi Ryan, who not only has earned critical and popular acclaim for her mystery novels, but has a reputation as one of the kindest and most gregarious mystery authors. Ryan shared experiences as an investigative journalist and offered a dose of pep for all those authors sitting on their manuscripts or trying to chase a trend.

We also have the latest book, audiobook, and DVD reviews.

The Strand Magazine continues to bring our readers the best in fiction, interviews with authors, as well as insightful book and audiobook reviews. In addition to the new Steinbeck short story, we’ve featured unpublished works other legendary authors including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Chandler, H.G. Wells, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, Tennessee Williams, and Joseph Heller.

Note: The Strand has published this work with the kind permission of the John Steinbeck Estate. This story is being published in English for the first time, and was originally published in Le Figaro in French in 1954.  The Steinbeck estate was able to confirm this fact and we’re grateful for their help and cooperation in permitting this work to be shared with a wider audience.

Note: Strand Magazine Back Issues have a lead time of a few weeks.