The Mystery Fancier (Vol. 5 No. 2) March/April 1981

Guy M Townsend presents the fifth volume, second issue of The Mystery Fancier, covering the March and April 1981 period. This edition functions as a specialized resource for collectors and scholars interested in the history of mystery fiction. It features Barry Van Tilburg’s continuation of his analysis on spy series characters found in hardback editions, specifically marking the seventh part of that ongoing study. The volume also includes significant reference material compiled by David H. Doerrer. This includes an index of books reviewed within Volume Four of the publication, allowing readers to track critical reception over time. Additionally, Doerrer has gathered Lachman’s Reviews from Volumes Two through Four into a single accessible section. The book is organized to serve researchers who need precise data on mystery and spy genres. It draws on the tradition of periodical criticism and bibliographic tracking. The content relies on the specific issues of The Mystery Fancier from the early 1980s. It does not offer new fiction or general horror stories. Instead, it provides structured lists and analytical essays for those studying the evolution of spy series in hardcover formats. Readers seeking broad supernatural tales will find this volume too narrow in scope. Those interested in the bibliographic history of mystery characters will find the compiled reviews and character indexes valuable for their research.