The Strand Magazine featuring two previously unpublished stories by Shirley Jackson, “Charlie Roberts” and “Only Stand and Wait”

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The Strand Magazine featuring two previously unpublished stories by Shirley Jackson, “Charlie Roberts” and “Only Stand and Wait”

(Issue 66 of The Strand Magazine features two previously unpublished Shirley Jackson stories,  fiction by Kerry Greenwood, Peter Heller, Kurt Anthony Krug, and an exclusive interview with Paul Giamatti)

The Strand is proud to release two previously unpublished stories by Shirley Jackson. “Charlie Roberts” takes place entirely within one conversation. In a seemingly typical domestic setting, a husband and wife discuss hosting a dinner party. While their words are free from any apparent anger or accusations, in typical Jackson fashion, what at first seems straightforward and even banal takes on a more sinister tone.

Jackson’s other story, “Only Stand and Wait,” involves a man waiting for the bandages to be removed after undergoing surgery to correct lifelong blindness. This tale probes something most of us take for granted. The conversation between the man and the doctor poses interesting questions about human nature, our relationship with the world, and what sight really means.

Perhaps it’s Jackson’s influence, but this Strand issue feels haunted by tales of calamity cloaked in superficial calm. Take Kerry Greenwood’s “A Matter of Style.” The indefatigable Phryne Fisher solves a case of missing valuables without ruffling the feathers of genteel society in 1920s Melbourne. Then there’s Peter Heller, one of the most powerful voices in the literary mystery genre for the past decade. Heller plumbs the depths of isolated living amid the bustle of Denver in “The Lake.”

Kurt Anthony Krug also pits perception versus reality in “The Man You Don’t Want to Meet.” A series of unsolved murders in the Motor City hints at something even stranger than a serial killer. Last but not least, Des Browning’s “Twist of Fate” offers a surprising spin on the origin story of one of the most intriguing characters in the Sherlock Holmes canon. If these stories don’t satiate your desire for the dark underbelly of life, we have plenty more recommendations among our staff’s latest book reviews.

We have an exclusive with Paul Giamatti. He is one of our generation’s most prolific, talented, and versatile actors. Giamatti has a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of crime fiction. The Strand’s in-depth interview ranged from little-known classic movies, books we’d like to see adapted to film, and the enduring impact of Eric Ambler to the genius of Alec Guinness, the pitfalls of social media, L.A. bookshops, cockatoos, and pine tar.

The Strand is proud to release two unpublished Shirley Jackson stories. Furthermore, we continue to bring our readers the best in fiction, interviews with authors, and insightful book and audiobook reviews. In addition to these new Shirley Jackson short stories, we’ve featured unpublished works by other legendary authors, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Chandler, H.G. Wells, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, and Tennessee Williams.

For more back issues with works by literary legends, follow this link!