Dick Byrne Debuts in “The Black Box”
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (Vol. 70, Nos. 11 & 12)
Meet Dick Byrne. He’s an expert arson investigator who combines chemical expertise with a confrontational approach to cracking cases. Brian A. Dixon’s detective hero makes his debut in the latest issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, available now.
This first-ever print appearance introduces readers to a detective unlike any other. In “The Black Box,” a discovery made in the aftermath of a blaze on a university campus provides Byrne and MPDC Lieutenant Donald Dawson with the evidence they need to solve the cold case of a missing student. But what begins as a straightforward investigation into the killer’s motives quickly spirals into something far more complex. What’s inside the black box? You’ll find out in the pages of the November-December issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, where Byrne must navigate an intricate case that will test not only his wits but also his character.
Brian A. Dixon’s stories have appeared in Connecticut Review, Zahir, and Honeyguide, among other places. He co-edited the anthology Columbia & Britannia (2009), nominated for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History. His most recent book, Sex for Dinner, Death for Breakfast (2025), is available from Fourth Horseman Press.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine is one of the oldest and most influential magazines of short mystery and crime fiction in the world. Home to many renowned authors, including Martin Limón, Jane K. Cleland, Loren Estleman, Rhys Bowen, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Hitchcock’s stories represent every subgenre of mystery fiction, from the classic whodunit to the hardboiled tale of suspense and everything in between. Stories featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine have won dozens of awards, including many Robert L. Fish awards for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year.
Don't wait to discover what's inside the black box! Pick up your copy of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and discover Dick Byrne.