We are deeply saddened that Angela Zeman passed away due to COVID in 2020.

Her family is thankful for the many wonderful colleagues, friends and fans who she held so dear, especially the great editors and staff at Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine who brought two series characters to life beginning with Mrs. Risk in the 1994 and ending with the Second Tale of Roxanne in 2019 (of which Angela had more in the works). We are also grateful to our great friend, Otto Penzler, who was a fan of her stories and the surprises they held. He memorialized the Mrs. Risk stories by publishing a collection as Tales of The Witch.

We are not only thankful for Angela’s writings that entertained so many, but also for her contributions to the mystery field through many years of volunteer work with Mystery Writers of America as a national board member, organizer of two MWA-John Jay Symposiums, Editor of the millennial issue of the MWA Annual, and first Treasurer and board member of the initial New York chapter. She also cherished her tenure with those fellow passionate short story true believers at “Criminal Brief”, and loyalty to other fine writer organizations including PWA, Thriller Writers, and ICW.

As her great friend and colleague, James Warren Lincoln, said in his tribute to Angela, “I agree with Rick Helms that a writer is best remembered for the words she left with us…and Angela’s work painted a clear picture of her grace, wit, and thought”. Her work will live on.

You can view a tribute to Angela and other mystery writers who have been lost during the pandemic at the end of this video by Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Dell Publications website.

Listen to the entire audio story of Angela’s, “First Tale of Roxanne”, provided for your enjoyment courtesy of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

Fairytales are not written to tell children that dragons exist.
Children know full well that dragons exist.
Fairytales are written to show children that sometimes dragons
can be defeated.

—G. K. Chesterton

We are children at every age.
Life is only a story—which can take evil turns down noxious alleys, whiten your hair from fear.
And to whom could such nefarious events happen?
Why, to everyone. Anyone. Me. You.

A Portion from JABBERWOCKY by Lewis Carroll

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back….
 

As the Joker so appropriately said:

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

 
Memberships:

Angela Zeman is a member of:
Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America,
International Association of Crime Writers NA, International Thriller Writers
and the New York Friars Club

© 2020 Angela Zeman