"Shadow of the Badger," by Steve Hockensmith, Black Cat Weekly, #178, 2025.
This is my first review of a story published in 2025 and an excellent time to remind authors, editors, and publishers that they are welcome to send me publications for possible review.
Today is also the eighth story I have reviewed here by my friend and fellow SleuthSayer, Steve Hockensmith . It's a bit different than the others.
It is not long after the Civil War and a German-American family is trying to farm in the wilderness. The mother and new baby are so sick there is fear they might not survive a long winter. But Conrad, the oldest child, has a brilliant solution. Everyone knows if a badger sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter, so all he and his brother have to do is find a badger and chase it back into its hole. Clever, no?
Younger brother Gustav suspects that clever no is exactly what this is. But he goes with Conrad to hunt along the stream for the meteorological musteloid. He doesn't find them but he encounters some people are up to no good.
Is Gustav shrewd enough to detect what they are up to? And sufficiently quick-witted to get out of the situation?
An enjoyable lowkey historical tale.
