Lester Dent's maritime detectives.

Lester Dent. The Dux, Chillicothe
(MO) Business College yearbook,
1923, p. 106

Over on the Black Gate blog, Will Murray discusses fictional detectives created by pulp writer Lester Dent (1904–59) who investigated maritime matters: Oscar Sail and Cyrus Peace.

Poe: The ballet.

The Illinois-based Ballet 5:8 has scheduled a national tour of its ballet, "The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe," which, as the company describes, "traces Poe's life through the short stories that made him immortal." Its creators are Ballet 5:8 artistic director Julianna Rubio Slager and choreographer Glorielle Niedfeldt. Upcoming cities include Albuquerque (October 2026); Baltimore (October 2026); and South Bend, IN (March 2027). The company's website offers thoughts on Poe's legacy by experts such as Richmond Poe Museum curator Chris Semtner.

New Clues CFP: Mid-twentieth-century American women crime writers.

There is a new call for papers for a Clues: A Journal of Detection theme issue on the work of mid–twentieth-century American female crime writers. The guest editors are Erin A. Smith (University of Texas at Dallas) and Clare Rolens (Palomar College). Proposals are due 15 January 2027, with full essays of 5,000 to 6,000 words due 1 August 2027.