Re Richard's comments below:
"We corresponded for a time but not in many years. I had hoped to see him turn up at the PWA awards dinner in Indianapolis last month as I recalled he lived in Indianapolis and he had a short story nominated. Now I know illness prevented that. Would have been nice if he had won but that wasn't to be."
The story nominated for the Shamus was "Panic on Portage Path," first published in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of AHMM. It can be found on Mr. Stodghill's website here:
though when I tried to log onto the website yesterday I got a "Can't be reached at this time," message, so perhaps that site is being dismantled now that he's passed.
It's also been reprinted in his collection JACK EDDY STORIES - VOLUME 2.
In addition to its Shamus nomination, it was also nominated for a Derringer by the Short Mystery Fiction Society in the "Best Novelette" category.
It's a great story, and you should make a point of reading it if you can find it.
Jack Eddy, an operative of a large detective agency assigned to Akron, OH, is one reflection of Mr. Stodghill's past; he grew up during the Depression era in which the stories were set and, like Hammett, put in a few years as a Pinkerton agent prior to becoming a journalist. It also reflects his years as a journalist as the narrator of the Eddy stories is a local reporter who uses Eddy's cases for front page copy.
I noted on another list that, inasmuch as Mr. Stodghill was a combat veteran of two wars, WW2 and Korea, it was particularly fitting that he was in our thoughts, and perhaps our prayers, yesterday.
JIM DOHERTY
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