DOUG ALLYN “The Hate Tapes.” Published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, March 2010. Not known to have been collected or reprinted.

   Murph, the leading protagonist in this all-too-short short story, is the guitarist and lead singer for a rock band named the Kurves. You may not have known about them before, but at one time they were one of the hottest bands in the country. Time has passed, as it always does, and the Kurves are playing in much smaller venues now, but the crowds who come are still rocking.

   But one concert, this one in Detroit before bussing off to Cincinnati, has an extra. A dead man, and no one is surprised more than Murph when he discovers that he knows him – a nondescript fellow who follows the band avidly whenever they hit the Motor City. None of the members of the band are suspects – they were all on stage when the killing happened – but the police sergeant in charge of the investigation – a feisty young woman named Rose Morales — decides Murph will be useful in connecting with the people who may be involved, and the ins and out of the music business.

   It takes a while, but they’re soon working like a team who’s been at it together for a while. The case involves music tapes, and names like Jimi Hendrix an Janis Joplin come up. The story’s too short for there to be a lot of clues, but what there is is choice. Allyn knows his way around the rock business, and with that in his background, it makes this one a lot of fun to read.