Neustatter’s European Security Services encounters a campaign of industrial sabotage, a pastor who attempts to limit their client base, an espionage ring, and the aftermath of the Dreeson assassination. Old nemeses and new allies complicate matters. Somewhere in Grantville is a missing heiress. There’s also a Resistance, and it has cookies. Even repeat business with established clients is complicated, not to mention dangerous. Real life proves more complicated than Neustatter’s movies or Astrid’s books as NESS looks for common threads. Which incidents are related and which are not? For Astrid Schäubin, solving cases, directing operations, and even portraying a saint are one thing, but figuring out dating in the midst of everything that’s happening is quite another. Security Threats is the third book in the NESS series, after A Matter of Security and Missions of Security.

In Grantville Gazette 95, we find out that many things aren't what they seem. Virginia DeMarce brings us "One To A Customer," in which Massinger's Men deal with everything from the political implications of their plays to the fact that proclaiming an Anglican bishop for Grantville doesn't automatically get the work done. In Natalie Silk's "Letting Grace," it seems like Deborah has made an invisible friend. Or has she? In "The Heights of Beverwijk: The Miller's Daughter," by Kerryn Offord, Egon has a job near Amsterdam. An unexpected reason lies behind the job, Egon has his own motivations, and a local family's situation is quite a bit more complicated than it appears.Kim takes us back to the Ring of Fire, with "Mrs. Flannery's Flowers, Part 1: Acceptance." Krystal Reed is hoping things aren't what they seem, and Irene Flannery turns out to be a much more complicated character.Iver Cooper begins a series with "Tethered Balloons and Kites in the 1632 Universe, Part 1." Kristine Kathryn Rusch asserts that "Science Will Save Us.""Hot Off Ring of Fire Press" features recent releases and upcoming books from Ring of Fire Press.You get to vote: "Nominate the Best of 2020."In "The Reformation of Castle Deltle," by Zachary Robbins, things are really not what they seem. The same is true in Edward M. Lerner's "Ill-Met In Space-Time, Part 1." Various problems aboard ship hide a much more serious issue.

It's a matter of security. When the Ring of Fire drags Grantville, West Virginia back to seventeenth-century Germany, down-time veteran Edgar Neustatter finds himself among the survivors of a unit devastated by the up-time Americans and their Swedish allies. After wintering in Grantville, they return home to find that while they have changed, their village has not. Having glimpsed the promise of a republic ruled by its people rather than lords and tyrants, Neustatter leads his men and their families back to Grantville to establish a new agency: Neustatter's European Security Services. The city from the future counts cowboys and detectives among its heroes--and still needs them. Join Neustatter, Astrid Schäubin, and NESS as they face desperate refugees, towns on the edge of revolution, and those who want to preserve the old order at all costs, while juggling basic training, modern education, and the day-to-day challenges of living in a boom town. Does NESS have the flexibility, training, and firepower to survive in the new timeline?

Unexpected changes brought by the Ring of Fire continue to ripple around the world. Virginia DeMarce begins the issue with a story of church music education and ethics in "Faith, With Heretics."  The invasion of the Netherlands and a new ship design come together to complicate Michiel Adreaenszoon's first command in Sean Little's "The First Step."  Who is the guest that Ben Jonson has brought to Loughton Hall?  Find out in Sarah Iovan's "Lady Wroth and the Revolution."  Sometimes the unexpected change is a literal coin.  Find out its significance in George Grant's "The Kreutzer."               Iver Cooper explores "Propane, Butane, and Natural Gas in the 1632 Universe."  Kristine Rusch talks about the "Old SF Roadshow" in Notes from The Buffer Zone.  Check out New Releases and Upcoming Books from Ring of Fire Press.               In the Universe Annex, Gustavo Bondoni brings us "Shivering Cinderella," and Edward Lerner has a very different story, "Sock It To Me."

Grantville Gazette 96's theme is hope.  Find out what happens when the Roman Catholic Church denounces slavery in Walt Boyes' "Contra Servitutem."  Then go on to Robert E. Waters' "Cassini Takes First," about a boy who just wants to play baseball.  Remember Irene Flannery?  She was more complicated than it appeared, and her estate brings hope in many ways in "Mrs. Flannery's Flowers, Part 2: Flowers and Fashion" by Bethanne Kim.  Many people in the new timeline want to fly.  Iver P. Cooper explains how some of them might be able to in "Tethered Balloons and Kites in the 1632 Universe, Part 2."     Kristine Kathryn Rusch brings us "Notes from The Buffer Zone: Stepping Into an Uncertain Future."   In "The First Cavalry of the Cretaceous, Part 8: The Righteous and the Wicked," by Garrett W. Vance, the battle comes to an end, leading a number of characters to reflect on their hope or lack thereof.  In the Universe Annex, we have J. Kenton Pierce's "Though the Night Be Long" and Edward M. Lerner's "Ill-Met in Space-Time, Part 2," which deal with hope in very different ways.

Grantville Gazette 93's stories are about dealing with the unexpected.  Virginia DeMarce begins the issue with "Giants in the Earth."  What happens when fossils are found?  In "Cassini At the Plate," Robert E. Waters begins the story of a boy who is drawn to baseball instead of astronomy?  George Iconomou continues the story of the Venetians' unexpected advance into radio in "I Have A Proposal For You!"  In "A Puritan Voice, Part 8," by Michael Lockwood, Nicholas experiences a whole series of surprises.              Mike Nagle brings us "Flags of the World: The USE, Part 3," and Iver P. Cooper continues his series with "Life At Sea In the Old and New Time Lines, Part 6: Lest You Drown."  Kristine Kathryn Rusch focuses on "Heroic Lazy Sods" in "Notes from The Buffer Zone."  See what's just been released and what's coming up next in "Hot Off Ring of Fire Press!"              Two stories in the Universe Annex are also about the unexpected.  We have "A Matter of Choice" by Eric Flint himself and "Adrift in Space-Time" by Edward M. Lerner.

Neustatter’s European Security Services is open for business, and business is . . . too good? With the National Guard, private industry, and even a seemingly tranquil farming village caught in an explosive political crossroads all relying on NESS for missions of security, Neustatter and Astrid find themselves pressed to staff, train, and equip the agency while keeping up with their clients’ growing requirements in scope and complexity. -- A simple railway escort mission involves a secretive manufacturing client from Grantville bearing mysterious cargo and a captured fugitive all destined for Magdeburg during the Baltic War . . . what could possibly go wrong? -- The Bible Society hires NESS to guard a flock of Anabaptist, Catholic, and Lutheran high schoolers en route to riot-torn Erfurt and Jena, but will NESS’s own pastor tear them apart first? -- Already strapped for personnel, the last thing Neustatter needs is for a regiment of dragoon militia to choose their wagon train for . . . “involuntary provisioning.” Can a handful of badly outnumbered agents protect a village that isn’t sure it wants their help? Missions of Security is the sequel to A Matter of Security , and contains the full text of the previously published short story, “Blood in Erfurt.”

In "Matters of State: The Escape" Mitchell Townshend shows what happens when amateurs try to capture a professional espionage agent, who is bent on escaping the tyranny that England has become. Bjorn Hasseler’s "Reed and Kathy Sue" is a love story told in letters between Reed, at the front lines, and Kathy Sue, at home with the kids and all the daily strife. Their letters are enlivened by their unapologetic and truly living faith in God. "The Night Soil King" by Joy Ward and Walt Boyes tells the story of a survivor of the Great Drowning of Men, and his forbidden love affair with a burgher’s daughter—and what that love will make them do. Civil Engineering and revolution await. Rainer Prem continues his serial, "Ein Feste Burg" with its 23rd episode. Moritz von Hessen saves the day for his aunt Amelie. In nonfiction, we have part two of Charles E. Gannon’s outtakes "From the Cutting Room Floor." This is an extremely interesting look at what doesn’t make it into a novel, that novelists don’t usually show. Iver Cooper gives us a look at "Life at Sea," which may be different than what you think it was like. This is part one of a multi-part series. Kristine Katherine Rusch gives us her column, "Notes from the Buffer Zone." This issue, she reminisces about the future, from the vantage point of a USB stick shaped like Snoopy Beagle. And in the Universe Annex, we give you "A Green Tongue," by Frank Dutkiewicz, in which a diplomat must find a way to communicate with a vegetable.

This issue begins with "Whodunnit?", a story by David Carrico featuring lawyer Andy Wulff, whom we first met in "The Tax Man Cometh."  Phillip Riviezzo gives us "Greta's Day Off," a story about . . . well, you'll have to see.  In "Between East and West," Iver P. Cooper shows how post-RoF events influence members of a Japanese delegation who came to Spain many years ago.            We have two serial installments:  David Carrico's "Letters From Gronow, Part 3," in which Philip Fröhlich is still trying to get published, and Mike Watson's SMC, Part 2," detailing the Suhl Corporation's project to produce metallic cartridge firearms.            Have you ever wondered why some things take a while to happen in the 1632 universe?  Charles E. Gannon and David Carrico explain why in "Time May Change Me, But I Can't Trace Time."  Iver P. Cooper begins a new series on meteorology with "Fair or Foul: Part 1, Observing Temperature, Humidity, and Precipitation.            Editor-in-Chief Walt Boyes provides the after-action report on this year's 1632 Minicon, held at Balticon, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch's "Notes From the Buffer Zone" column focuses on Wonder Woman.             The Universe Annex presents Part 2 of Dominic diCiacca's story "Time's Angel."

“16 tons and what do you get. . . ?” In the new universe created by the cosmic accident that sent the West Virginia town of Grantville back in time and across continents to Europe in 1631, what you get is a steam engine powering a gantry crane, doing work that would have needed a dozen men and many more days in time. That’s from Kevin and Karen Evans’ “Engines of Change: Niels the Builder” in this issue of the Grantville Gazette. Grantville’s existence has had many effects, both large and small. In Andy Rogers’ “A Pirate Made,” a young Dutch woman has the opportunity to become much more—or much less, and she takes it. Meanwhile, in “The People You Know,” by Georgios Iconomou, a ne’er-do-well up-timer finally finds his niche in a coffee urn. Not all up-timers are heroes, you know. Nick Lorance continues his stories of Sergeant Whatsisname in “Birthday Blues.” Terry Howard and Jack Carroll tell the story of a self-important customs agent who interrupts what he thinks is a pagan sacrifice. Oops. Eric S. Brown and Robert Waters continue the story of the Grantville Monster Society in “The Thing in the Up-time Attic.” Virginia DeMarce gives us a look at the inside of the court of Burgundy, and the ubiquitous Rohans in “Les Futuriens, Part One.” And Charles E. Gannon continues his behind-the-scenes look at what didn’t make it into the book in “Papal Stakes: Faces from the Cutting Room Floor, Part 3.” Iver Cooper continues his article on “Life at Sea, Part Two,” and Garrett Vance adds another chapter to the Time Spike serial, “First Cavalry of the Cretaceous 2: Lovebirds.” In her column, “Notes from the Buffer Zone,” Kristine Katherine Rusch talks about collections and collectibles. One of the things that appears to be true of science fiction and fantasy is that fans collect books . . . and other things.

Our story continues in Volume 70 of the Grantville Gazette.As war-torn Germany sometimes resembles the Wild West, Mike Watson gives us "The Marshal Comes to Suhl" based on what was remembered of the U.S. Marshals Service. Eric S. Brown and Anna G. Carpenter give us another chapter of the Monster Society, "Even Monsters Die," which brings the LARPers down to earth and back to reality. In "A Little Help from His Friends," Nick Lorance provides another look at Sergeant Richard Hartmann—Sergeant Whatsisname. Tim Roesch gives us an only partly hysterical look at schizophrenia in "The Monster Under the Bed."In continuing serials, Bjorn Hasseler graces with another NESS (Neustatter's European Security Service) called "Kristallnacht on the Schwarza Express." David Carrico gives us the beginning of a new serial, "Letters from Gronow, Episode 1," While Gábor Szántai finishes his series on Hungary and Transylvania with a look at key players in those areas, and Chuck Gannon concludes his outtakes from "Papal Stakes: Faces from the Cutting Room Floor." Kristine Katherine Rusch talks about "Escapist Fiction" in her Notes from the Buffer Zone column.

Terry Howard opens Volume 66 with “Hair Club 250,” showing what happens when the Club 250 is remade as a hair salon and then in “Becket’s Blood” shows us a brave man courting martyrdom in the England of Charles I. In “The Ghosts of the Blauschloss,” Margo Ryor involves her young girl detective writing circle in a real case of murder. New writer Anne Keener gives us “Stolen Reputations” about the Elsevier printing house.  Nick Lorance provides “Transplanted Seed,” the prequel to his stories of Sergeant Whatsisname,  Iver Cooper gives us a look at what a universal language might be like, in “The Tower of Babel.” Kevin and Karen Evans conclude their “Engines of Change” saga with “For a Few Kroner More.” Eric S. Brown and new collaborator Anna G. Carpenter continue the story of the Grantville Monster Society in “An Army of Scarecrows.” Virginia DeMarce looks at the court of Burgundy and the ubiquitous Rohans in “Les Futuriens, Part Two.” Charles E. Gannon continues his behind-the-scenes look at what didn’t make it into _1636: The Papal Stakes_ with “About the Faces on the Cutting Room Floor, Part 4.”  Jack Carroll shares a non-fiction piece, “1636: Marine Radio in the Mediterranean.” In “Notes from the Buffer Zone: The Past Is Another Country,” Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks about the past being very far past and how the field of science fiction writing has radically changed.

Mystery stories have been spreading across Europe, and in "An Iconic Mystery" by Caroline Palmer, some French schoolboys have found a case. In "From the Ashes" by Eric S. Brown and Anna G. Carpenter, the members of the Monster Society try to come to terms with the death of one of the LARPers. New author Thomas K. Scot gives us "Small is Good."  A master gunsmith needs to adapt. Joy Ward continues the story arc from "The Night Soil King" with "Barbie and the Musicians of Bremen."  Down-time teenagers discover rock 'n roll, and one of them has to deal with a controlling father. In "Letters From Gronow, Part 2" by David Carrico, Philip continues trying to get his story published. Mike Watson shows us what the Suhl gunsmiths are up to in "SMC, Part 1." Iver Cooper concludes his non-fiction "Life at Sea" with P"art 4: Lights Across the Waters" Kristine Kathryn Rusch shares a perspective "From the Analog Couch." Garrett Vance continues "The First Cavalry of the Cretaceous" with "Part 4: War Drums at Dawn." For the first time we have two Universe Annex stories:  Edward M. Lerner's "The Company Man" and the first installment of Domenic diCiacca's "Time's Angel."