Telling the Bees - L. Hluchan Sintetos

Telling the Bees - L. Hluchan Sintetos

Before doing my research on this author, the actual reading of this story was very enjoyable. I enjoyed the title and learning what it meant. I love superstitions. It was an upfront, strong, and bold story. Honest, sexual and colorful.

Golden honey, gleaming white teeth, white shirt, heat and sweat.

Now to the author. Who is L. Hluchan Sintetos?

Was this story written by a woman? I only assumed it was by the biographical notes in the back. Upon going through my normal steps in researching the author, I found very little about Sintetos. I did though find this interesting letter to the editor from the New York Times.

GLOSSY FICTION

January 29, 1984

To the Editor:

Frederick Busch, in his article on fiction, mentions ''Hollywood Starlet Tells All'' by a probably anagrammatic L. Hluchan Sintetos.

Indeed, sintetos approximates sintetico (synthetic), and L. Hluchan Sintetos works out nicely as Stella Hutchinson. Hiding her starlet under a bushel?

A Freudian touch. An a was available for the feminine form (pun serendipitous and paradoxical) sintetas (without teats). In a mystery story, this would have made a good clue -cherchez la sex change.

Vive la difference. EDWARD WELLEN New Rochelle, N.Y.

AWESOME!!! Man, that’s too cool. A great little story written by a mystery author. And as far as I can tell the author has yet to be discovered.

I love mysteries like this and am so happy that this little story found its way into the collection.

9 out of 10