← Back

Big Surprise

Richard Matheson

First published April 1959
Type Short Fiction
Length Short Story

First published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine as "What Was in the Box" riddle story; $25 given to the reader with the best answer to what was in the box.

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
April 1959 Cover Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, April 1959 Davis Publications MAGAZINE 43|1
October 1964 Cover Shock II Dell Collection 107
1965 Cover Shock II Corgi Collection 81
1969 Cover Shock II Organizacion Editorial Novaro Collection 106
1974 Cover Uncanny Blackie & Son Anthology 280
1978 Cover Shock 2 Sphere Collection 77
July 1979 Cover Shock II Berkley Books Collection 104
July 1984 Cover Shock 2 Mondadori Collection 80
March 1986 Cover Une aiguille en plein cœur Néo Collection 173
December 1987 Cover Rod Serling's Night Gallery Reader Dembner Books Anthology 184
September 1989 Cover Richard Matheson: Collected Stories Dream/Press Collection 639
September 1989 Cover Richard Matheson: Collected Stories Dream/Press Collection 639
September 1989 Cover Richard Matheson: Collected Stories Dream/Press Collection 639
June 1993 Cover Nursery Crimes Barnes & Noble Books Anthology 172
October 2000 Cover Shock prima parte Mondadori Collection 272
November 2000 Cover Le pays de l'ombre Flammarion Collection 141
October 2003 Cover Nouvelles: Tome II - 1953-1959 J'ai Lu Collection 493
2005 Cover Richard Matheson: Collected Stories Volume Three Edge Books Collection 15
October 2017 Cover The Best of Richard Matheson Penguin Books (US) Collection 338
October 2017 Cover The Best of Richard Matheson Penguin Books Collection
July 2025 Cover Albtraum über den Wolken Festa Collection 313