The Edgar® Awards will be presented to the winners at our 64th Gala Banquet, April 29, 2010 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

BEST NOVEL

The Missing by Tim Gautreaux (Random House – Alfred A. Knopf)
The Odds by Kathleen George (Minotaur Books)
The Last Child by John Hart (Minotaur Books)
Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston (Random House – Ballantine Books)
Nemesis by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (HarperCollins)
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano (Grand Central Publishing)
Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley (Simon & Schuster – Touchstone)
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf (MIRA Books)
A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books)
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke (HarperCollins)
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott (Simon & Schuster)
Havana Lunar by Robert Arellano (Akashic Books)
The Lord God Bird by Russell Hill (Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Books)
Body Blows by Marc Strange (Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries)
The Herring-Seller’s Apprentice by L.C. Tyler (Felony & Mayhem Press)

BEST FACT CRIME

Columbine by Dave Cullen (Hachette Book Group – Twelve)
Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn (Simon & Schuster)
The Fence: A Police Cover-Up Along Boston’s Racial Divide by Dick Lehr (HarperCollins)
Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo (The Penguin Press)
Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti (Random House – Alfred A. Knopf)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL

Talking About Detective Fiction by P.D. James (Random House – Alfred A. Knopf)
The Lineup: The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives edited by Otto Penzler (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)
Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King by Lisa Rogak (Thomas Dunne Books)
The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith by Joan Schenkar (St. Martin’s Press)
The Stephen King Illustrated Companion by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press)

BEST SHORT STORY

“Last Fair Deal Gone Down” – Crossroad Blues by Ace Atkins (Busted Flush Press)
“Femme Sole” – Boston Noir by Dana Cameron (Akashic Books)
“Digby, Attorney at Law” – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Jim Fusilli (Dell Magazines)
“Animal Rescue” – Boston Noir by Dennis Lehane (Akashic Books
“Amapola” – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea (Akashic Books)

BEST JUVENILE

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring of Rocamadour by Michael D. Beil (Random House Children’s Books – Alfred A. Knopf)
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books)
Creepy Crawly Crime by Aaron Reynolds (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer (Penguin Young Readers Group – Philomel Books)

BEST YOUNG ADULT

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams (HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen)
If the Witness Lied by Caroline B. Cooney (Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press)
The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford (Penguin Young Readers Group – Viking Children’s Books)
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone by Dene Low (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books)
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell (Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY

“Place of Execution,” Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson (PBS/WGBH Boston)
“Strike Three” – The Closer, Teleplay by Steven Kane (Warner Bros TV for TNT)
“Look What He Dug Up This Time” – Damages, Teleplay by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman (FX Networks)
“Grilled” – Breaking Bad, Teleplay by George Mastras (AMC/Sony)
“Living the Dream” – Dexter, Teleplay by Clyde Phillips (Showtime)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD

“A Dreadful Day” – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Dan Warthman (Dell Magazines)

GRAND MASTER

Dorothy Gilman

RAVEN AWARDS

Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Zev Buffman, International Mystery Writers’ Festival

ELLERY QUEEN AWARD

Poisoned Pen Press (Barbara Peters & Robert Rosenwald)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER – MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
(Presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 28, 2010)

Awakening by S.J. Bolton (Minotaur Books)
Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof by Blaize Clement (Minotaur Books)
Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
Lethal Vintage by Nadia Gordon (Chronicle Books)
Dial H for Hitchcock by Susan Kandel (HarperCollins)

There’s more reason to celebrate during Bouchercon Oct. 15 to 18 in Indianapolis.

And if you haven’t signed up for this mystery conference, what is your excuse? I am even giving you the link!

The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) has announced the nominees for the 28th annual Shamus Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The 2009 awards cover works first published in the U.S. in 2008.

The awards will be presented at the PWA banquet, to be held Friday evening Oct. 16, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention.

Here are the nominees. Congratulations to each and best of luck to each.

This is a terrific list…everyone is a winner already.

Best Hardcover
Salvation Boulevard by Larry Beinhart (Nation Books)
Empty Ever After by Reed Farrel Coleman (Bleak House Books)
The Blue Door by David Fulmer (Harcourt)

The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (Wm. Morrow)
The Ancient Rain by Domenic Stansberry (St. Martins Minotaur)

Best First PI Novel
Stalking Susan by Julie Kramer (Doubleday)
Swann’s Last Song by Charles Salzberg (Five Star)
The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang (Simon & Schuster)
In the Heat by Ian Vasquez (St. Martins Minotaur)
Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson (St Martins Minotaur)

Best Paperback Original
Snow Blind by Lori Armstrong (Medallion)
Shot Girl by Karen Olson (Obsidian)
The Stolen by Jason Pinter (MIRA)
The Black Hand by Will Thomas (Touchstone/Simon &Schuster)
The Evil That Men Do by Dave White (Crown/Three Rivers Press)

Best Short Story
“Family Values” by Mitch Alderman (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, June 2008)
“Last Island South” by John C. Boland. (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sep/Oct 2008)
“The Blonde Tigress” by Max Allan Collins (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, June 2008)
“Discovery” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Nov 2008)
“Panic on Portage Path” by Dick Stodghill (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Jan/Feb 2008)

Let me rephrase that. . . . I love award shows when I am interested in the outcome such as the Edgars, the Tonys, the Oscars, the Golden Globes and just about every mystery fiction award there is.

It’s especially interesting when you know the winners.

Certainly it’s just a coincidence, but Mystery Scene’s latest issue includes my profile of British author Tom Rob Smith, left.

During our hour-long telephone chat from his home in London, he and I talked about myriad subjects — from his background as a writer on British soap operas, to his childhood to his fondness for crime fiction.

The result is, I hope, an interesting profile in Mystery Scene about one of our up and coming writers.  His second novel The Secret Speech recently came out.

But his first novel, the chilling, unflinching and compelling Child 44, is still getting its well-deserved buzz.

So it gives me an extra smile in listing the winners of the International Thriller Writers’  literary awards, which were awarded July 11 in New York City.

Here are the winners and special honorees:

ThrillerMaster Award
David Morrell: In recognition of his vast body of work and influence in the field of literature

Silver Bullet Award
Brad Meltzer: For contributions to the advancement of literacy

Silver Bullet Corporate Award: Dollar General Literacy FoundationFor longstanding support of literacy and education

Best Thriller of the Year:
THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND by Jeffery Deaver (Simon & Schuster)

Best First Novel:
CHILD 44 by Tom Rob Smith (Grand Central Publishing)

Best Short Story:
THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN by Alexandra Sokoloff (in Darker Mask)

Imagination Theater’s Fourth  Annual Audio Drama Script Writing Contest again has drawn a good number of writers with stories to tell.Naturally, several of the winners submitted mysteries.

Here are the winners of the annual radio drama contest.

1st Prize: The Phil Harper Award:  “Holy Relics” (Supernatural Mystery) by L. Alan Gutierrez.

2nd Prize: “The Mutts” (Mystery) by John S. Fitzpatrick

3rd Prize: “Junior” (Humor) Evan C. Purcell

Honorable Mention goes to:”The Mendenhall Treasure” (Mystery) by John S. Fitzpatrick”A Heavenly Price” (Science Fiction) by Mike Murphy”12:30″ (Horror) by Mike Murphy

Prizes include production of the first and second prize winners, subscriptions to Mystery Scene Magazine, Script Magazine, AudioFile Magazine and books and CDs.

For more information on radio drama, visit these sites: Harry Nile, Sherlock Holmes on the radio, and radio mysteries.

As you saw on the previous post, Kate and Brian have already posted the Agatha winners. And as you also saw, Kate and Brian were the proud winners of the Poirot Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Mystery at Malice Domestic.

So let’s play catch up with some other winners from this over-packed weekend.

First, the Edgar winners, given by the Mystery Writers of America:

BEST NOVEL WINNER:
Blue Heaven by C.J. Box , left, (St. Martin’s Minotaur)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
The Foreigner by Francie Lin (Picador)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
China Lake by Meg Gardiner (New American Library – Obsidian Mysteries)

BEST FACT CRIME
American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century by Howard Blum (Crown Publishers)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories
by Dr. Harry Lee Poe (Sterling Publishing – Metro Books)

BEST SHORT STORY
“Skinhead Central” – The Blue Religion by T. Jefferson Parker (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)

BEST JUVENILE
The Postcard by Tony Abbott (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

BEST YOUNG ADULT
Paper Towns by John Green (Penguin Young Readers Group – Dutton Children’s Books)

BEST PLAY
The Ballad of Emmett Till by Ifa Bayeza (Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
“Prayer of the Bone” – Wire in the Blood, Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson (BBC America)

BEST MOTION PICTURE SCREENPLAY
In Bruges, Screenplay by Martin McDonagh (Focus Features)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
“Buckner’s Error” – Queens Noir by Joseph Guglielmelli (Akashic Books)

GRAND MASTER
James Lee Burke
Sue Grafton

RAVEN AWARDS
Edgar Allan Poe Society, Baltimore, Maryland
Poe House, Baltimore, Maryland

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER – MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
The Killer’s Wife by Bill Floyd (St. Martin’s Minotaur)

OK, that list is over. 

Now for the 2008 Los Angeles Times Book Prize winners.

Yes, I am aware that the 2008 Los Angeles Times Book Prize has winners in categories other than mystery/thriller. But I am only going to mention the mystery/thriller category.

And, for a full disclosure: I was a judge for this category along with my lovely colleagues Sarah Weinman and Dick Adler. We three made our decision in early Februrary so that should show you how well we can keep a secret!

2008 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for mystery/thriller goes to: 

Michael Koryta, right, Envy the Night (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Minotaur)

Mystery Scene Magazine Publishers Kate Stine & Brian Skupin received the Poirot Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Mystery at Malice Domestic XX1 in Arlington, VA on May 2, 2009.

Thanks to Cindy Silberblatt for this photo. Cindy also did her usual excellent job as MC of the Mystery Scene New Authors Breakfast at Malice.

The nominees and winners were:

Best Novel:
Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews (Minotaur Books)
A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (Penguin Group)
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)
Buckingham Palace Gardens by Anne Perry (Random House)
I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Minotaur Books)

Best First Novel:
Through a Glass, Deadly by Sarah Atwell (Berkley Trade)
The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis (Penguin Group)
Pushing Up Daisies by Rosemary Harris (Minotaur Books)
Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet (Midnight Ink)
Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell Slan (Midnight Ink)

Best Non-fiction:
African American Mystery Writers: A Historical & Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey (McFarland & Co.)
How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries by Kathy Lynn Emerson (Perseverance Press)
Anthony Boucher: A Biobibliography by Jeff Marks (McFarland & Co.)
Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories by Dr. Harry Lee Poe (Metro Books)
The Suspicions of Mr. Whitcher, or The Murder at Road Hill House by Kate Summerscale (Walker & Co.)

Best Short Story:
“The Night Things Changed” by Dana Cameron, Wolfsbane & Mistletoe (Penguin Group)
“Killing Time” by Jane Cleland, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine – November 2008
“Dangerous Crossing” by Carla Coupe, Chesapeake Crimes 3 (Wildside Press)
“Skull & Cross-Examinations” by Toni L.P. Kelner, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine – February 2008
“A Nice Old Guy” by Nancy Pickard, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine – August 2008

Best Children’s/Young Adult:
Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams (Harper Collins)
A Thief in the Theater (A Kit Mystery) by Sarah Masters Buckey (American Girl Publishers)
The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein (Random House Children’s Books)
The Great Circus Train Robbery by Nancy Means Wright (Hilliard & Harris)

Congratulations to all!

But during the next week or so, I wish I could be five places at once. There are just too many mystery-related events that I would love to attend, not to mention the wonderful non-mystery event I’ll be at.

First, I would love to be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

I’ve never been, but have heard only wonderful comments about this festival that will be April 25 and 26. The myriad authors and panels certainly appeal to me and I would have enjoyed moderating a panel or two.

But, I also have a personal connection. Along with Sarah Weinman and Dick Adler, I am one of the judges for the mystery/thriller category of the L.A. Times Book Prize. It would be lovely to be able to see the winner receive the award. (Oh, like you think I am going to give you the name here? Or even give away the winner’s gender? Just wait…)

I also wanted to attend the Edgar Awards symposium (April 29) and the banquet (April 30). I haven’t been able to attend for three years and had hoped to be able to return this year.

The Edgars are fun, at least I think so. Plus, I’ll take any excuse to wear my long dress.

But most of all, I wanted to attend Malice Domestic May 1 to 3 in
Arlington, Va.

I love Malice and its honoring of the traditional mystery. It has been at least five years, maybe more, since I have been able to make it to Malice and I miss this terrific conference.

The panels are insightful, the authors receptive and the fans are nice.

I have never had a bad time at Malice.

This year, Nancy Pickard is the guest of honor; Elaine Viets the toastmaster and Anne Perry will receive the lifetime achievement.

But again, I have a personal reason for wanting to attend this year’s Malice.

I would like to be there to cheer on Kate and Brian when they receive the Malice Domestic Poirot Award.

According to the Malice Domestic Website, “this award is presented to honor individuals other than writers who have made outstanding contributions to the Malice Domestic genre. The award is bestowed by the Malice Domestic Board of Directors and presented at the Malice Domestic conference. The Poirot Award is not an annual award.”

And I must say, the award is well deserved.

Let me also add congratulations to all the winners and the nominees.

So, I won’t be attending any of these mystery-related events.

Instead, I will be in Sarasota, Florida, for the American Theater Critics Association’s annual conference, which is normally held in June. But this year, ATCA’s conference falls smack in the middle of these other events.

My husband, Bill, is a theater critic and this conference is a great excuse to see live theater twice a day.

It helps that I am as interested in theater as he is. Heck, we even met in the theater.

We were among the handful of journalism majors who were also involved with the theater at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was an actor; I was his dresser.

But that’s another story.

Oh, well, maybe next year I can be in L.A., or New York City, or Arlington.

PHOTOS: Nancy Pickard, top, Anne Perry

The winners in all categories will be announced at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on June 4.

Best novel:
Linwood Barclay, Too Close to Home (Bantam)
Maureen Jennings, The K Handshape (Dundurn)
James W. Nichol, Transgression (MacArthur & Company)
Louise Penny, The Murder Stone (MacArthur & Company)
Michael E. Rose, The Tsunami File (MacArthur & Company)

Best first novel:
Nadine Doolittle, Iced Under (Bayeux Arts/Gondolier)
John C. Goodman, Talking to Wendigo (Turnstone)
April Lindgren, Headline: Murder (Second Story Press)
Howard Shrier, Buffalo Jump (Vintage Canada)
Phyllis Smallman, Margarita Nights (McArthur & Company)

Best juvenile novel:
Vicki Grant, Res Judicata (Orca)
Susan Juby, Getting the Girl (HarperCollins)
Elizabeth MacLeod, Royal Murder (Annick Press)
Norah McClintock, Dead Silence (Scholastic Canada)
Sharon E. McKay, War Brothers (Penguin Canada)

Best crime writing in French:
Jacques Côté, Le Chemin des brumes (Alire)
Maxime Houde, Le Poids des illusions (Alire)
Andre Jacques, La Tendresse du serpent (Québec Amerique)
Sylvain Meunier, L’Homme qui détestait le golf (La courte échelle)
Antoine Yaccarini, Meurtre au Soleil (VLB éditeur)

Best short story:
Pasha Malla, “Filmsong” in Toronto Noir (Akashic Books)
James Powell, “Clay Pillows” in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (June 2008)
Peter Robinson, “Walking the Dog” in Toronto Noir (Akashic Books)
Amelia Symington, “An Ill Wind” in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Sept./Oct. 2008)
Kris Wood, “Thinking Inside the Box” in Going Out with a Bang (RendezVous Crime)

Best non-fiction:
Daphne Bramham, The Secret Lives of Saints: Child Brides and Lost Boys in Canada’s Polygamous Mormon Sect (Vintage Canada/RHC)
Sharon Butala, The Girl in Saskatoon: A Meditation on Friendship, Memory and Murder (Phyllis Bruce Books/HarperCollins)
Alex Caine, Befriend and Betray: Infiltrating the Hells Angels, Bandidos and Other Criminal Brotherhoods (Vintage Canada/RHC)
Michael Calce & Craig Silverman, Mafiaboy: How I Cracked the Internet and Why It’s Still Broken (Penguin Canada)
Kerry Pither, Dark Days: The Story of Four Canadians Tortured in the Name of Fighting Terror (Penguin Canada)

Best unpublished novel:
Pam Barnsley, This Cage of Bones
Gloria Ferris, Cheat the Hangman
Stephen Maher, Salvage
Douglas A. Moles, Louder
Kevin Thornton, Condemned