Nominated for Award Archives

The Agatha Awards for 2022 Books

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The Agatha Awards are bestowed upon crime fiction and nonfiction works centered on the mystery to be solved, rather than the violence that surrounds the deeds. This year’s awards were handed out in person in late April, 2023, and are indicated in red.

Best Contemporary Novel
“Bayou Book Thief” by Ellen Byron
“Death By Bubble Tea” by Jennifer J. Chow
“Fatal Reunion” by Annette Dashofy
“Dead Man’s Leap” by Tina de Bellegarde
“A World of Curiosities” by Louise Penny

Best Historical Novel
“The Counterfeit Wife” by Mally Becker
“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Amanda Flower
“The Lindbergh Nanny” by Mariah Fredericks
“In Place of Fear” by Catriona McPherson
“Under a Veiled Moon” by Karen Odden

Best First Novel
“Cheddar Off Dead” by Korina Moss
“Death in the Aegean” by M. A. Monnin
“The Bangalore Detectives Club” by Harini Nagendra
“Devil’s Chew Toy” by Rob Osler
“The Finalist” by Joan Long
“The Gallery of Beauties” by Nina Wachsman

Best Short Story (Click on the blue titles to read the stories or find where to buy them)
“Beauty and the Beyotch” by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Magazine, Feb. 2022)
“There Comes a Time” by Cynthia Kuhn, Malice Domestic Murder Most Diabolical
“Fly Me to the Morgue” by Lisa Q Mathews, Malice Domestic Mystery Most Diabolical
“The Minnesota Twins Meet Bigfoot” by Richie Narvaez, Land of 10,000 Thrills
“The Invisible Band” by Art Taylor, Edgar & Shamus Go Golden

Best Children’s/YA Mystery
“Daybreak on Raven Island” by Fleur Bradley
“In Myrtle Peril” by Elizabeth C. Bunce
“#shedeservedit” by Greg Herren
“Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer” by Frances Schoonmaker
“Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade” by Nancy Springer

Books of Note – April 2023

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As many of you know, I’ve been side-lined quite a bit recently because of too much rain, pesky knees, and other boring stuff. Waiting rooms have frequently been places to catch up on that towering TBR pile, so here’s some of what I’ve enjoyed during April.

“The Plea” by Steve Cavanagh – Excellent legal thriller with a ‘no way he can win this’ case. Smart writing, clever solution.

“Apollo Murders” by Chris Hadfield- fantastic reimagining of Apollo space shuttle history. ‘What if?’ is explored in a page-turner from real life astronaut Hadfield with an entertaining look at the competition between Russia and the U.S. in the Space Race. Not sure if I could ever go into space after reading this one. Whew!

“Rum & Choke” by Sherry Harris – latest entry in Agatha nominated Seaglass Saloon series. Chloe Jackson, a librarian from Chicago, inherits part ownership of a bar in Florida. She’s an unexpected heroine who didn’t anticipate she would love the life at the beach, while solving a murder or two. She’s a runner, can sail, and has a soft spot for a hunky local. Great series.

“Portrait of a Thief” by Grace D. Li – terrific art heist book dealing wonderfully with Chinese influences and national art crimes. Debut novel, nominated for multiple awards, also explores revealing character studies of the participants who seem to be in it only for the thrills.

“No Time for Murder” by Bruce W. Most – busy guy helps out a persistent politician neighbor (wife of a recently deceased friend) just so he can get her off his back and meet his writing deadline. This obsessive list-maker uncovers things he would never have guessed about the couple and exposes the chinks in his own marriage, while solving a suspicious death.

“Muddled Through” by Barb Ross – book #9 in Award winning Maine Clambake Mysteries – Page turner featuring Julia Snowden that has me counting the weeks until book #10. Get the whole series!

“Rising Tiger” by Brad Thor – American Scot Harvath adventure – based in India, revealing cultural and law enforcement differences between two countries. Harvath must work within those confines to discover who killed a valued friend and colleague.

More notes coming soon. Happy Reading!

2023 Edgar Awards

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Mystery Writers of America announced the nominees for the 2023 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2022. Awards were given in person on April 27, 2023, in New York City. The winners are indicated in red.

BEST NOVEL
Devil House by John Darnielle
Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett
Gangland by Chuck Hogan
The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
The Maid by Nita Prose

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Jackal by Erin E. Adams
Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor
Shutter by Ramona Emerson
More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez
Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Quarry’s Blood by Max Allan Collins
On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
Or Else by Joe Hart
Cleopatra’s Dagger by Carole Lawrence
A Familiar Stranger by A.R. Torre

BEST FACT CRIME
Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale
Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse
Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders by Kathryn Miles
American Caliph: The True Story of a Muslim Mystic, a Hollywood Epic, and the 1977 Siege of Washington, D.C. by Shahan Mufti
American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
“One Mighty and Strong” – Under the Banner of Heaven, Written by Brandon Boyce (Hulu)
“Episode 1” – Magpie Murders, Written by Anthony Horowitz (Masterpiece/PBS)
“Episode 1″ – Karen Pirie, Written by Emer Kenny (BritBox)
“When Harry Met Fergus” – Harry Wild, Written by David Logan (Acorn TV)
“The Reagan Way” – Blue Bloods, Written by Siobhan Byrne O’Connor (CBS)
“Eighteen Wheels A Predator” – Law & Order: SVU, Written by Brianna Yellen & Monet Hurst-Mendoza (NBC Universal)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
The Disinvited Guest by Carol Goodman
A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers
Never Name the Dead by D.M. Rowell

THE G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS SUE GRAFTON MEMORIAL AWARD
Secret Lives by Mark de Castrique
An Unforgiving Place by Claire Kells
Hideout by Louisa Luna
Behind the Lie by Emilya Naymark
Secrets Typed in Blood by Stephen Spotswood

THE LILIAN JACKSON BRAUN MEMORIAL AWARD
The Shadow of Memory by Connie Berry
Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry
Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette
Desert Getaway by Michael Craft
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Nominees for Best Juvenile, Best Critical/Biographical, Best Short Story can be found on the Edgar website: Edgarawards.com

2023 CrimeFest Awards

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CrimeFest celebrates the best of crime fiction first published in the UK. In general, the titles are sent in by the publishers for consideration, then read and reduced to the list of finalists you see below. A group of British crime fiction reviewers selects both the finalists and the winners. The awards will be presented on May 13. All category winners will receive a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award.

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award

A Good Day to Die, by Amen Alonge
Bad for Good, by Graham Bartlett
The Maid, by Nita Prose
Ashes in the Snow, by Oriana Rammuno, translated by Katherine Gregor
Kalmann, by Joachim B. Schmidt, translated by Jamie Lee Searle
Dirt Town, by Hayley Scrivenor
The Siege, by John Sutherland
A Flicker in the Dark, by Stacy Willingham

eDunnit Award

The Cliff House, by Chris Brookmyre
Desert Star, by Michael Connelly
The Botanist, by M.W. Craven
The Book of the Most Precious Substance, by Sara Gran
A Heart Full of Headstones, by Ian Rankin
Nine Lives, by Peter Swanson

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

Bryant & May’s Peculiar London, by Christopher Fowler
The Locked Room, by Elly Griffiths
Bad Actors, by Mick Herron
Hope to Die, by Cara Hunter
Mr. Campion’s Mosaic, by Mike Ripley
The Moose Paradox, by Antti Tuomainen

Congratulations to all the nominees!

2023 Left Coast Crime Awards (the Lefties)

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Left Coast Crime 2023 presented four Lefty Awards at the convention in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday, March 18, 2023. To be eligible, titles must have been published for the first time in the US or Canada during 2022, in book or ebook format. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners (indicated in bold)!

Best Humorous Mystery Novel
°	Ellen Byron, Bayou Book Thief
°	Jennifer J. Chow, Death by Bubble Tea
°	A.J. Devlin, Five Moves of Doom
°	T.G. Herren, A Streetcar Named Murder
°	Catriona McPherson, Scot in a Trap

Best Historical Mystery Novel (events before 1970)
°	Dianne Freeman, A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder
°	Catriona McPherson, In Place of Fear
°	Wanda M. Morris, Anywhere You Run
°	Karen Odden, Under a Veiled Moon
°	Ann Parker, The Secret in the Wall
°	Iona Whishaw, Framed in Fire

Best Debut Mystery Novel
°	Erin E. Adams, Jackal
°	Eli Cranor, Don’t Know Tough
°	Ramona Emerson, Shutter
°	Meredith Hambrock, Other People’s Secrets
°	Harini Nagendra, The Bangalore Detectives Club
°	Rob Osler, Devil’s Chew Toy
°	Jane Pek, The Verifiers

Best Mystery Novel
°	Kellye Garrett, Like a Sister
°	Laurie R. King, Back to the Garden
°	James L’Etoile, Dead Drop
°	Gigi Pandian, Under Lock & Skeleton Key
°	Louise Penny, A World of Curiosities
°	Alex Segura, Secret Identity

2023 Valentine’s Day Mysteries and Fiction

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Are you a fan of holiday themed reading? Published between 2016 and 2023, here is an updated list of thirty-one novels, novellas, and short stories centered around Valentine’s Day. Be prepared to sigh, or giggle, or be entranced by the selection. Click on the titles to discover more about the books and enjoy!

Jennifer S. Alderson Death by Baguette

Carolyn Arnold Valentine’s Day is Murder

Belle Bailey A Sugar Maple Valentine

Patti Benning Tall, Dark, and Deadly

Bellamy Bloom & Addison Moore Murder Bites

Franky A. Brown What Happened to Romance?

Susan Carroll The Valentine’s Day Ball

Cherry Christensen Secret Valentine

Colleen Cross Witching for Love on Valentine’s Day

Sylvia Damsell A Valentine Wish

Steve Demaree A Valentine Murder

Liz Dodwell Valentine’s Day: a Polly Parrett Pet-Sitter Cozy

Jessica L. Elliott Operation: Romance

Tammy Falkner A Valentine’s Day Miracle

Amanda Flower Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous

Deborah Garner A Flair for Truffles

Patricia Gligor Marnie Malone

Donna Grant My Fiery Valentine

Holly Hepburn Valentine’s Day at the Star and Sixpence

Liwen Y. Ho Romantically Ever After

June McCrary Jacobs Handmade Hearts

Libby Klein Theater Nights Are Murder

Jackie Lau A Big Surprise for Valentine’s Day

Lia London Love from A to Z

Ava Mallory & nine more authors Stirring Up Love & Mystery

Jenn McKinlay Royal Valentine

Leslie Meier Valentine Candy Murder

Mobile Writers Guild Valentine’s Day Pieces (Anthology)

Addison Moore & Bellamy Bloom Sealed with a Hiss

Summer Prescott A Blossom of Murder

Amy M. Reade Be My Valencrime

Happy Reading!

Book List: Lynn Chandler Willis

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Have you read all of Lynn Chandler Willis’ books? Are you sure? Read on and click on the links to find out more about her terrific work.

North Carolina author, Lynn Chandler Willis, has been a professional in the writing business for quite a while, first as a newspaper owner/publisher/reporter. During that experience, she developed a keen eye for detail and for what makes people tick. She could sniff out a great story and her first book dealt with the real-life murder of the wife of a preacher’s son, committed by the preacher’s son himself in small town North Carolina. Willis attended the trial every day and did meticulous research into everything that surrounded that case. Twenty years later, the book is still being sold, a rarity in the publishing world. That book is “Unholy Covenant” (also known as “The Preacher’s Son”) and was the subject of a TV documentary about the case.

“The Rising” won a Grace Award (review here)

“Wink of an Eye” A private investigator tries to lay low in Texas and still gets involved in a case. (review here) It won Minotaur’s PWA Best First Private Eye novel competition. Well deserved!

The Ava Logan Series is a romantic suspense trilogy featuring newspaper publisher/reporter Ava Logan.

“Tell Me No Lies” is the first in the series (review here)

“Tell Me No Secrets”

“Tell Me You Love Me” third book in the Ava Logan trilogy (review here)

Periodically, Nightstand Book Reviews has a crossover post with www.kerriansnotebook.com. Ava Logan was a Visiting Detective with “Crime in Appalachia.” Take a look here.

New Series: January, 2023, brings us the highly anticipated “What the Monkey Saw.” I read it and can tell you it’s got a fantastic lead character, and taut action scenes. You’ll feel like you’re right in the middle of the fray! You can order it here.

The Second New Series: Introducing Raynor Beck, a detective who operates on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Coming in May 2023, The Devil to Pay: Raynor Beck, Book 1.

The setup: “Private Investigator Raynor Beck has been hired by the victim of a crime more than once. But he’s never been hired by a murder victim. Until now.”

How long is it until May? 🙂

Please visit www.lynnchandlerwillis.com for details about Ms. Willis’ appearances as well as news about Finn and the events in her life.

Facebook Author Page

*Book Covers and banner from Ms. Willis’ website and Facebook page.