Thriller

2022 ThrillerFest Awards

2 Comments / Adventure, Bestselling Author, Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Nominated for Award, Suspense, Thriller

Thriller writers bring us thrills and chills and keep us awake long into the wee hours of the morning. We love those stay-awake reads! Check out the 2022 International Thriller Writer ThrillerFest Awards finalists and winners (indicated in red). Congratulations to all!

 
BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL
 Megan Abbott – THE TURNOUT
S. A. Cosby – RAZORBLADE TEARS
Alice Feeney – ROCK PAPER SCISSORS
Rachel Howzell Hall – THESE TOXIC THINGS
Alma Katsu – RED WIDOW
Eric Rickstad – I AM NOT WHO YOU THINK I AM

 

BEST AUDIOBOOK
 S. A. Cosby – RAZORBLADE TEARS (Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White)
Samantha Downing – SLEEPING DOG LIE (Narrated by Melanie Nicholls-King and Lindsey Dorcus)
Rachel Howzell Hall – HOW IT ENDS (Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt)
Gregg Hurwitz – PRODIGAL SON (Narrated by Scott Brick)
Nadine Matheson – THE JIGSAW MAN (Narrated by Davine Henry)

 

BEST FIRST NOVEL
 Abigail Dean – GIRL A
Eloísa Díaz – REPENTANCE
Amanda Jayatissa – MY SWEET GIRL
David McCloskey – DAMASCUS STATION
Eric Redman – BONES OF HILO

 
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL
 Joy Castro – FLIGHT RISK
Aaron Philip Clark – UNDER COLOR OF LAW
C. J. Cooke – THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES
Jess Lourey – BLOODLINE
Terry Roberts – MY MISTRESS’ EYES ARE RAVEN BLACK

  
BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL
Greig Beck – THE DARK SIDE: ALEX HUNTER 9
John Connell – WHERE THE WICKED TREAD
Wendy Dranfield – LITTLE GIRL TAKEN
E.J. Findorff – BLOOD PARISH
S. E. Green – MOTHER MAY I
Andrew Kaplan – BLUE MADAGASCAR
Karin Nordin – LAST ONE ALIVE

 

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2022 – CrimeFest

Leave a Comment / Bestselling Author, Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Fiction, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Readers Under 12, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult/Teen

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 2022 in-person convention was held May 12-15, 2022, in Bristol. The awards for titles published in 2021 were announced at the Gala that weekend. Each winner received a commemorative Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award. Some winning authors also received one thousand pounds. The winners are indicated in red.

Specsavers Crime Fiction Debut Award nominees:
– Abigail Dean for Girl A 
– Janice Hallett for The Appeal 
– Saima Mir for The Khan 
– Rahul Raina for How to Kidnap the Rich 
– Lara Thompson for One Night, New York
– David Heska Wanbli Weiden for Winter Counts

 

AUDIBLE SOUNDS OF CRIME AWARD
The Audible Sounds of Crime Award is for the best unabridged crime audiobook first published in the United Kingdom in 2021 in both printed and audio formats. The winning author and audiobook reader(s) share the £1,000 prize equally.

– Lee and Andrew Child for Better Off Dead, reader Jeff Harding
– Abigail Dean for Girl A, reader Holliday Grainger
– Paula Hawkins for Slow Fire Burning, reader Rosamund Pike
– Lisa Jewell for The Night She Disappeared, reader Joanna Froggatt
– Liane Moriarty  for Apples Never Fall, reader Caroline Lee
– Richard Osman for The Man Who Died Twice, reader Lesley Manville
– K.L. Slater for The Marriage, reader Lucy Price-Lewis
– Karin Slaughter for False Witness, reader Kathleen Early

 

eDUNNIT AWARD
The eDunnit Award is for the best crime fiction ebook first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format in the United Kingdom in 2021.

– Megan Abbott for The Turnout
– Gianrico Carofiglio for The Measure of Time
– Michael Connelly for The Dark Hours
– Abigail Dean for Girl A
– Cath Staincliffe for Running Out of Road
– Andrew Taylor for The Royal Secret


LAST LAUGH AWARD
The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel first published in the United Kingdom in 2021.

– Simon Brett for An Untidy Death
– Andrea Camilleri for Riccardino
– Christopher Fowler for Bryant & May: London Bridge is Falling Down
– Janice Hallett for The Appeal
– Mick Herron for Slough House
– Antti Tuomainen for The Rabbit Factor


Best Crime Novel for Children (ages 8-12):
– Frank Cottrell-Boyce for Noah’s Gold
– Maz Evans for VI Spy: Licence to Chill
– Anthony Horowitz for Nightshade
– Anthony Kessel for The Five Clues
– Jennifer Killick for Crater Lake Evolution
– M.G. Leonard for Twitch
– Alexandra Page (illustrator: Penny Neville-Lee) for Wishyouwas
– Ella Risbridger for The Secret Detectives


Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (ages 12-16):
– Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for Ace of Spades
– Angeline Boulley for Firekeeper’s Daughter
– Andreina Cordani for The Girl Who…
– William Hussey for The Outrage
– Holly Jackson for As Good As Dead
– Patrice Lawrence for Splinters of Sunshine
– Jonathan Stroud for The Outlaws of Scarlett & Browne
– C.L. Taylor for The Island

 

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!                

 

2022 – CrimeFest Read More »

2021 Barnes & Noble Best Genre Books of the Year

Leave a Comment / Award Winner, Bestselling Author, Book List, Cookbooks, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, General, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Romance, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult/Teen

I’ve been told that the B&N editorial staff reads a lot of books during the year in various genres, then chooses from among those books to select their favorites of the year. The official quote from Barnes & Noble defines the ‘best books’ lists as stories that stay with us long after we finish them, and the ones we re-read again and again and pass on to friends. I would definitely agree with that definition. See if you agree with their choices in a range of genres and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Happy Reading!

 

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

“Child of Light” by Terry Brooks

“Leviathan Falls” by James S.A. Corey

“Under the Whispering Door” by T.J. Klune

“A Marvelous Light” by Freya Marske

“The Last Graduate” by Naomi Novik

“ExtraOrdinary” by V.E. Schwab

“Lore Olympus: Volume One”  by Rachel Smythe

“Lesser Evil – Star Wars Thrawn Ascendancy” by Timothy Zahn

 

Mystery/Thrillers

“While Justice Sleeps” by Stacey Abrams

“The Heron’s Cry” by Ann Cleeves

“Mrs. March” by Virginia Feito

“Clark and Division” by Naomi Hirahara

“The Guilt Trip” by Sandie Jones

“Silverview” by John Le Carre

“The Maidens” by Alex Michaelides

“The Man Who Died Twice” by Richard Osman

“The Madness of Crowds” by Louise Penny

“False Witness” by Karin Slaughter

 

Best YA

“Ace of Spades” by Faridah Abike-lyimide

“Realm Breaker” by Victoria Aveyard

“Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley

“Lore” by Alexandra Bracken

“Blackout” by Dhonielle Clayton

“Small Favors” by Erin A. Craig

“Once Upon A Broken Heart” by Stephanie Garber

“Defy the Night” by Brigid Kemmerer

“The Lake” by Natasha Preston

“Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World” by Benjamin Alire Saenz

 

 Best Fiction

“Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr

“The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich

“The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller

“Greek Myths: A New Retelling” by Charlotte Higgins

“Fault Lines” by Emily Itami

“The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner

“Bewilderment” by Richard Powers

“Beautiful World, Where Are You?” by Sally Rooney

“The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles

“Harlem Shuffle” by Colson Whitehead

 

Best Romance

“While We Were Dating” by Jasmine Guillory

“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry

“Fifty Shades Freed” by E. L. James

“The Soulmate Equation” by Christina Lauren

“It’s Better This Way” by Debbie Macomber

“One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston

“The Lady Has A Past” by Amanda Quick

“Neon Gods” by Katee Robert

“Legacy” by Nora Roberts

“Lover Unveiled” by J.R. Ward

 

Best Cookbooks

“Death & Co: Welcome Home” by Alex Day

“Pizza Czar” by Anthony Falco

“Nadiya Bakes” by Nadiya Hussain

“Mother Grains” by Roxana Jullapat

“Maman: the Cookbook” by Elisa Marshall

“Burnt Toast and Other Disasters” by Cal Peternell

“Vegetable Simple” by Eric Ripert

“Rodney’s World of BBQ” by Rodney Scott

“Cook Real Hawai’I” by Sheldon Simeon

“The Japanese Art of the Cocktail” by Masahiro Urushido

 

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Bloody Scotland Crime Book of the Year 2021 – McIlvanney Prize

2 Comments / Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Suspense, Thriller

Bloody Scotland Debut Prize for Crime Novel of the Year:

In 2019, Bloody Scotland introduced a new prize, the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year. To qualify for the award, the book must either be written by an author that was born or lives there, or is set in Scotland. The winner is awarded a cheque of £500 and a trophy sponsored by Glencairn Glass.

Introducing this year’s exciting finalists, with the winner indicated in red:

The Silent Daughter by Emma Christie

No Harm Done by Alistair Liddle

Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison

Waking the Tiger by Mark Wightman

 

The McIlvanney Prize is Bloody Scotland’s annual prize awarded to the Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year. As with the Debut novel award, authors must either be born or have lived in Scotland, and their book must be set in Scotland. The winner of The McIlvanney Prize will receive £1,000 and a Glencairn trophy.

Here are the finalists, with the winner indicated in red:

The Silent Daughter, Emma Christie

The Coffinmaker’s Garden, Stuart MacBride

Edge of the Grave, Robbie Morrison

The April Dead, Alan Parks

Hyde, Craig Russell

Congratulations to all!

 

 

 

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2021 Anthony Awards

Leave a Comment / Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Non-fiction, Short Stories/Collection, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult/Teen

Bouchercon is an annual conference named after Anthony Boucher, a mystery author and critic who helped found the Mystery Writers of America. This event honors various segments of the mystery and crime fiction community. Take a look at the nominees and the winners for the coveted Anthony Awards. The winners (indicated in red) were announced during virtual BoucherCon in August.

Best Hardcover Novel

  • What You Don’t See – Tracy Clark
  • Blacktop Wasteland – S.A. Cosby
  • Little Secrets – Jennifer Hillier
  • And Now She’s Gone – Rachel Howzell Hall
  • The First to Lie – Hank Phillippi Ryan
     

Best First Novel

  • Derailed – Mary Keliikoa
  • Murder in Old Bombay – Nev March
  • Murder at the Mena House – Erica Ruth Neubauer
  • The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman
  • Winter Counts – David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Best Paperback Original/E-Book/Audiobook Original Novel

  • ​The Fate of a Flapper – Susanna Calkins
  • When No One is Watching – Alyssa Cole
  • Unspeakable Things – Jess Lourey
  • The Lucky One – Lori Rader-Day
  • Dirty Old Town – Gabriel Valjan

Best Short Story

  • “Dear Emily Etiquette” – Barb Goffman – EQMM – Dell Magazines
  • “90 Miles” – Alex Segura – Both Sides: Stories From the Border – Agora Books
  • “The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74” – Art Taylor – AHMM (Jan-Feb) – Dell Magazines
  • “Elysian Fields” – Gabriel Valjan – California Schemin’ – Wildside Press
  • “The Twenty-Five Year Engagement” – James W. Ziskin – In League with Sherlock Holmes – Pegasus Crime

Best Juvenile/Young Adult

  • Midnight at the Barclay Hotel – Fleur Bradley
  • Premeditated Myrtle – Elizabeth C. Bunce
  • From the Desk of Zoe Washington – Janae Marks
  • Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco – Richie Narvaez
  • Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall – Alex Segura

Best Anthology or Collection

  • Shattering Glass: A Nasty Woman Press Anthology – Heather Graham, ed.
  • Both Sides: Stories from the Border – Gabino Iglesias, ed.
  • Noiryorican – Richie Narvaez
  • The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell – Josh Pachter, ed.
  • California Schemin’ – Art Taylor. ed.
  • Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic – Nick Kolakowski and Steve Weddle, eds.

 

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

 

 

2021 Anthony Awards Read More »

2021 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awards

1 Comment / Adventure, Award Winner, Crime, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery, Non-fiction, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Short Stories/Collection, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult/Teen

From the Killer Nashville site: “We believe all engaging stories have three elements: mystery, thriller, and suspense. Since 2008, the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awards have recognized the best stories from the previous year told through various media utilizing the elements of mystery, thriller, and/or suspense. Judges are professional writers, book reviewers, librarians, academics, and—in specialized cases—specific industry peers. Focus is on quality, not popularity.”

 

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

 

BEST ACTION ADVENTURE   The Crow’s Nest / Richard Meredith

BEST COMEDY   Con Me Once / J. L. Delozier

BEST COZY   Rose by Any Other Name / Becki Willis

BEST HISTORICAL   The Lost Wisdom of the Magi / Susie Helme

BEST INVESTIGATOR    Within Plain Sight / Bruce Robert Coffin

BEST JUVENILE / Y.A.   Irish Town / Matthew John Meagher

BEST MYSTERY   Code Gray / Benny Sims

BEST NONFICTION   Words Whispered in Water / Sandy Rosenthal

BEST SCI-FI / FANTASY   Odyssey Tale / Cody Schlegel

BEST SHORT STORY COLLECTION   Couch Detective Book 2 / James Glass

BEST SUPERNATURAL   Borrowed Memories / Christine Mager Wevik

BEST SUSPENSE   Ring of Conspiracy / J. Robert Kinney

BEST THRILLER   The Divine Devils / R. Weir

 

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Barry Awards (Crime Fiction) – 2021

Bestselling Author, Book List, Crime, Debut Author, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Thriller

Established in 1997, the Barry Awards are usually presented at the annual Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, this year to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. But alas, Covid struck again and the conference was cancelled. In light of the cancellation, the winners of the Barry Awards-2021 were  announced earlier today and are indicated in red. Voted on by readers of the Deadly Pleasures mystery magazine, the award was named in honor of Barry Gardner, an American critic and lover of great crime fiction.


Best Novel
THE BOY FROM THE WOODS, Harlan Coben
THE LAW OF INNOCENCE, Michael Connelly
BLACKTOP WASTELAND, S. A. Cosby
AND NOW SHE’S GONE, Rachel Howzell Hall
MOONFLOWER MURDERS, Anthony Horowitz
ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE, Louise Penny


Best First Novel
DEEP STATE, Chris Hauty
MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY by Nev March
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB, Richard Osman
THE EIGHTH DETECTIVE, Alex Pavesi
WINTER COUNTS, David Heska Wanbli Weiden
DARLING ROSE GOLD, Stephanie Wrobel


Best Paperback Original
WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING, Alyssa Cole
MONGKOK STATION, Jake Needham
HIDE AWAY, Jason Pinter
BAD NEWS TRAVELS FAST, James Swain
DARKNESS FOR LIGHT, Emma Viskic
TURN TO STONE, James W. Ziskin


Best Thriller
DOUBLE AGENT, Tom Bradby
BLIND VIGIL, Matt Coyle
ONE MINUTE OUT, Mark Greaney
THE LAST HUNT, Deon Meyer
EDDIE’S BOY, Thomas Perry
THE WILD ONE, Nick Petrie

 

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!  🙂

 

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