2025 AGATHA AWARD NOMINEES
Malice Domestic has announced the nominees for the 2025 Agatha Awards as follows:

Best Contemporary Novel: (5)
A COLLECTION OF LIES, by Connie Berry (Crooked Lane Books)
A MIDNIGHT PUZZLE, by Gigi Pandian (Minotaur Books)
A VERY WOODSY MURDER, by Ellen Byron (Kinsington Cozies)
FONDUE OR DIE, by Korina Moss (St. Martin's Paperbacks)
THE DARK WIVES, by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur Books)

Best Historical Novel:
HALL OF MIRRORS, by John Copenhaver (Pegasus Crime)
THE LAST HOPE, by Susan Elia MacNeal (Bantam Books)
THE PARIS MISTRESS, by Mally Becker (Level Best - Historia)
THE WHARTON PLOT, by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur Books)
TO SLIP THE BONDS OF EARTH, by Amanda Flower (Kensington Publishing)

Best First Novel: (5)
A DEADLY ENDEAVOR by Jenny Adams (Crooked Lane Books)
GHOSTS OF WAIKIKI, by Jennifer K. Morita (Crooked Lane Books)
HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES, by Elizabeth Crowens (Level Best - Historia)
THREADS OF DECEPTION, by Elle Jauffret (Level Best Books)
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID, by K.T. Nguyen (Dutton)

Best Short Story: (5)
"A MATTER OF TRUST," by Barb Goffman (in Three Strikes--You're Dead, edited by Donna Andrews, Barb Goffman and Marcia Talley; Wildside Press)
"REYNISFJARA," by Kristopher Zgorski (in Mystery Most International, edited by Rita Owen, Verena Rose and Shawn Reilly Simmons; Level Short)
"SATAN'S SPIT," by Gabriel Valjan (Tales of Music, Murder and Mayhem: Bouchercon 2024 (edited by Heather Graham, Down & Out Books)
"SINS OF THE FATHER," by Kerry Hammond (Mystery Most International, edited by Rita Owen, Verena Rose and Shawn Reilly Simmons; Level Short)
"THE POSTMAN ALWAYS FLIRTS TWICE," by Barb Goffman (Agatha and Derringer Get Cozy, edited by Gay Toltl Kinman and Andrew McAleer; Down & Out Books)

Best Mystery Nonfiction: (5)
ABINGDON'S BOARDINGHOUSE MURDER, by Greg Lilly (History Press)
AGATHA CHRISTIE, MARPLE: EXPERT ON WICKEDNESS, by Mark Aldridge (HarperCollins)
SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE MURDERERS: CRITIQUING THE COLUMBO KILLERS, by Chris Chan (Level Best Books KIndle)
THE BOOKSHOP: A HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN BOOKSTORE, by Evan Friss (Viking)
WRITING THE COZY MYSTERY: AUTHORS' PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR CRAFT, Edited by Phyllis M. Betz (McFarland)

Best Children's/Young Adult Mystey Novel: (5)
FIRST WEEK FREE AT THE ROOMY TOILET, by Josh Pachter (Level Elevate)
SASQUATCH OF HARRIMAN LAKE, by K.B. Jackson (Reycraft Books)
SID JOHNSON & THE WELL-INTENDED CONSPIRACY, by Frances Schoonmaker (Auctus Publishers)
THE BIG GREY MAN OF BEN MACDHUI, by K.B. Jackson (Reycraft Books)
THE SHERLOCK SOCIETY ,by James Ponti (Aladdin)

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient:
Donna Andrews

Poirot Award Recipient:
Lucy Worsley (not attending)

The winners will be announced on Saturday, April 26 at the Malice Banquet during Malice Domestic to be held from April 25 through 27 in Bethesda, Maryland.

---

BACK TO HOMEPAGE