2026 AGATHA AWARD NOMINEES
Malice Domestic has announced the nominees for the 2026 Agatha Awards as follows:

Best Contemporary Mystery Novel: (5)
A GRAVE DECEPTION, by Connie Berry (Crooked Lane)
AT DEATH'S DOUGH, by MIndy Quigley (Minotaur)
MURDER IN FIFTH POSITION, by Lori Robbins (Level Best Books)
THE DEVIL COMES CALLING, by Annette Dashofy (One More Chapter)
WATERS OF DESTRUCTION, by Leslie Karst (Severn House)

Best Historical Mystery Novel: (5)
BYE BYE BLACKBIRD, by Elizabeth Crowens (Level Best)
THE GIRL IN THE GREEN DRESS, by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur)
MURDER AT THE MOULIN ROUGE, by Carol Pouliot (Level Best)
THE CASE OF THE CHIRISTIE CONSPIRACY, by Kelly Oliver (Boldwood Books)
THE HINDENBURG SPY, by L.A. Chandlar (Oliver Heber Publishers)

Best Non-Fiction: (4)
BONEY VALLEY, by Gilbert King (Flatiron Books)
STORY OF A MURDER: THE WIVES, THE MISTRESS, AND DR. CRIPPEN, by Hallie Rubenhold (Dutton)
THE SINNERS ALL BOW: TWO AUTHORS, ONE MURDER, AND THE REAL HESTER PRYNNE, by Kate Winkler Dawson (Putnam)
VACATIONS CAN BE MURDER: A TRUE CRIME LOVER'S TRAVEL GUIDE TO NEW ENGLAND, by Dawn M. Barclay (Level Best)

Best First Mystery Novel: (5)
MURDER IN THE CRAZY MOUNTAINs, K.L. Borges (Epicenter Press)
PLAYER ELIMINATION, by Shelly Jones (Tule Press)
SAVVY SUMMERSA DN THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES, by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (Minotaur)
VOICES OF THE ELYSIAN FIELDS, by Michael Rigg (Level Best)
WHISKEY BUSINESS , by Adrian Andover (Chesnut Avenue Press)

Best Children's/Young Adult Mystey Novel: (5)
DEATH IN THE CARDS, by Mia P. Manansala (Delacorte Books)
MISSING MOM, by Lynn Slaughter (Fire and Ice)
RISKY PURSUIT, by Nancy G. West (Fire and Ice)
RUFUS AND THE DARK SIDE OF MAGIC, by Marilyn Levinson (Level Best)
HURRICANE HEIST, by James Ponti (Aladin Books)

Best Short Story: (5)
"Baby Love," by Barb Goffman (in DOUBLE CROSSING VAN DINE ANTHOLOGY; Crippen and Landru)
"Boss Cat Rules," by Nikki Knight (in MALICE DOMESTIC MYSTERY MOST HUMOROUS; Wildside Press)
"Lola's Last Dance," by Kerry Hammond (in CELLULOID CRIMES; Level Best)
"Six-Armed Robbery," by Ashley-Ruth Bernier (in MALICE DOMESTIC MYSTERY MOST HUMOROUS; Wildside Press)
"When the Iron Is Hot," by Maddie Day (in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, March/April 2025)

Lifetime Achievment Recipient: Jacqueline Winspear

Poirot Award Recipient: Jim Huang

The winners will be announced on Saturday, April 25 at the Malice Banquet during Malice Domestic 38 to be held in Bethesda, Maryland.

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