CyberGumshoe's Mumblings in May/June 2023
Samantha Jayne Allen Wins Hammett
The International Association of Crime Writers/North America (IACW/NA) announced that PAY DIRT ROAD, by Samantha Jayne Allen (Minotaur) is the winner for the 2023 Hammett Prize as the best book published in 2022 for literary excellence in crime writing.
The Hammett Prize winning novel, introducing Texas private investigator Annie McIntyre, is the winner for the 2019 Tony HIllerman Prize, and has been nominated for the 2023 Shamus Award in the first P.I. novel category.
The other four nominees are: OPPERHEAD ROAD, by Brad Smith (At Bay Press, Winnipeg); GANGLAND, by Chuck Hogan (Grand Central); DON'T KNOW TOUGH, by Eli Cranors (Soho Crime); WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS, by Lisa Scottoline (Putnam)
The location of the presentation of the 2023 Hammett Prize will be announced soon. (June 25, 2023)
Carol Higgins Clark Dies
Carol HIggins Clark died of apendix cancer on June 12 in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. She may be mostly known as a daughter of Mary Higgins Clark, a best-selling suspense writer. She was aspiring to be an actress but when she was back home for the summer from her college in 1975, she helped her mother hand in her mother's second suspense novel, A STRANGER IS WATCHING (1977), to her agent in time by retyping the manuscript. Since then, Carol became Mary's researcher and sounding board and learned how to write mystery fiction. Her first suspense novel, DECKED (Warner, 1992), introduced Regan Reilly, a private investigator based in Los Angeles, and got nominated for an Agatha and Anthony Awards in the first novel category. Carol followed it with 15 more Reilly novels, ending with GYPPED (Scribner, 2012; retitled SCAMMED in paperback edition). She also wrote four Christmas novels with her mother such as DECK THE HALLS (Simon & Schuster, 2000), featuring Regan Reilly and Alvirah Meehan, series characters created by Carol and Mary respectively. She was 66. (June 18, 2023)
McIlvanney Prize Longlist Announced
Bloody Scotland 2023 announced the shortlist for its Debut Crime Book Prize and the longlist for its McIlvanney Prize.
The 12 longlistees for the 2023 McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year are as follows:
RITUAL OF FIRE, by D.V. Bishop (Macmillan)
THE THINGS WE DO TO OUR FIRENDS, by Heather Darwent (Penguin)
THE MAIDEN, by Kate Foster (Mantle)
PENITENT, by Mark Leggatt (Fledgling Press)
THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS, by S.G. Maclean (Quercus)
SQUEAKY CLEAN, by Callum McSorley (Pushkin)
1989, by Val McDermid (Little, Brown)
THE SECON MURDERER, by Denise Mina (Vintage)
CAST A ACOLD EYE, by Robbie Morrison (Macmillan)
A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONE, byIan Rankin (Orion)
THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND, by Craig Russell (Little, Brown)
AN HONOURABLE THIEF, by Douglas Skelton (Canelo)
The 5 shortlistees for the 2023 Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Book Prize are as follows:
UNSOLVED, by Heather Critchlow (Canelo)
THE THINGS WE DO TO OUR FRIENDS, by Heather Darwent (Penguin)
THE MAIDEN, by Kate Foster (Mantle)
SQUEAKY CLEAN, by Callum McSorley (Pushkin)
THE UNFORGIVEN DEAD, by Fulton Ross (Inkshares)
The shortlist for the McIlvanney Prize will be announced in August and the winners of the both prizes will be announced on Friday September 15. (June 17, 2023)
2023 Theakston Crime Award Shortlist Announced
Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival announced the shortlist for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2023 as follows:
THE BOTANIST, by M.W. Craven (Little, Brown/Constable)
IN THE DARK, by Fiona Cummins (Macmillan/Pan)
THE LOCKED ROOM, by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
BLACK HEARTS, by Doug Johnstone (Orenda Books)
WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME, by Gillian McAllister (Penguin Random House/Michael Joseph)
THE IT GIRL, by Ruth Ware (Simon & Schuster)
The Theakston Crime Award is run by Harrogate International Festivals, and is open to full length cime novels published in paperback from May 01, 2022 to April 30, 2023 by UK and Irish authors. The winner will be announced on Thursday July 20. (June 15, 2023)
PWA Shamus Award Nominees Announced
The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) announced the nominees for the 2023 Shamus Awards. The nominees in the best PI hardcover category are as follows:
THE WHEEL OF DOLL, by Jonathan Ames (Mulholland Books), featuring Happy Doll
THE BIG BUNDLE, by Max Allan Collins (Hard Case Crime), featuring Nate Heller
THE GOODBYE COAST, by Joe Ide (Mulholland Books), featuring Philip Marlowe
HOLMES COMING, by Kenneth Johnson (Blackstone Publishing), featuring Sherlock Holmes
THE BLACKMAIL, by M. Ravenel (Chikara Press), featuring Tootsie Carter
To see the nominees in all the categories, click here. The winners will be announced on Friday, September 01 near the Bouchercon convention hotel in San Diego, California. (June 14, 2023)
Strand Critics Award Nominees Announced
The Strand Magazine announced the nominees for the 2023 Strand Magazine Critics Awards as follows:
Best Novel category:
ANYWHERE YOU RUN, by Wanda M. Morris (Morrow)
BACK TO THE GARDEN, by Laurie R. King (Bantam)
DESERT STAR, by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown)
HER LAST AFFAIR, by John Searles (Mariner)
A WORLD OF CURIOSITIES, by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
SECRET IDENTITY, by Alex Segura (Flatiron)
Best Dubut category:
JACKAL, by Erin E. Adams (Bantam)
A FLICKER IN THE DARK, by Stacy Willingham (Minotaur)
BEFORE YOU KNOW MY NAME, by Jacqueline Bublitz (Atria/Emily Bestler)
DONT KNOW TOUGH, by Eli Cranor (Soho Crime)
SHUTTER, by Ramona Emerson (Soho Crime)
TWO Strand Lifetime Achievement Awards Recipients:
James Lee Burke and
Lee Child
Strand Publisher of the Year Recipient:
Dan Smetanka, Vice President and Editorial Chief of Counterpoint Press
The winners will be announced virtually in September. (June 08, 2023)
Catriona Ward Wins Thriller
The International Thriller Writers (ITW) announced the winners for the 2023 Thriller Awards as follows:
Best Hardcover Novel: SUNDIAL, by Catriona Ward (Macmillan)
Best Audiobook: THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK, by Jennifer Hillier; Narrated by Carla Vega (Macmillan Audio)
Best First Novel: THE RESEMBLANCE, by Lauren Nossett (Flatiron Books)
Best Paperback Original Novel: THE HOUSEMAID, by Freida McFadden (Grand Central)
Best Short Story: "Stockholm," by Catherine Steadman (Amazon Original Stories)
Best Young Adult Novel: DAUGHTER, Kate McLaughlin (Wednesday Books)
Best E-Book Original Novel: THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE, by Diane Jeffrey (HarperCollins)
TWO ThrillerMaster Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients: Charlaine Harris and Walter Mosley
Silver Bullet Award Recipient: Michael Connelly
Thriller Legend Award Recipient: Minotaur Books
The winners were announced at ThrillerFest XVIII on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York City. (June 04, 2023)
John Dunning Dies
John Dunning died on May 22 after a long struggle with dementia. The former Denver Post reporter wrote his first book, THE HOLLAND SUGGESTIONS (Bobbs-Merrill, 1975), a novel of suspense. His second and third mystery novels, LOOKING FOR GINGER NORTH (1980) and DEADLINE (1981) respectively from Fawcett Gold Medal, got nominated for Edgar Awards in paperback original category. Then he stopped writing books and opened the Old Algonquin Bookstore, to sell rare and antiquarian books with his wife Helen in Denver, Colorado. Two years after his first antiquarian bookseller Cliff Janeway novel, BOOKED TO DIE (Scribner, 1992) was published, he and his wrife closed the bookstore and started selling books online as Old Algonquin Books. The first Janeway novel won the 1993 Dilys and Nero Awards, while the second Janeway novel, BOOKMAN'S WAKE (1995), was nominated for the 1996 Edgar in the best novel category. He wrote three more Janeway novels, ending with THE BOOKWOMAN'S LAST FLING (2006; all Janeway books published by Scribner). In 2006 a brain tumor prevented him from writing and made him suffer from dementia. He was 81. (May 29, 2023)
Sara Paretsky To Receive David Thompson Special Service Award
Bouchercon 2023 has announced that Sara Paretsky is the 2023 recipient of the David Thompson Special Service Award for her phenomenal contributions "as a founder of Sister in Crime; as a leader in helping to lay the publishing groundwork for women authors of mystery and crime fiction; and as an ongoing literacy activist." She will be presented the award at the General Members Meeting during this year's Bouchercon to be held in San Diego, California, from August 30 thru September 03. (May 27, 2023)
Anthony Bidulka Wins CWC Award of Excellence
The Crime Writers of Canada CWC) Crime Writers of Canada (CWC) announcee the winners for the 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing as follows:
2023 Derrick Murdoch Award Recipient: Jack Batten
Best Crime Novel: GOING TO BEAUTIFUL, by Anthony Bidulka (Stonehouse Publishing)
Best Crime First Novel: CITIZENS OF LIGHT, by Sam Shelstad (TouchWood Editions)
Howard Engel Award for Best Crime Novel Set in Canada: A SNAKE IN THE RASPBERRY PATCH, by Joanne Jackson (Stonehouse Publishing)
Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery: DEEP HOUSE, by Thomas King (HarperCollins Canada)
Best Crime Novella: "The Man Who Went Down Under," by Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazines, July/August 2022)
Best Crime Short Story: "The Girl Who Was Only Three Quarters Dead," by Craig H. Bowlsby (Mystery Magazine, April 2022)
Best French Crime Book: MONSIEUR HAMMERLI, by Richard Ste-Marie (Editions Alire)
Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book: HEARTBREAK HOMES, by Jo Treggiari (Nimbus Publishing Limited)
Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book: THE BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK, by Rosemary Sullivan (HarperCollins Canada)
Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript: SNOWED, by Mary Keenan
The winners were announced on Thursday, May 25, 2023. (May 26, 2023)
Sara Gran Wins CrimeFest Award
CrimeFest has announced the winners for the 2023 CrimeFest Awards as follows:
eDunnit Award: THE BOOK OF THE MOST PRECIOUS SUBSTANCE, by Sara Gran (Faber & Faber)
Debut Crime Novel: A FLICKER IN THE DARK, by Stacy Willingham (HarperCollins)
H.R.F Keating Biografical/Critical Award: THE LIFE OF CRIME, by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)
Last Laugh Award: BRYANT & MAY'S PECULIAR LONDON, by Christopher Fowler (Doubleday)
Thalia Proctor Memorial Award for Best Adapted TV Crim Drama: SLOW HORSES (Seasons 1&2), produced by See-Saw, based on the books by Mick Herron
Best Crime Novel for Children: THE GOOD TURN, by Sharna Jackson (Puffin)
Best Crime Novel for Young Adults: FIVE SURVIVE, by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey)
The winners were announced on Saturday, May 13 during the Gala Awards Dinner of this year's CrimeFest to be held in Bristol, England. (May 14, 2023)
CWA Dagger Award Shortlists Announced
The Crime Writers' Association of Britain (CWA) announced the shortlists for the 2023 Dagger Awards. The six shortlistees in the best crime novel category are as follows:
The Kingdoms of Savannah, by George Dawes Green (Headline Publishing/Headline Fiction)
The Lost Man of Bombay, by Vaseem Khan (Hodder & Stoughton)
A Killing in November, by Simon Mason (Quercus/riverrun)
The Clockwork Girl, by Anna Mazzola (Orion/Orion Fiction)
The Winter Guest, by WC Ryan (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)
The Silent Brother, by Simon Van der Velde (Northodox Press)
To see the shortlists in all the categories, click here. The winners will be announced at the Dagger Awards Dinner, on Thursday, July 06 at the Leonardo City Hotel in London. (May 13, 2023)
Anthony Award Nominees Announced
Bouchercon 2023 has announced the nominees for the 2023 Anthony awards as follows:
Best Hardcover: (6)
LIKE A SISTER, by Kellye Garrett (Mulholland)
THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME, by Gabino Iglesias (Mulholland)
THE BULLET THAT MISSED, by Richard Osman (Pamela Dorman)
A WORLD OF CURIOSITIES, by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
THE MAID, by Nita Prose (Ballantine)
SECRET IDENTY, by Alex Segura (Flatiron)
To see the nomiees in all the nine categories, click here. The winners will be announced on Saturday, September 02 during Bouchercon 2023 held in San Diego, California. (May 09, 2023)
Robert Dugoni Wins Spotted Owl
Friends of Mystety, a non-profit organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon, has announced that THE SILENT SISTERS, by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer) is the winner of the 2023 Spotted Owl Award for books published in 2022 by authors living in the Pacific Northwest. (May 09, 2023)
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