CyberGumshoe's Mumblings in September/October 2023
Marv Lachman Dies
Marv Lachman died of complications related to bone cancer in late October. I know I am terribly late in writing this "mini-obit" but I had been looking for some info on when and where he passed away, in vain. I had known Marv since the later part of 1970's when he was writing mystery columns and reviews for the old defunct fanzines such as The Armchair Detective, The Mystery Fancier, The Poisoned Pen. I don't remember how many times I met him at the mystery gatherings like Bouchercon. He won the 1977 Edgar in the critical/biographical work category from the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) for ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MYSTERY AND DETECTION (McGraw-Hill, 1976), co-written with Chris Steinbrunner, Otto Penzler and Charles Shibuk, while he was nominated singularly in the same category in 1994 for A READERS' GUIDE TO THE AMERICAN NOVEL OF DETECTION (G.K. Hall, 1993). He received the 1997 Raven Award from MWA for "outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside of the realm of creative writing." (I still remember congratulating him at the Edgar Banquet in New York.) He won the 2001 Macavity Award for THE AMERICAN REGIONAL MYSTERY (Crossover Presws, 2000), and the 2006 Anthony Award for the first edition of THE HEIRS OF ANTHONY BOUCHER (Poisoned Pen Press, 2005). He received the first Don Sandstrom Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in mystery fandom, and the 2013 David Thompson Special Service Award for his "exemplary life-ling service to the mystery and crime fiction community." To me, he was a extremely knowledgeable mystery scholar. When I had some mystery-related questions, he would kindly send me their answers by e-mail. He was 91. (November 07, 2023)
Louise Penny Wins Macavity
The Mystery Readers International announced the winners for the 2023 Macavity Awards as follows:
Best Mystery Novel: A WORLD OF CURIOSITIES, by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
Best First Novel: THE MAID, by Nita Prose (Ballantine)
Best Mystery Short Story: "Beauty and the Beyotch," by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, January 2022)
Best Mystery Critical/Biographical: THE LIFE OF CRIME, by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)
Sue Feder Momorial Award for Best Historical Mystery: LAVENDER HOUSE, by Lev AC Rosen (Forge)
The winners were finally announced online on Monday, October 23. The announcement was delayed because of the illness of Janet Rudolph, the director of the Mystery Readers International. (October 23, 2023)
David McCallum Dies
David McCallum died of natural causes on September 25 in New York City. Of course, the former "teen idol" was most famous as the actor co-starring in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (NBC-TV, 1964-1968) as Illya Kuryakin and playing Dr.Donald "Ducky" Mallarad in "NCIS" (CBS-TV, 2011- ). He wrote one suspense novel, ONCE A CROOKED MAN (Sandstone Press UK, 2016; Minotaur Books US, 2016), featuring Harry Murphy, a young actor in New York, who gets involved with a mob organization in London. It was favorably received among reviewers. Unfortunately, McCallum did not write its sequal or any other novels. He was 90. (October 09, 2023)
Callum McSorley Wins McIlvanney
Bloody Scotland 2023 announced the winners for its McIlvanney Prize and the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Book Prize of the Year are as follows:
McIlvanney Prize: SQUEAKY CLEAN, by Callum McSorley (Pushkin)
Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Book Prize: THE MAIDEN, by Kate Foster (Mantle)
The winners for the both prizes were announced on Friday September 15 in Stirling, Scotland. (September 16, 2023)
In Memoriam
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!
Les Edgerton died on August 31 in Fort Wayne, Indiana after a short battle with Covid-19. The former cryptographer in the Navy authored 23 books including how-to-write texts (HOOKED; Writer's Digest Books, 2007), non-fiction baseball books (SURVIVING LITTLE LEAGUE; Taylor Trade Publishing, 2004), and gritty noir crime novels (THE GENUINE, IMITATION, PLASTIC KIDNAPPING; Down & Out Press, 2014). He was 80.
James Hayman died on June 15 in Maine, after a six-month battle with glioblastoma. The former New York ad executive started writing mystery novels at 65 to pursue his dream of being a writer. His first novel, THE CUTTING (Minotaur, 2009), features Mike McCabe, a police sergeant in Portland, Maine, and his detective partner Maggie Savage, to be followed by five more McCabw-and-Savage novels. His last last novel was A FATAL OBSESSION (Morrow Paperbacks, 2018). His was 82.
(September 12, 2023)
Jane Harper Wins Neddie
The Australian Crime Writers Association (ACWA) announced the winners of the 2023 Ned Kelly Awards (aka. Neddies) online in September 01 to celebrate the best in Australian crime writing as follows:
Best Crime Fiction: EXILES, by Jane Harper (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Best Debut Crime Fiction: WAKE, by Shelly Burr (Hachette Australia)
Best True Crime: BETRAYED, by Sandi Logan (Hachette Australia)
Best International Crime Fiction Published in Australia: THE LEMON MAN, by Keith Bruton (Brash Books)
(September 04, 2023)
Kellye Garrett Wins Anthony
Bouchercon 2023 has announced the winners for the 2023 Anthony awards as follows:
Best Hardcover: LIKE A SISTER, by Kellye Garrett (Mulholland)
Best Paperback: THE QUARRY GIRLS, by Jess Lourey (Thomas & Mercer)
Best First Novel: THE MAID, by Nita Prose (Ballantine)
Best Humorous: SCOT IN A TRAP, by Catriona McPherson (Severn House)
Best Short Story: "Beauty and the Beyotch," by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Magazine, February 2022)
Best Critical/Non-fiction: THE LIFE OF CRIME, by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)
Best Children's/Young Adult: ENOLA HOLMES AND THE ELEGANT ESCAPADE, by Nancy Springer (Wednesday)
Best Anthology: CRIME HITS HOME, edited by S.J. Rozan (Hanover Square Press)
David Thompson Special Service Award Recipient: Sara Paretsky
The winners were announced on Saturday, September 02 during Bouchercon 2023 held in San Diego, California. (September 03, 2023)
Michael Connelly Wins Barry
Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine has announced the winners for the 2023 Barry Awards as follows:
Best Mystery or Crime Novel: DESERT STAR, by Michael Connelly (Little,Brown)
Best Debut Mystery or Crime Novel: THE MAID, by Nita Prose (Ballantine)
Best Thriller: KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, by Deanna Raybourn (Berkley)
Don Sandstrom Award for Lifetime Achievement in Mystery Fandom: "Mystery" Mike Bursaw
The winners were voted by Deadly Pleasures readers and announced on Thursday, August 31 during the opening ceremonies of 2023 Bouchercon held in San Diego, California. (September 03, 2023)
Jonathan Ames Wins Shamus
The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) announced the winners for the 2023 Shamus Awards as follows:
Best P.I. Hardcover: THE WHEEL OF DOLL, by Jonathan Ames (Mulholland Books), featuring Happy Doll
Best Original P.I. Paperback: DEAD-BANG FALL, by J.R. Sanders (Level Best Books), featuring Nate Ross
Best First P.I. Novel: THE GOLDENACRE, by Philip Miller (Soho Crime), introducing Thomas Tallis & Shona Sandison
Best P.I. Short Story: "Charlie's Medicine," by Libby Cudmore (in Lawyers, Guns, and Money: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Warren Zevon; Down & Out Books), featuring Martin Wade
The winners were announced on Friday, September 01 near the Bouchercon convention hotel in San Diego, California. (September 02, 2023)
Elly Griffiths Wins Fingerprint
Capital Crime Festival has announced the winners for the 2023 Fingerprint Awards as follows:
Crime Book of the Year: BLEEDING HEART YARD, by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
Thriller Book of the Year: WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME, by Gillian McAllister (Penguin)
Historical Book of the Year: A FATAL CROSSING, by Tom Hindle (Cornerstone)
Genre-Busting Book of the Year: THE SKELETON KEY, by Erin Kelly (Hodder & Stoughton)
Debut Book of the Year: THE MAID, by Nita Prose (HarperCollins)
Audio Book of the Year: ONE LAST SECRET, by Adele Parks; narrated by Kristin Atherton (HQ)
Industry Award of the Year: Richard Osman
Lifetime Achievement Award of the Year: Jane Wood
The winners were announced on Thursday, August 31 during Capital Crime Festival to be held in London (the CAPITAL city of UK). (September 01, 2023)
BACK TO HOMEPAGE