And the Edgar Award Goes to…

Photo Credit: City of Kik

There are just as many book awards given out each year as there are for movies or music. Some awards come with a great amount of prestige and recognition while others are known by a small few. If you’ve happened over to my Bookish Bucket List page then you’ve read that two of those otherworldly goals of mine have to do with the Edgar Awards. First, I’d like to attend the annual banquet at some point in my life. And second, I’d like to actually be nominated for an award. Sure the Pulitzer Prize or the Nobel Prize may both be more well known, but the top of the mountain is the Edgars. They’re like the Grammys or the Oscars. At least they are to me.

They’re given out annually by the Mystery Writers of America and recognize both books and TV. I’ll only be mentioning the books. Here are the nominees and the winners from this year’s banquet held on May 1.

Best Novel

Sandrine’s Case by Thomas H. Cook

The Humans by Matt Haig

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

How the Light Gets in by Louise Penny

Standing in Another Man’s Grave by Ian Rankin

Until She Comes Home by Lori Roy

Best First Novel

The Resurrectionist by Matthew Guinn

Ghostman by Roger Hobbs

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Best Paperback Original

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne

Almost Criminal by E.R. Johnson

Joe Victim by Paul Cleave

Joyland by Stephen King

The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood

Brilliance by Marcus Sakey

Best Fact Crime

Duel With the Devil by Paul Collins

Mortal Sins by Michael D’Antonio

The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber

The Secret Rescue by Cate Lineberry

The Hour of Peril by Daniel Stashower

Best Critical/Biographical

Maigret, Simenon and France by Bill Adler

America is Elsewhere by Eric Dussere

Pimping Fictions by Justin Gifford

Ian Fleming by Andrew Lycett

Middlebrow Feminism in Classic British Detective Fiction by Melissa Schaub

Best Juvenile

Strike Three, You’re Dead by Josh Berk

Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking by Erin Dionne

P.K. Pinkerton and the Petrified Man by Caroline Lawrence

Lockwood and Co. by Jonathan Stroud

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

Young Adult

All the Truth That’s in me by Julie Berry

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal

Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy

How to Lead a  Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller

Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Mary Higgins Clark

There was an Old Woman by Hallie Ephron

Fear of Beauty by Susan Froetschel

The Money Kill by Katia Lief

Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman

The Sixth Station by Linda Stasi

So there you have all the nominees and winners! I have not read a single one of the books nominated this year. Eh, that’s okay. But I was REALLY pulling for Marcus Sakey in the Best Paperback Original category. He’s one of my three or four favorite authors, although I started the book he was nominated for and absolutely hated it. I still wanted him to win. Oh, and Robert Crais was made a Grand Master! He’s also one of my three or four favorite authors. He’s been nominated several times in various Edgar Award categories but never won. He’s truly deserving of the honor of being a Grand Master.

So, have you read any of the winners or nominees? I’m sure this is a good list of potential recommendations.

You can read a full list of winners here.