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.