Crime Fiction Dossier (Old)

ITW Thriller Awards - Seeking Submissions

Public service announcement time...

If you're an author (or publicist or publisher) with a thriller novel released in 2005, you need to be aware that the International Thriller Writers are currently seeking submissions for their inaugural awards, which will be handed out next year at ThrillerFest.

Categories are Best Novel, Best First Novel and Best Paperback Original. Submissions so far have been few, so the chances of you winning are that much higher.

For more information, visit the ITW's website or contact Jim Rollins.

The Ross Thomas Award

From Barbara Peters of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore (courtesy of George Easter at Deadly Pleasures, thanks to Sarah for the tip):

Jennifer Apodaca is the winner of the inaugural Ross Thomas Award, given to the best first line of a mystery or thriller novel published in 2004. Apodaca's winning opening sentence for Ninja Soccer Moms ($5.99) is: "The thing about revenge is that it takes a woman who is well and truly pissed to get it right."

The award was announced during a ceremony at "Of Dark and Stormy Nights," the annual writing conference sponsored by the Midwest chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. The Ross Thomas Award is named after the late Ross Thomas, with the permission of his widow, Rosalie, of Malibu, California.

Described by the New York Times Book Review as "America's best storyteller," Thomas was a master at creating opening paragraphs that grab readers' attention. The two-time Edgar Award winning author of 25 novels, Thomas died in 1995. I was only able to get him to Scottsdale once – Rob considers him the best caper writer ever, loving Chinaman's Chance ($15) as Thomas' best – and it was Game Seven of a hot World Series and only 3-5 people came. It haunts me still.

Ross Thomas was my favorite writer and I can't think of anyone better to name an award for, especially one honoring first lines. (His were brilliant.)

I've been on an R.T. reading kick lately, having devoured Voodoo, Ltd., Briarpatch, The Mordida Man and Yellow-Dog Contract in the past week and a half. Damn, those are good books.

I've read them all before, of course, but one of the best things about Thomas' writing was that you could reread his books and still enjoy them. He was a one-of-a-kind talent.

Congratulations, Ms. Apodaca! That is truly quite an honor.

Anthony Awards Nominees

Nominees for the Anthony Awards for works published in 2004 have been announced.

The Anthony Awards, named for mystery's premier reviewer and critic, Anthony Boucher, will be presented on Saturday, September 3, at Bouchercon 2005, the World Mystery Convention at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Chicago.

Best Novel

Bruen, Ken -- The Killing of the Tinkers (St. Martins/Minotaur)
Katzenbach, John -- The Madman's Tale (Random House/Ballantine)
Krueger, William Kent -- Blood Hollow (Simon & Schuster/Atria)
Lippman, Laura -- By a Spider's Thread (HarperCollins)
Parker, T. Jefferson -- California Girl (HarperCollins)
Spencer-Fleming, Julia -- Out of the Deep I Cry (St. Martins/Minotaur)

Best First Novel

Balzo, Sandra -- Uncommon Grounds (Five Star)
Clemens, Judy -- Until the Cows Come Home (Poisoned Pen Press)
Hoffman, Juliane P -- Retribution (Putnam)
Konrath, JA (Joe) -- Whiskey Sour (Hyperion)
Kozak, Harley Jane -- Dating Dead Men (Random House/Doubleday)

Best Non Fiction

Frankie Bailey & Steven Chermak -- Famous American Crimes & Trials (Greenwood Publishing)
Collins, Max Allan (et al) -- Men's Adventure Magazines (Taschen)
Conlon, Edward -- Blue Blood (Penguin Putnam/Riverhead)
Klinger, Leslie S (ed) -- The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes (Norton)
Rubinstein, Julian -- The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber (TimeWarner/Little, Brown)

Best Paperback Original

Burcell, Robin -- Cold Case (HarperCollins/Avon)
Isleib, Roberta -- Putt to Death (Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime)
McBride, Susan -- Blue Blood (HarperCollins/Avon)
Rose, M.J. -- The Halo Effect (Harlequin/Mira)
Starr, Jason -- Twisted City (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

Best Short Story

Bowen, Rhys -- "Voodoo," Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Nov. 2004
Faherty, Terence -- "The Widow of Slane," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2004
Hertel, Ted Jr -- "It's Crackers to Slip a Rozzer the Dropsey in Snide," Small Crimes; Bracken, ed (Betancourt/Wildside)   
Nersesian, Arthur -- "Hunter Trapper," Brooklyn Noir (Akashic Books)
Viets, Elaine -- "Wedding Knife," Chesapeake Crimes (Quiet Storm)

Best Cover Art

Brooklyn Noir -- Sohrab Habibion; Tim McLoughlin (Akashic)
Fade to Blonde -- cover by Gregory Manchess; Max Phillips (Hard Case Crime)
Whiskey Sour -- Sal Barracca/Bradford Foltz Design; JA Konrath (Hyperion)
Good Morning Darkness -- Robert Santora; Ruth Francisco (TimeWarner/Mysterious)
Monkology -- Michael Kellner; Gary Phillips (Dennis McMillan)

Congratulations to all the nominees!

Barry Awards nominations

Here are the 2005 Barry Award Nominations, selected by the staff of Deadly Pleasures magazine:

Best Novel Barry Award

THE ENEMY, Lee Child
ALONE AT NIGHT, K. J. Erickson
DARKLY, DREAMING DEXTER, Jeff Lindsay
REMEMBERING SARAH, Chris Mooney
LITTLE SCARLET, Walter Mosley
HARD REVOLUTION, George Pelecanos

Best First Novel Barry Award

RELATIVE DANGER, Charles Benoit
WALKING MONEY, James O. Born
THE CORONER’S LUNCH, Colin Cotterill
SKINNY DIPPING, Claire Matturro
SOME DANGER INVOLVED, Will Thomas
THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Best British Crime Novel Barry Award

THE BURNING GIRL, Mark Billingham
THE DRAMATIST, Ken Bruen
FLESH & BLOOD, John Harvey
TOKYO (U.S. title: THE DEVIL OF NANKING), Mo Hayder
THE CRIME TRADE, Simon Kernick
FIRST DROP, Zoë Sharp

Best Paperback Original Barry Award

THE LIBRARIAN, Larry Beinhart
INTO THE WEB, Thomas H. Cook
TAGGED FOR MURDER, Elaine Flinn
LAST SEEN IN ABERDEEN, M.G. Kincaid
THE CONFESSION, Domenic Stansberry
TWISTED CITY, Jason Starr

Best Thriller Barry Award

SCARECROW by Matthew Reilly
RAIN STORM by Barry Eisler
BAGMAN by Jay MacLarty
WHIRLWIND by Joseph Garber
A DEATH IN VIENNA by Daniel Silva
PARANOIA by Joseph Finder

Best Short Story Barry Award

Catherine Aird "Cold Comfort" (CHAPTER AND HEARSE AND OTHER MYSTERIES)
Edward D. Hoch "The War in Wonderland" (GREEN FOR DANGER)
Melodie Johnson Howe "Facing Up" (EQMM July,2004)
John Mortimer "Rumpole and the Christmas Break" (The Strand Magazine No. XIV)
Amy Myers "Murder, the Missing Heir and the Boiled Egg" (CRIMINAL APPETITES)
Neil Schofield "Ledgers" (EQMM July, 2004)

(The nominees for Best Thriller and Best Short Story were previously announced.)

Congrats to our friends Lee, Chris, George, Jim, Elaine, Jason, Barry, Joe, and to all of the nominees! Some really wonderful selections on that list.

Agatha Award Winners

The winners of the Agatha Awards were announced over the weekend at the Malice Domestic conference.

• Best Novel - Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
• Best First Novel - Dating Dead Men by Harley Jane Kozak
• Best Nonfiction - Private Eye-Lashes: Radio's Lady Detectives by Jack French
• Best Short Story - "Wedding Knife" from Chesapeake Crimes by Elaine Viets
• Best Children's/Young Adult Novel - Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet

Congratulations to all the winners!

I'm particularly pleased to see that Harley Jane Kozak's wonderful book won as Best First Novel. It was nominated for the Gumshoe Award as well and is a terrific read.

Nominees for the Barry Award for Thrillers

Deadly Pleasures magazine, one of the best crime fiction publications, announced their nominees for the first Barry Award for Thrillers. Their list is a strong one and includes a couple favorites of mine:

• SCARECROW by Matthew Reilly
• RAIN STORM by Barry Eisler
• BAGMAN  by Jay MacLarty
• WHIRLWIND by Joseph Garber
• A DEATH IN VIENNA by Daniel Silva
• PARANOIA by Joseph Finder

Two of those titles were also shortlisted for the Gumshoe Award: Silva's A Death in Vienna and Eisler's Rain Storm, the latter of which won the prize.

Garber's Whirlwind was good, although not on the same level as those other two, and Finder is one helluva writer. I'm not familiar with the other two.

Regardless, it's great to see the thriller novel getting recognition as a distinct genre, especially considering how seldom they're included in Edgar consideration. (Kudos to the ITW for helping to lead the charge.)

On a side note, George Easter, the editor of Deadly Pleasures, took pains to point out that, although the final list doesn't include any female authors, women were considered for the award and three made it to their long-list.

It's a shame that George feels the need even to mention this, although I sympathize with his desire to do so. No women made the Gumshoe shortlist for Thriller this year either. And yes, I did receive mail about that.

Basically, it comes down to a numbers game. Most thriller writers are men, so most of the great thriller novels are written by men. Fortunately, there are some women out there who are trying their best to change this.

With talents like Gayle Lynds, Katherine Neville, Kathleen Antrim and Raelynn Hillhouse plugging away, I'm sure it won't be long before a woman takes home the prize.

Congratulations to all!

Gumshoe Awards in the Seattle Times

Adam Woog, who reviews mysteries for the Seattle Times, mentioned the Gumshoe Awards in his column yesterday:

"Popular Internet site Mystery Ink has announced its 2005 Gumshoe Award winners. Among them: January Magazine's Crime Fiction Section, masterminded by Seattle's very own J. Kingston Pierce. Bravo, Jeff!"

The line-up of both nominees and winners this year was very strong, so it's great to see the awards geting a little extra publicity.

The Gumshoe Awards on the ITW Website

The International Thriller Writers have an announcement of the new Gumshoe Award for Best Thriller, presented by Mystery Ink, on their website.*

Robert Crais helpfully inquires, "Why is an award for thrillers called the Gumshoe, which is a term usually associated with mysteries?"

Okay, it's a fair question. When Mystery Ink started giving the Gumshoe Awards a few years back, I racked my brain to think of a name for the award, and "Gumshoe" was the best I could come up with that wasn't already taken. Since back then we didn't make distinctions for mystery/thriller/etc. -- we just gave awards for Best Novel -- it didn't seem like that big of a deal.

This year we decided to split the award into separate categories: Best Mystery & Best Thriller. Now, of course, the name doesn't make a lot of sense for a thriller. But we're stuck with it.

I don't suppose anyone who wins will complain. And if they do... No Gumshoe for you!

*I've also been helping with their selection of the Must-Read Thrillers as well. There are some great books on the list so far, so check 'em out!