The Short Mystery Fiction Society unveiled the 2020 Derringer Awards shortlist on April 3.

The results of membership voting will be posted May 1.

Best Flash Story (up to 1,000 words)

• “Lucky,” by Trey Dowell
• “The Two-Body Problem,” by Josh Pachter
• “2 Percent,” by Lissa Marie Redmond
• “Birdbrain,” by C.J. Verburg
• “The Six-Year-Old Serial Killer,” by Chris Chan

Best Short Story (1,001 to 4,000 words)

• “The Kindly Dark,” by J.B. Toner
• “Love, or Something Like It,” by Michael Bracken
• “A Sure Thing,” by C.C. Guthrie
• “On the Road with Mary Jo,” by John Floyd
• “Pig Lickin’ Good,” by Debra H. Goldstein

Best Long Story (4,001 to 8,000 words)

• “Miss Starr’s Good-bye,” by Leslie Budewitz
• “None Shall Sleep,” by Sylvia Maultash Warsh
• “Pretty Dreams,” by Peter W.J. Hayes
• “See Humble and Die,” by Rick Helms
• “Lucy’s Tree,” by Sandra Murphy

Best Novelette (8,001 to 20,000 words)

• “Her Sister’s Secrets,” by Brendan DuBois
• “The Cripplegate Apprehension,” by Rick Helms
• “The Concrete Smile,” by Frank Zafiro
• “The Dutchy,” by Doug Allyn
• “I Called to Say You’re Dead,” by Stephen Greco

A vote of the SMFS membership will determine the winner in each category. Results will be announced in May 2020.

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for the story.]