Congratulations to Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Michael Bracken who are among the 2024 Derringer Awards finalists unveiled by The Short Mystery Fiction Society on April 1.
FLASH
SLEEP ROUGH by Brandon Barrows (Shotgun Honey, September 19, 2023)
THE REFEREE by C. W. Blackwell (Shotgun Honey, October 12, 2023)
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN by Serena Jayne (Shotgun Honey, January 9, 2023)
TEDDY’S FAVORITE THING by Paul Ryan O’Connor (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Sept/Oct 2023)
SUPPLY CHAINS by Andrew Welsh-Huggins (Black Cat Weekly #89)
SHORT STORY
DENIM MINING by Michael Bracken (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, May/June 2023)
DOGS OF WAR by Michael Bracken & Stacy Woodson (Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir Volume Four, Down & Out Books)
LAST DAY AT THE JACKRABBIT by John Floyd (The Strand, May 2023)
I DON’T LIKE MONDAYS by Josh Pachter (Mystery Magazine, July 2023)
JUDGE NOT by Twist Phelan (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, May/June 2023)
A TAIL OF JUSTICE by Shannon Taft (Black Cat Weekly #114)
LONG STORY
HARD RAIN ON BEACH STREET by C. W. Blackwell (Killin’ Time in San Diego, Down & Out Books)
REVERSION by Marcelle Dubé (Mystery Magazine, April 2023)
BACK TO HELL HOUSE by Nick Kolakowski (Vautrin, Fall 2023)
TROUBLED WATER by donalee Moulton (Black Cat Weekly #75)
IT’S NOT EVEN PAST by Anna Scotti (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Sept/Oct 2023)
GOOD DEED FOR THE DAY by Bonnar Spring (Wolfsbane: Best New England Crime Stories, Crime Spell Books)
IGNATIUS RUM-AND-COLA by Andrew Welsh-Huggins (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Jan/Feb 2023)
NOVELETTE
VENGEANCE WEAPON by James R. Benn (The Refusal Camp: Stories by James R. Benn, Soho Press)
MRS. HYDE by David Dean (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, March/April 2023)
THE CASE OF THE BOGUS CINDERELLAS by Jacqueline Freimor (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, July/Aug 2023)
MADAM TOMAHAWK by Nick Kolakowski (A Grifter’s Song, Down & Out Books, 2023)
CATHERINE THE GREAT by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (WMG 2023 Holiday Spectacular Calendar of Stories)
GLENCAIRN GLASS CRIME SHORT STORY COMPETITION WINNERS
High contrast image of a bloody crime scene with knife and evidence markers on the floor
A sinister story involving a Scottish recipe for ‘stovies’ and a grisly tale about the strange sheep of Greshornish have been chosen as the winning and runner-up stories in The Glencairn Glass crime short story competition this year.
Over 140 stories were entered into the 2023/24 competition and the winner and runner-up were selected by a panel of three judges including Callum McSorley, a Glasgow based writer whose debut novel Squeaky Clean won this year’s Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year. He was joined by Kate Foster; the Edinburgh based national newspaper journalist and author, whose debut novel The Maiden won this year’s Bloody Scotland’s Debut Prize. The third judge was Glencairn Crystal’s marketing director and experienced crime writer Gordon Brown.
WINNER
“A Recipe For Stovies” by Philip Wilson
RUNNER-UP
“The Strange Sheep of Greshornish” by Elisabeth Ingram Wallace
The first prize of £1,000 goes to Philip Wilson and runner up Elisabeth Ingram Wallace receives £500. Both writers also receive a set of six bespoke engraved Glencairn Glasses. The winning story will be published in the May issue of Scottish Field Magazine (on shelf from 5th April) and the runner up story will then be published on Scottish Field Magazine’s website; www.scottishfield.co.uk. Both stories will also be available to read on the Glencairn Glass website: www.whiskyglass.com.
Another pair of crime fiction awards have announced their shortlists in the past few weeks.
DASHIELL HAMMETT AWARD
The finalists for the 2021 Dashiell Hammett Award for Literary Excellence in Crime Writing have been named by the International Association of Crime Writers (North American Branch). The award is given to a book, originally published in the English language in the United States or Canada, “that best represents the conception of literary excellence in crime writing.”
The finalists are:
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby, Flatiron Books
Stung by William Deverell, ECW Press
Five Decembers by James Kestrel, Hard Case Crime
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, Doubleday
The Sacrifice of Lester Yates by Robin Yocum, Arcade Crime Wave
Many crime fiction award announcements have been posted in the past few weeks.
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SPOTTED OWL
The winner of the 2021 Spotted Owl Award was announced on March 25. The award is for a mystery published during the previous calendar year by an author whose primary residence is Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho or the Province of British Columbia. The complete list of finalists is here.
WINNER: The Last Agent, by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer)
Dugoni has won the Spotted Owl twice before—in 2020 for The Eighth Sister, and in 2017 for The 7th Canon.
PINCKLEY PRIZES
The 2020 Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction, awarded by the Women’s National Book Association of New Orleans, honor three women writers. The winners receive a financial award of $2,500 and a trip to New Orleans to accept their prizes at a ceremony at the 2021 Bouchercon.
•Murder in Old Bombay, by Nev March (Minotaur) •The Mountains Wild, by Sarah Stewart Taylor (Minotaur) •Three Hours in Paris, by Cara Black (Soho Crime) •When These Mountains Burn, by David Joy (Putnam) •Winter Counts, by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Ecco)
•The Creak on the Stairs, by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir (Orenda) •Summer of Reckoning, by Marion Brunet (Bitter Lemon Press) •The Wreckage, by Robin Morgan-Bentley (Trapeze) •The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman (Viking) •City of Spies, by Mara Timon (Zaffre) •The Man on the Street, by Trevor Wood (Quercus)
Audible Sounds of Crime Award
•The Sentinel, by Lee Child and Andrew Child, read by Jeff Harding (Transworld) •The Guest List, by Lucy Foley, read by Olivia Dowd, Aoife McMahon, Chloe Massey, Sarah Ovens, Rich Keeble, and Jot Davies (HarperFiction) •Troubled Blood, by Robert Galbraith, read by Robert Glenister (Little, Brown) •Moonflower Murders, by Anthony Horowitz, read by Lesley Manville and Allan Corduner (Penguin Random House Audio) •Find Them Dead, by Peter James, read by Daniel Weyman (Pan) •The Invisible Girl, by Lisa Jewell, read by Rebekah Staton (Penguin Random House Audio) •Buried, by Lynda La Plante, read by Alex Hassell and Annie Aldington (Zaffre) •The Catch, by T.M. Logan, read by Philip Stevens (Zaffre) •The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman, read by Lesley Manville (Viking) •A Song for the Dark Times, by Ian Rankin, read by James Macpherson (Orion)
Courtesy of sponsor Audible UK, the winning author and audiobook reader(s) share the £1,000 prize equally and each receives a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award.
H.R.F. Keating Award
•Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World, by Mark Aldridge (HarperCollins) •Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club, edited by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club) •Cover Me: The Vintage Art of Pan Books: 1950-1965, by Colin Larkin (Telos) •Conan Doyle’s Wide World, by Andrew Lycett (Tauris Parke) •The Reacher Guy, by Heather Martin (Little, Brown) •H.R.F. Keating: A Life of Crime, by Sheila Mitchell (Level Best) •Southern Cross Crime: The Pocket Essential Guide to the Crime Fiction, Film & TV of Australia and New Zealand, by Craig Sisterson (Oldcastle) •The Red Hand: Stories, Reflections and the Last Appearance of Jack Irish, by Peter Temple (Riverrun)
Last Laugh Award
•False Value, by Ben Aaronovitch (Gollancz) •Bryant & May: Oranges and Lemons, by Christopher Fowler (Doubleday) •The Postscript Murders, by Elly Griffiths (Quercus) • Squeeze Me, by Carl Hiaasen (Little, Brown) •The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman (Viking) •The Corpse in the Garden of Perfect Brightness, by Malcolm Pryce (Bloomsbury) •Ride or Die, by Khurrum Rahman (HQ) •Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Vampire Menace, by Olga Wojtas (Contraband)
eDunnit Award
•The Hunted, by Gabriel Bergmoser (Faber) •The Split, by Sharon Bolton (Trapeze) •Little Boy Lost, by J.P. Carter (Avon) •Fifty-Fifty, by Steve Cavanagh (Orion) •Fair Warning, by Michael Connelly (Orion) •A Private Cathedral, by James Lee Burke (Orion) •A Song for the Dark Times, by Ian Rankin (Orion) •The Dead Line, by Holly Watt (Raven)
Best Crime Novel for Children (Ages 8-12)
•Mission Shark Bytes, by Sophie Deen (Walker) •A Girl Called Justice: The Smugglers’ Secret, by Elly Griffiths (Quercus Children’s Books) •Nightshade, by Anthony Horowitz (Walker) •My Headteacher Is an Evil Genius, by Jack Noel (Walker) •Anisha, Accidental Detective, by Serena Patel (Usborne) •School’s Cancelled, by Serena Patel (Usborne) •The Night Bus Hero, by Onjali Q. Rauf for (Orion Children’s Books) •The Pencil Case, by Dave Shelton (David Fickling)
Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (Ages 12-16)
•Hideous Beauty, by William Hussey (Usborne) •The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker, by Lauren James (Walker) •Devil Darling Spy, by Matt Killeen (Usborne) •Eight Pieces of Silva, by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder Children’s Books) •Deadfall, by Simon Lelic (Hodder Children’s Books) •Hacking, Heists & Flaming Arrows, by Robert Muchamore (Hot Key) •Burn, by Patrick Ness (Walker) •The Case of the Missing Marquess, by Nancy Springer (Hot Key)
DERRINGER AWARDS
The Short Mystery Society unveiled the finalists for its 2021 Derringer Awards on April 3,
FLASH
Blackwell, C.W. “Memories of Fire.” Pulp Modern
Blakey, James. “Outsourcing.” Shotgun Honey
Mangeot, Robert. “Over Before It Started.” Murder Mondays
Mathews, Bobby. “Quitman County Ambush.” Bristol Noir
Richardson, Travis. “War Words.” Punk Noir
SHORT
Elwood, Elizabeth. “The Homicidal Understudy.” Ellen Hart Presents Malice Domestic: Mystery Most Theatrical
Freimor, Jacqueline. “That Which is True.” EQMM: July/August 2020
Jones, Eleanor Cawood. “The Great Bedbug Incident and the Invitation of Doom.” Chesapeake Crimes: Invitation to Murder.
Keeline, Kim. “The Crossing.” Crossing Borders
Woodson, Stacy. “River.” The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell
LONG
Chen, Sarah M. “Hotelin’.”Shotgun Honey: Volume #4: Recoil
Mangeot, Robert. “Lord, Spare the Bottom Feeders.” AHMM: March/April: 2020
Walker, Joseph S. “Chasing Diamonds.” EQMM: September/October 2020
Walker, Joseph S. “Etta at the End of the World.” AHMM: May/June 2020
Woodson, Stacy. “Mary Poppins Didn’t Have Tattoos.” EQMM: July/August 2020
NOVELETTE
Cohen, Jeff. “The Question of the Befuddled Judge.” AHMM: May/June: 2020
Malliet, G.M. “A Murder at Morehead Mews.” EQMM: July/August 2020
Taylor, Art. “The Boy Detective and the Summer of ’74.” AHMM: January/February 2020
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.
The Short Mystery Fiction Society unveiled
the 2019 Derringer Awards shortlist on April 4.
The results of membership voting will be posted May 1.
For
Best Flash Story (ranges up to 1,000 words)
“The
Bicycle Thief” by James Blakey, The Norwegian American, Sept. 21,
2018
“Listen
Up” by Peter DiChellis, Flash Bang Mysteries, (Winter 2018)
“Sonny
the Wonder Beast” by Nick Kolakowski, Out of the Gutter, Sept. 16,
2018
“Don’t
Text and Drive” by Robert Petyo, Flash Bang Mysteries, (Spring
2018)
“A
Misunderstanding” by Travis Richardson, Out of the Gutter, May 27,
2018
For
Best Short Story (ranges from 1,001 to 4,000 words)
“The
Belle Hope” by Peter DiChellis, Malice Domestic 13: Mystery Most
Geographical, Wildside Press, April 2018
“The
Crucial Game” by Janice Law, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
(January-February 2018)
“Dying
in Dokesville” by Alan Orloff, Malice Domestic 13: Mystery Most
Geographical, Wildside Press, April 2018
“If
It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Murder” by Josh Pachter, Malice Domestic 13:
Mystery Most Geographical, Wildside Press, April 2018
“The
Cabin in the Woods” by Sylvia Maultash Warsh, Malice Domestic 13:
Mystery Most Geographical, Wildside Press, April 2018
For
Best Long Story (ranges from 4,001 to 8,000 words)
“With
My Eyes” by Leslie Budewitz, Suspense Magazine, January/February
2018
“Mercy
Find Me” by Diana Deverell, Fiction River: Justice ed. Kristine
Kathryn Rusch, WMG Publishing Inc., January 2018
“The
Case of the Missing Pot Roast” by Barb Goffman, Florida Happens ed.
Greg Herren, Three Rooms Press, September 2018
“Till
Murder Do Us Part” by Barb Goffman, Chesapeake Crimes: Fur, Feathers,
and Felonies ed. Donna Andrews, Barb Goffman, and Marcia Talley, Wildside
Press, March 2018
“The
Vanishing Volume” by Janet Raye Stevens, Shhhh…Murder! Cozy Crimes in
Libraries, ed. Andrew MacRae, Darkhouse Books, September 2018
For
Best Novelette (ranges from 8,001 to 20,000 words)
“The
Adventure of the Manhunting Marshal” by Peter Basile (pseud. of Jim
Doherty), Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, Volume 11, Airship 27,
March 2018
“Three-Star
Sushi” by Barry Lancet, Down & Out The Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue
3, Down & Out Books, March 2018
“The
Cambodian Curse” by Gigi Pandian, Henery Press, October 2018
“Oil
Down” by Brian Silverman, Mystery Tribune (Winter 2018)
“I’ve
Got to Get Me a Gun” by Vincent Zandri, The Black Car Business: Vol. 1
ed. Lawrence Kelter, Down & Out Books, January 2018
