The Tomorrow Prize and The Green Feather Award: Celebrity Readings & Honors will take place May 11. The Omega Sci-Fi Project’s culminating event recognizes outstanding new works of science fiction written by Los Angeles County high school students, as well as this year’s winning ecology-themed sf story.
The 2024 finalists’ stories will be read by celebrity guests on Sunday, May 11 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Pacific at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, CA. Register to attend the free event at Brownpapertickets.com.
The winners will receive cash prizes.
First, Second, and Third place Tomorrow Prize winners will receive $250, $150, and $100 USD cash prizes.
The First place Tomorrow Prize winner will be published in L.A. Parent Magazine.
The Green Feather Award is an additional special prize category for an environmentally focused sci-fi story. The winner will receive $250 and online publication by the Nature Nexus Institute.
The top five nominated works were selected. Additional works were included where there was a tie for fifth place. An online awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 11, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, with hosts Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Liz Anderson. Details at www.csffa.ca
Best Novel
Bad Cree, Jessica Johns, HarperCollins Canada
The Marigold, Andrew F. Sullivan, ECW Press
Moon of the Turning Leaves, Waubgeshig Rice, Random House Canada
Silver Nitrate, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Del Rey
The Valkyrie, Kate Heartfield, HarperVoyager
Best Young Adult Novel
The Crystal Key: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 2, Douglas Smith, Spiral Path Books
Flower and Thorn, Rati Mehrotra, Wednesday Books
Funeral Songs for Dying Girls, Cherie Dimaline, Tundra Books
The Grimmer, Naben Ruthnum, ECW Press
The Stars of Mount Quixx, S.M. Beiko, ECW Press
Best Novelette/Novella
Green Fuse Burning, Tiffany Morris, Stelliform Press
I AM AI, Ai Jiang, Shortwave Media
“The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World”, Nalo Hopkinson,
Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, Random House
Pluralities, Avi Silver, Atthis Arts
Untethered Sky, Fonda Lee, Tordotcom
Best Short Story
“At Every Door A Ghost”, Premee Mohamed, Communications Breakdown, MIT Press
“The Dust Bowl Café”, Justin Dill, Augur Magazine, Issue 6.1
“If I Should Fall Behind”, Douglas Smith, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Sept/Oct Issue
“Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont”, P.A. Cornell, Fantasy Magazine, Issue 96
“Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea”, Chandra Fisher, Saltwater Sorrows, Tyche Books
Best Graphic Novel/Comic
Atana and the Firebird, Vivian Zhou, HarperCollins
A Call to Cthulhu, Norm Konyu, Titan Nova
Carson of Venus, Ronn Sutton (artist), Martin Powell (writer), and Maggie Lopez (colourist), webcomic
Cosmic Detective, Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt, art by David Rubin, Image Comics
It Never Rains, Kari Maaren, webcomic
The Secret of the Ravens, written and illustrated by Joanna Cacao, with lettering by Kyla Aiko, Clarion Books
Wychwood, Ally Rom Colthoff, webcomic
Best Poem/Song
“As a, I want to, so I can”, Kelley Tai, Heartlines Spec, Issue 2, Spring/Summer 2023
The prize was created to celebrate “excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction from UK and Irish authors” whose novels were published in paperback during the eligibility period.
The winner receives £3,000 and a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculier.
The public are now invited to vote for a shortlist of six titles here; voting for that closes May 16. Then the shortlist will be posted and winner voting will open June 13. The prize winner will be revealed July 18.
The Longlist in full:
The Last Dance by Mark Billingham(Sphere; Little, Brown Book Group)
The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre(Abacus; Little, Brown Book Group)
In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster UK)
The Close by Jane Casey (Harper Fiction; Harper Collins)
The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves (Pan Macmillan)
Fearless by M W Craven (Constable; Little, Brown Book Group)
The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron (Baskerville; John Murray Press)
Killing Jericho by William Hussey (Zaffre, Bonnier)
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell (Century; Cornerstone)
Conviction by Jack Jordan (Simon & Schuster)
A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh(Sphere; Little, Brown Book Group)
The Broken Afternoon by Simon Mason (riverrun; Quercus)
Past Lying by Val McDermid (Sphere; Little, Brown Book Group)
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (Sandycove; Penguin Ireland)
The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson(Pan Macmillan)
The Last Goodbye by Tim Weaver (Michael Joseph; Penguin Random House)
Best General Literary Work Story collections, comic collections, graphic novels, non-fiction works, and serialized online stories.
• Gnoll Tales, by NightEyes DaySpring. (Dancing Jackal Books – short story collection – June)
Best Non-Fiction Work
• Furscience, by Dr. Courtney N. Plante. (International Anthropomorphic Research Project – research on furry fandom – December)
Best Graphic Story Includes comic books, and serialized online stories.
• Tamberlane, by Caytlin Vilbrandt and Ari Noble. (Internet – January 11 to December 27)
Best Comic Strip Newspaper-style strips, including those with ongoing arcs.
• Foxes in Love, by Toivo Kaartinen. (Twitter – Jan 1 to December 21)
Best Magazine Edited collections of creative and/or informational works by various people, professional or amateur, published in print or online in written, pictorial or audio-visual form.
• Dogpatch Press, edited by Patch O’Furr. (Internet – February to December)
Best Visual Art Illustrations for books, magazines, convention program books, cover art for such, coffee-table portfolios.
Best Game Computer or console games, role-playing games, board games.
• Laika: Aged Through Blood (Developer:Brainwash Gang – Publisher:Thunderful Publishing – October 19)
Best Website Online collections of art, stories, and other creative and/or informational works. Includes galleries, story archives, directories, blogs, and personal sites.
The award was established in 1997 to preserve the memory of Zsoldos Péter, the most prominent Hungarian science fiction writer of the last century. It was reformed in 2020, and now it awards other speculative works also, not just science fiction.
BEST NOVEL – JURY AWARD
Rusvai Mónika: Kígyók országa (Country of Snakes) (GABO Könyvkiadó)
The Daggers were first given in 1955, however, for the first five years CWA called its top honor the Crossed Red Herring Award.
The award shortlists will come out May 10, and the winners will be revealed at a ceremony on July 4.
GOLD DAGGER
This award is for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality.
Over My Dead Body by Maz Evans, (Headline)
Dead Man’s Creek by Chris Hammer, (Wildfire Books)
A Bitter Remedy by Alis Hawkins, (Canelo)
Night Will Find You by Julia Haeberlin, (Penguin, Michael Joseph)
The Secret Hours, by Mick Herron (Baskerville, John Murray)
The White Lie by J G Kelly (Hodder & Stoughton)
Death of a Lesser God, by Vaseem Khan (Hodder & Stoughton
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane (Abacus, Little Brown)
Tell me What I Am, by Una Mannion (Faber & Faber)
Homecoming by Kate Morton, (Mantle, Pan Macmillan)
Black River, by Nilanjana Roy (Pushkin Vertigo)
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Sutanto (HQ ,Harper Collins)
IAN FLEMING STEEL DAGGER
Eligible books in this category are thrillers set in any period and include, but are not limited to, spy fiction, psychological thrillers and action/adventure stories.
Simply Lies, by David Baldacci (Macmillan Pan Macmillan)
The Lie Maker, by Linwood Barclay (HQ HarperCollins)
All the Sinners Bleed, by S A Cosby (Headline, Hachette)
Ozark Dogs, by Eli Cranor (Headline Hachette)
The House Hunt by C M Ewan (Macmillan, Pan Macmillan)
Everybody Knows, by Jordan Harper (Faber & Faber)
The Mantis by Kotaro Isaka, (Harvill Secker, Penguin Random House)
Gaslight by Femi Kayode (Raven Books, Bloomsbury)
77 North by D L Marshall, (Canelo)
Drowning, by T J Newman (Simon & Schuster)
After that Night, by Karin Slaughter (HarperCollins)
The Man in the Corduroy Suit, by James Wolff (Bitter Lemon Press
ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER
This award is for the best crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality.
A Most Unusual Demise by Kathryn Black (Bloodhound Books)
In The Blink of An Eye, by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster UK)
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua, (Corvus, Atlantic Books)
Scorched Grace, by Margot Douaihy (Pushkin Vertigo)
Murder By Natural Causes, by Helen Erichsen (Muswell Press)
The Maiden, by Kate Foster (Mantle Pan Macmillan)
The Golden Spoon, by Jessa Maxwell (Penguin)
West Heart Kill, by Dann McDorman (Raven Books)
Obsessed, by Liza North (Constable)
Go Seek by Michelle Teahan (Headline)
The Other Half, by Charlotte Vassell (Faber & Faber)
The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh, (Gallic Books)
HISTORICAL DAGGER
This award is for the best historical crime novel, set in any period up to 50 years prior to the year in which the award will be made.
Clara & Olivia, by Lucy Ashe (Magpie, Oneworld Publications)
The Lock-Up by John Banville Faber & Faber
Flags on the Bayou, by James Lee Burke Orion Fiction (Hachette)
Murder in the Bookshop by Anita Davison (Boldwood Books)
Harlem After Midnight by Louise Hare (HQ, HarperCollins)
A Bitter Remedy by Alis Hawkins (Canelo)
Viper’s Dream by Jake Lamar (No Exit Press)
The Winter List by S.G. MacLean (Quercus Fiction, Quercus)
The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead (Aries Head of Zeus)
Scarlet Town by Leonora Nattrass (Viper, Profile Books)
Voices of the Dead by Ambrose Parry (Canongate Books)
Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler (Raven Books, Bloomsbury)
CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER
This award is for a crime novel not originally written in English and which has been translated into English for UK publication.
The Snow Girl by Javier Castillo (translated by Isabelle Kaufeler), Penguin Books
Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado, (translated by Nick Caistor,) Macmillan
The Girl By The Bridge by Arnaldur Indridason (translated by Philip Roughton,) Vintage
The Mantis by Kotaro Isaka, (translated by Sam Malissa,) Vintage
The Sins Of Our Fathers by translated by Frank Perry), Maclehose Press
Thirty Days Of Darkness, by Jenny Lund Madsen (translated by Megan E.Turney), Orenda Books
Nothing Is Lost, by Cloé Mehdi (translated by Howard Curtis), Europa Editions UK
He Murder Of Anton Livius, by Schneider Hansjörg (translated by Astrid Freuler), Bitter Lemon Press
The Consultant, by Im Seong-sun (translated by An Seong Jae,) Raven Books
Not Russian by Mikhail Shevelev (translated by Brian James Baer & Ellen Vayner), Europa Editions UK
The Prey by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (translated by Victoria Cribb), Hodder & Stoughton
My Husband by Maud Ventura (translated by Emma Ramadan,) Hutchinson Heinemann
ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION
This award is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality.
The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel (Simon & Schuster)
G-Man, by Beverly Gage (Simon & Schuster)
The Many Lives of Mama Love, by Lara Love Hardin (Endeavour)
No Ordinary Day by Matt Johnson with John Murray (Ad Lib Publishers)
Chasing Shadows by Miles Johnson, (The Bridge Street Press)
The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe (Picador)
Devil’s Coin by Jennifer McAdam with Douglas Thompson (Ad Lib Publishers Ltd)
No Comment by Jess McDonald (Raven Books)
Seventy Times Seven by Alex Mar (Bedford Square Publishers)
How Many More Women? By Jennifer Robinson & Keina Yoshida (Endeavour)
Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare, (Vintage)
Murder at Home, by David Wilson (Sphere)
SHORT STORY DAGGER
This award is for any crime short story first published in the UK in English in a publication that pays for contributions, or broadcast in the UK in return for payment.
Three Ways to Die by Rachel Amphlett from No W.W.M. – Thrill Ride #3, edited by M. L. “Matt” Buchman, (Buchman Bookworks, Inc)
Safe Enough by Lee Child from An Unnecessary Assassin, edited by Lorraine Stevens, (Rivertree)
The Last Best Thing by Mia Dalia from Bang!:An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction, edited by Andrew Hook, (Head Shot Press)
Slap Happy by Andrew Humphrey from Bang!:An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction edited by Andrew Hook, (Head Shot Press)
The Also-Rans by Benedict J Jones from Bang!:An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction edited by Andrew Hook, (Head Shot Press)
The Divide by Sanjida Kay from The Book of Bristol edited by Joe Melia and Heather Marks, (Comma Press)
The Spendthrift and the Swallow, by Ambrose Parry (Canongate Books)
Drive Bye by DG Penny from An Unnecessary Assassin edited by Lorraine Stevens, (Rivertree)
Best Served Cold by FD Quinn from An Unnecessary Assassin edited by Lorraine Stevens, (Rivertree)
Revenge is Best Served Hot by Robert Scragg from An Unnecessary Assassin edited by Lorraine Stevens, (Rivertree)
DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY
The Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by an established crime writer who has long been popular with borrowers from libraries, and who has supported libraries and their users.
CrimeFest, a British crime fiction convention in Bristol, announced their 2024 CrimeFest Awards nominees on April 16. These prizes “honour the best crime books released in 2023 in the UK.” The awards will be presented on May 11.
The 2024 CrimeFest Award Shortlists:
SPECSAVERS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL AWARD
In association with headline sponsor, the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award is for debut authors first published in the United Kingdom in 2023. The winning author receives a £1,000 prize.
Death Under a Little Sky by Stig Abell (Hemlock Press/HarperCollins)
In The Blink Of An Eye by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster)
The Messenger by Megan Davis (Zaffre)
Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Madsen translated by Megan Turney (Orenda Books)
Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow (Baskerville)
Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater (Hodder & Stoughton)
H.R.F. KEATING AWARD
The H.R.F. Keating Award is for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction first published in the United Kingdom in 2023. The award is named after H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating, one of Britain’s most esteemed crime novelists, crime reviewers and writer of books about crime fiction.
Contemporary European Crime Fiction: Representing History and Politics by M, J, F & A Dall’Asta, Migozzi, Pagello & Pepper (Palgrave)
Ocular Proof and the Spectacled Detective in British Crime Fiction by Lisa Hopkins (Palgrave)
How To Survive a Classic Crime Novel by Kate Jackson (British Library Publishing)
Love Me Fierce In Danger: The Life of James Ellroy by Steven Powell (Bloomsbury Academic)
Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare (Harvill Secker)
The Secret Life of John Le Carré by Adam Sisman (Profile Books)
LAST LAUGH AWARD
The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.
The Last Dance by Mark Billingham (Sphere)
The Great Deceiver by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron (Baskerville)
Mr Campion’s Memory by Mike Ripley (Severn House)
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Sutanto (HQ)
The Beaver Theory by Antti Tuomianen (Orenda Books)
eDUNNIT AWARD
For the best crime fiction ebook first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format in the United Kingdom in 2023.
Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott (Wildfire)
The Close by Jane Casey (HarperCollins)
Sepulchre Street by Martin Edwards(Head of Zeus)
Murder at Bletchley Park by Christina Koning (Allison & Busby)
Prom Mom by Laura Lippman (Faber & Faber)
The Devil’s Playground by Craig Russell (Constable)
BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR CHILDREN
This award is for the best crime novel for children (aged 8-12) first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.
Mysteries At Sea: Peril On The Atlantic by A.M. Howell (Usborne Publishing)
The Detention Detectives by Lis Jardine (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
The Swifts by Beth Lincoln (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School by Marcus Rashford (with Alex Falase-Koya) (Macmillan Children’s Books)
The Ministry of Unladylike Activity 2: The Body in the Blitz by Robin Stevens (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Portraits and Poison by J.T. Williams (illustrated by Simone Douglas) (Farshore)
BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR YOUNG ADULTS
This award is for the best crime novel for young adults (aged 12-16) first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.
The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks (Macmillan Children’s Books)
This Book Kills by Ravena Guron (Usborne Publishing)
Catch Your Death by Ravena Guron (Usborne Publishing)
One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein (Bloomsbury YA)
THALIA PROCTOR MEMORIAL AWARD FOR BEST ADAPTED TV CRIME DRAMA
This award is for the best television crime drama based on a book, and first screened in the UK in 2023.
Dalgliesh (series 2), based on the Inspector Dalgliesh books by P.D. James (Channel 5)
Reacher (series 2), based on the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child (Amazon Prime)
Shetland (series 8), based on the Shetland books by Ann Cleeves (BBC)
Slow Horses (series 3), based on the Slough House books by Mick Herron (Apple)
The Serial Killer’s Wife, based on the Serial Killer books by Alice Hunter (Paramount+)
Vera (series 12), based on the Vera Stanhope books by Ann Cleeves (ITV)
Tananarive Due’s The Reformatory: A Novel won the Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction category, a book the Times describes as “part horror, part historical fiction in its examination of life under Jim Crow law in the South.”
The other finalists in the category were:
Daniel Kraus, Whalefall
Victor LaValle, Lone Women: A Novel
V. E. Schwab, The Fragile Threads of Power
E. Lily Yu, Jewel Box: Stories
Two other works of genre interest won awards: the Graphic Novel/Comics category, Emily Carroll, for A Guest in the House; and in the Young Adult category, Amber McBride for Gone Wolf.
Here is the complete list of LA Times Book Prize winners.
Achievement in Audiobook Production (presented by Audible)
Dion Graham and Elishia Merricks, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin): A Memoir, Macmillan Audio
Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction
Shannon Sanders, Company: Stories, Graywolf Press
Biography
Gregg Hecimovich, The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The True Story of The Bondwoman’s Narrative, Ecco/HarperCollins
Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose
Claire Dederer, Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma, Knopf
Current Interest
Roxanna Asgarian, We Were Once A Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America, Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Fiction
Ed Park, Same Bed Different Dreams: A Novel, Random House
Graphic Novel/Comics
Emily Carroll, A Guest in the House, First Second
History
Joya Chatterji, Shadows at Noon: The South Asian Twentieth Century, Yale University Press
Mystery/Thriller
Ivy Pochoda, Sing Her Down: A Novel, MCD
Poetry
Airea D. Matthews, Bread and Circus: Poems, Scribner
Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction
Tananarive Due, The Reformatory: A Novel, Saga Press
Science & Technology
Eugenia Cheng, Is Math Real? How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics’ Deepest Truths, Basic Books
