2023 CrimeFest Awards

CrimeFest, a crime fiction con in Bristol UK, has announced the winners of their various awards.

These prizes “honour the best crime books released in 2022 in the UK.”

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award

  • A Flicker in the Dark, by Stacy Willingham (HarperCollins)

eDunnit Award

  • The Book of the Most Precious Substance, by Sara Gran (Faber and Faber)

H.R.F. Keating Award (for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction)

  • The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators, by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

  • Bryant & May’s Peculiar London, by Christopher Fowler (Doubleday)

Best Crime Fiction Novel for Children (aged 8-12)

  • The Good Turn, by Sharna Jackson (Puffin)

Best Crime Fiction Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16)

  • Five Survive, by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey)

Thalia Proctor Memorial Award for Best Adapted TV Crime Drama

  • Slow Horses (seasons 1 & 2), based on the books by Mick Herron. Produced by See-Saw. Shown on Apple TV+.

Spring Into Crime Fiction Awards News

2022 CRIMEFEST AWARDS SHORTLISTS

CrimeFest, a British crime fiction convention in Bristol, announced their 2023 CrimeFest Awards nominees. These prizes “honour the best crime books released in 2022 in the UK.” The awards will be presented on May 13.

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award

  • A Good Day to Die, by Amen Alonge (Quercus)
  • Bad for Good, by Graham Bartlett (Allison & Busby)
  • The Maid, by Nita Prose (HarperCollins)
  • Ashes in the Snow, by Oriana Rammuno, translated by Katherine Gregor (HarperCollins)
  • Kalmann, by Joachim B. Schmidt, translated by Jamie Lee Searle (Bitter Lemon)
  • Dirt Town, by Hayley Scrivenor (Macmillan)
  • The Siege, by John Sutherland (Orion)
  • A Flicker in the Dark, by Stacy Willingham (HarperCollins)

eDunnit Award

  • The Cliff House, by Chris Brookmyre (Abacus)
  • Desert Star, by Michael Connelly (Orion)
  • The Botanist, by M.W. Craven (Constable)
  • The Book of the Most Precious Substance, by Sara Gran
  • (Faber and Faber)
  • A Heart Full of Headstones, by Ian Rankin (Orion)
  • Nine Lives, by Peter Swanson (Faber and Faber)

H.R.F. Keating Award (for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction)

  • The Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie, by J.C. Bernthal and Mary Anna Evans (Bloomsbury Academic)
  • A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré, 1945-2020, by John le Carré, edited by Tim Cornwell (Viking)
  • The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators, by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)
  • Simenon: The Man, The Books, The Films, by Barry Forshaw (Oldcastle)
  • Gender Roles and Political Contexts in Cold War Spy Fiction,
  • by Sian MacArthur (Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman, by Lucy Worsley
  • (Hodder & Stoughton)

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

  • Bryant & May’s Peculiar London, by Christopher Fowler (Doubleday)
  • The Locked Room, by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
  • Bad Actors, by Mick Herron (Baskerville)
  • Hope to Die, by Cara Hunter (Viking)
  • Mr. Campion’s Mosaic, by Mike Ripley (Severn House)
  • The Moose Paradox, by Antti Tuomainen (Orenda)

Best Crime Fiction Novel for Children (aged 8-12)

  • A Girl Called Justice: The Spy at the Window, by Elly Griffiths (Quercus Children’s Books)
  • Where Seagulls Dare: A Diamond Brothers Case, by Anthony
  • Horowitz (Walker)
  • The Good Turn, by Sharna Jackson (Puffin)
  • Spark, by M.G. Leonard (Walker)
  • The Ministry of Unladylike Activity, by Robin Stevens (Puffin)
  • Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire! A Recipe for Trouble, by Sarah
  • Todd Taylor (Nosy Crow)

Best Crime Fiction Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16)

  • Five Survive, by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey)
  • Needle, by Patrice Lawrence (Barrington Stoke)
  • The Butterfly Assassin, by Finn Longman (Simon & Schuster Children’s)
  • Truth or Dare, by Sophie McKenzie (Simon & Schuster Children’s)
  • I Must Betray You, by Ruta Sepetys (Hodder Children’s Books)
  • The Notorious Scarlett and Browne, by Jonathan Stroud (Walker)

GLENCAIRN GLASS CRIME SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The winner of the 2023 Glencairn Glass Crime Short Story Competition has been announced. The trophy is a nice crystal whisky glass, which is certainly useful.

WINNER: “The Dummy Railway” by Frances Crawford

RUNNER-UP: “The Last Tram To Gorbals Cross” by Allan Gaw

The winning story will be published in the May issue of Scottish Field Magazine (on shelf Friday 7th April). Both the winner and runner-up will also be published from 11th April on Scottish Field Magazine’s website; www.scottishfield.co.uk and here.

2022 HAMMETT PRIZE SHORTLIST

The finalists for the 2022 Hammett Prize have been announced by The International Association of Crime Writers, North America. Their official website isn’t updated yet but The Rap Sheet has the list.

The Hammett Prize is given for literary Excellence in Crime Writing. Books must be published in the English language in the U.S. or Canada.

  • Copperhead Road, by Brad Smith (At Bay Press)
  • Gangland, by Chuck Hogan (Grand Central)
  • Don’t Know Tough, by Eli Cranor (Soho Crime)
  • Pay Dirt Road, by Samantha Jayne Allen (Minotaur)
  • What Happened to the Bennetts, by Lisa Scottoline (Putnam)

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for many of these links.]

Crime Fiction News May 2022

Here’s another round of crime fiction award winners and finalists.

2022 CRIMEFEST AWARDS

The 2022 CrimeFest Award winners were revealed at CrimeFest in Bristol, UK.

SPECSAVERS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL AWARD

In association with headline sponsor, the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award is for crime novels by previously unpublished authors bring vital fresh blood to the genre.

  • Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden, (Simon & Schuster)

AUDIBLE SOUNDS OF CRIME AWARD

The Audible Sounds of Crime Award is for the best unabridged crime audiobook available for download from audible.co.uk, Britain’s largest provider of downloadable audiobooks.

  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – read by Lesley Manville (Penguin Random House Audio)

eDUNNIT AWARD

The eDunnit Award is for the best crime fiction eBook

  • Girl A by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins)

H.R.F. KEATING AWARD

The H.R.F. Keating Award is for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction. The award is named after H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating, one of Britain’s most esteemed crime novelists.

  • Patricia Highsmith: Her Diaries and Notebooks by Patricia Highsmith (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

LAST LAUGH AWARD

The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel.

  • Slough House by Mick Herron (Baskerville, John Murray Press)

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR CHILDREN

This award is for the best crime fiction novel for children (aged 8-12)

  • Twitch by M.G. Leonard,(Walker Books)

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR YOUNG ADULTS

This award is for the best crime fiction novel for young adults (aged 12-16).

  • Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Rock the Boat)

THALIA PROCTOR MEMORIAL AWARD FOR BEST ADAPTED TV CRIME DRAMA

  • Shetland (season 6), based on the books by Ann Cleeves. Produced by Silverprint Pictures, part of ITV Studios; shown on BBC1.

Here’s also a report about the 2022 CrimeFest in Bristol by Martin Edwards, “CrimeFest 2022 – a wonderful weekend” at Do You Write Under Your Own Name?


2022 HARALD MORGENSEN PRISEN

The winner of the 2022 Harald Morgensen Prisen for the best Danish crime novel has also been announced: “Årets bedste danske spændingsroman”.

  • Mørket under isen by Morten Hesseldahl

2022 SPOTTED OWL AWARD

The winner of the 2022 Spotted Owl Award has been announced: has been announced.

  • No Witness by Warren Easley (Poisoned Pen Press)

The Spotted Owl Award was established in 1995 and is given to the best mystery novel of the year by an author who lives in the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, British Columbia, Canada, Idaho, Oregon or Washington.) 

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for the links.]

Spring Into Crime Fiction Awards News

CRIMEFEST AWARDS

The 2022 CrimeFest Awards shortlists were revealed March 15

SPECSAVERS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL AWARD

In association with headline sponsor, the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award is for crime novels by previously unpublished authors bring vital fresh blood to the genre.

  • Girl A by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins)
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett, (Viper)
  • The Khan by Saima Mir,(Point Blank)
  • How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina, (Abacus/ Little, Brown Book Group)
  • One Night, New York by Lara Thompson, (Virago/Little, Brown Book Group)
  • Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden, (Simon & Schuster)

AUDIBLE SOUNDS OF CRIME AWARD

The Audible Sounds of Crime Award is for the best unabridged crime audiobook available for download from audible.co.uk, Britain’s largest provider of downloadable audiobooks.

  • Better Off Dead by Lee and Andrew Child – read by Jeff Harding (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • Girl A by Abigail Dean – read by Holliday Grainger (HarperFiction)
  • Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins – read by Rosamund Pike (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell – read by Joanna Froggatt (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty -read by Caroline Lee (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – read by Lesley Manville (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • The Marriage by K.L Slater – read by Lucy Price-Lewis (Audible Studios / Bookouture)
  • False Witness by Karin Slaughter – read by Kathleen Early (HarperCollins)

eDUNNIT AWARD

The eDunnit Award is for the best crime fiction eBook

  • The Turnout by Megan Abbott (Virago/ Little, Brown Book Group)
  • The Measure of Time by Gianrico Carofiglio (Bitter Lemon Press)
  • The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly (Orion Fiction)
  • Girl A by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins)
  • Running Out of Road by Cath Staincliffe (Constable/ Little, Brown Book Group)
  • The Royal Secret by Andrew Taylor (HarperCollins)

H.R.F. KEATING AWARD

The H.R.F. Keating Award is for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction. The award is named after H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating, one of Britain’s most esteemed crime novelists.

  • The Detective’s Companion in Crime Fiction: A Study in Sidekicks by Lucy Andrews (Palgrave Macmillan)
  • Devils, Lusts and Strange Desires: The Life of Patricia Highsmith by Richard Bradford Bloomsbury, Caravel)
  • Bond Behind the Iron Curtain by James Fleming (The Book Collector)
  • Patricia Highsmith: Her Diaries and Notebooks by Patricia Highsmith (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
  • Murder Isn’t Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine (Sphere/ Little, Brown Book Group)
  • Hank Janson Under Cover by Stephen James Walker (Telos Publishing Ltd)

LAST LAUGH AWARD

The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel.

  • An Untidy Death by Simon Brett (Severn House)
  • Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri (Mantle)
  • Bryant & May: London Bridge is Falling Down by Christopher Fowler (Doubleday)
  • The Appeal by Janet Hallet (Viper)
  • Slough House by Mick Herron (Baskerville, John Murray Press)
  • The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen, (Orenda Books)

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR CHILDREN

This award is for the best crime fiction novel for children (aged 8-12)

  • Noah’s Gold by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, (Macmillan Children’s Books)
  • Vi Spy: Licence to Chill by Maz Evans (Chicken House)
  • Nightshade by Anthony Horowitz, (Walker Books)
  • The Five Clues by Anthony Kessel, (Crown House Publishing)
  • Lake Evolution by Jennifer Killick Crater, (Firefly Press)
  • Twitch by M.G. Leonard,(Walker Books)
  • Wishyouwas: The Tiny Guardian of Lost Letters by Alexandra Page illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
  • The Secret Detectives by Ella Risbridger (Nosy Crow)

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR YOUNG ADULTS

This award is for the best crime fiction novel for young adults (aged 12-16).

  • Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké Íyímídé, (Usborne Publishing)
  • Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Rock the Boat)
  • The Girl Who … by Andreina Cordani (Atom/ Little, Brown Book Group)
  • The Outrage by William Hussey (Usborne Publishing)
  • As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey)
  • Splinters of Sunshine by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder Children’s Books)
  • The Outlaws of Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud (Walker Books)
  • The Island by C. L Taylor (HQ)

GLENCAIRN GLASS CRIME SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The prize winners of the inaugural Glencairn Glass Crime Short Story Competition were announced March 7. Glencairn Glass, a manufacturer of whiskey glasses and sponsor of the Bloody Scotland crime fiction festival, limited all story entries to 2000 words, and required them to be based on the theme “A Crystal-Clear Crime.”

WINNER 

  • Halmeoni’s Wisdom by Brid Cummings

RUNNERS UP 

  • Teardrops by Jennifer Harvey
  • Auld Brideby Judith O’Reilly

The first prize winner will receive £1000, and the two runners up will each receive £250. All three authors will also receive a set of six bespoke engraved Glencairn Glasses. The winning entry will be published in the May issue of Scottish Field Magazine (on shelf April 8). The runners’ up stories will also be published from April 11 online on Scottish Field Magazine’s website (www.scottishfield.co.uk).

You will also be able to read the winning story and the runners up stories on the Glencairn Glass website: www.whiskyglass.com from April 11.

2021 CrimeFest Awards

CrimeFest, a crime fiction con in Bristol UK, has announced the finalists for their various awards.

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award

 The Man on the Street, by Trevor Wood (Quercus)

Audible Sounds of Crime Award

 The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman, read by Lesley Manville (Viking)

H.R.F. Keating Award

 Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club, edited by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)

Last Laugh Award

• Squeeze Me, by Carl Hiaasen (Little, Brown)

eDunnit Award

 A Song for the Dark Times, by Ian Rankin (Orion)

Best Crime Novel for Children (Ages 8-12)

 Anisha, Accidental Detective, by Serena Patel (Usborne)

Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (Ages 12-16)

 Eight Pieces of Silva, by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder Children’s Books)

All winners receive a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award. The Debut winner also gets a £1,000 prize, and sponsor Audible UK provides the winning author and audiobook reader(s) a £1,000 prize to share equally.

More 2021 Crime Fiction Awards and Shortlists

Many crime fiction award announcements have been posted in the past few weeks.

Friends of Mystery logo

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.

Pinckley Prize for Distinguished Body of Work

  • C.S. Harris  

Pinckley Prize for Debut Fiction

  • Miracle Creek by Angie Kim is the winner of the

Pinckley Prize for True Crime Writing

  • Emma Copley Eisenberg  

HAMMETT PRIZE

The shortlist for the 2020 Dashiell Hammett Award for Literary Excellence in Crime Writing, which is handed out by the International Association of Crime Writers (North American Branch), has been announced. 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:

 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)

CRIMEFEST AWARDS

CrimeFest, a crime fiction con in Bristol UK, has announced the finalists for their various awards.

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award

 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 
  • Thornton, Brian.  “Suicide Blonde.” Suicide Blonde:Three Novellas 
  • Wilson, Matthew. “The Wretched Strangers.” EQMM: January/February 2020

A vote of the SMFS membership will determine the winner in each category. 

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for the story.]

2020 CrimeFest Awards

The 2020 CrimeFest Award winners were announced July 7.

Specsavers Crime Fiction Debut Award (for a crime novel by a debut author first published in the British Isles in 2019)

  • Laura Shepherd-Robinson for Blood & Sugar (Mantle)

Audible Sounds of Crime Award (for the best unabridged crime audiobook)

  • Lee Child for Blue Moon, read by Jeff Harding (Penguin Random House Audio)

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.

eDunnit Award (“for the best crime fiction e-book first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format”)

  • Holly Watt for To The Lions (Raven Books)

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

  • Helen FitzGerald for Worst Case Scenario (Orenda Books)

H.R.F. Keating Award (for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction)

  • John Curran for The Hooded Gunman (HarperCollins Crime Club)

Best Crime Novel for Children (aged 8-12)

  • Thomas Taylor for Malamander (Walker Books)

Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16)

  • Kathryn Evans for Beauty Sleep (Usborne Publishing)

The awards would have been presented during CrimeFest in Bristol, U.K. but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2020 CrimeFest Awards Nominees

The 2020 CrimeFest Awards nominees were announced June 2.

The awards would have been presented during CrimeFest in Bristol, U.K. this weekend, but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The winners now will be announced online July 7.

Specsavers Crime Fiction Debut Award (for a crime novel by a debut author first published in the British Isles in 2019)

  • Fiona Erskine for The Chemical Detective (Point Blank)
  • Katja Ivar for Evil Things (Bitter Lemon Press)
  • Carolyn Kirby for The Conviction of Cora Burns (No Exit Press)
  • Alex Michaelides for The Silent Patient (Orion Fiction)
  • Laura Shepherd-Robinson for Blood & Sugar (Mantle)
  • Holly Watt for To The Lions (Raven Books

Audible Sounds of Crime Award (for the best unabridged crime audiobook)

  • Kate Atkinson for Big Sky, read by Jason Isaacs (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • Oyinkan Braithwaite for My Sister, the Serial Killer, read by Weruche Opia (W.F. Howes)
  • Alex Callister for Winter Dark, read by Ell Potter (Audibe Studios)
  • Lee Child for Blue Moon, read by Jeff Harding (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • Lisa Jewell for The Family Upstairs, read by Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland & Dominic Thorburn (Penguin Random House Audio)
  • T.M. Logan for The Holiday, read by Laura Kirman (Zaffre)
  • Peter May for The Man with No Face, read by Peter Forbes (Quercus, Fiction)
  • Alex Michaelides for The Silent Patient, read by Louise Brealey & Jack Hawkins (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.

eDunnit Award (“for the best crime fiction e-book first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format”)

  • Helen FitzGerald for Worst Case Scenario (Orenda Books)
  • Sarah Hilary for Never Be Broken (Headline)
  • Andrew Taylor for The King’s Evil (HarperFiction)
  • L.C. Tyler for The Maltese Herring (Allison & Busby)
  • Holly Watt for To The Lions (Raven Books)
  • Don Winslow for The Border (HarperFiction)

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

  • William Boyle for A Friend is a Gift you Give Yourself (No Exit Press)
  • Hannah Dennison for Tidings of Death at Honeychurch Hall (Constable)
  • Helen FitzGerald for Worst Case Scenario (Orenda Books)
  • Christopher Fowler for Bryant & May The Lonely Hour (Transworld)
  • Antti Tuomainen for Little Siberia (Orenda Books)
  • L.C. Tyler for The Maltese Herring (Allison & Busby)

H.R.F. Keating Award (for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction)

  • Ursula Buchan for Beyond The Thirty-Nine Steps (Bloomsbury Publishing)
  • John Curran for The Hooded Gunman (HarperCollins Crime Club)
  • Barry Forshaw for Crime Fiction: A Reader’s Guide (No Exit Press)

Best Crime Novel for Children (aged 8-12)

  • P.G. Bell for The Great Brain Robbery (Usborne Publishing)
  • Vivian French for The Steam Whistle Theatre Company (Walker Books)
  • Sophie Green for Potkin and Stubbs (Bonnier Books)
  • A.M. Howell for The Garden of Lost Secrets (Usborne Publishing)
  • Simon Lelic for The Haven (Hodder Children’s Books)
  • Thomas Taylor for Malamander (Walker Books)

Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16)

  • Kathryn Evans for Beauty Sleep (Usborne Publishing)
  • John Grisham for Theodore Boone: The Accomplice (Hodder & Stoughton)
  • Samuel J. Halpin for The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods (Usborne Publishing)
  • Simon Mason for Hey Sherlock! (David Fickling Books)
  • Tom Pollock for Heartstream (Walker Books)
  • Nikesh Shukla for The Boxer (Hodder Children’s Books)