2010 Edgar Nominations

I woke with some excitement today knowing that 2010 Edgar nominations were close. But sadly with the passing of Robert Parker, the nomination announcement is a bit muted. Mr. Parker was honored as a Grand Master in 2002 and in 1977 Mr. Parker won Best Novel for PROMISED LAND.

I have some quick reactions to the nominations. You can find them beneath the relevant category. Certainly taken as a whole this group of books strikes me as bit more commercial (not quite the right word) minded than last year's group. This is not meant as a slight against last year's books and those who selected them, but certainly a lot less head scratching this year.

BEST NOVEL
THE MISSING by Tim Gautreaux - Random House - Alfred A. Knopf
THE ODDS by Kathleen George - Minotaur Books
THE LAST CHILD by John Hart - Minotaur Books
MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH by Charlie Huston - Random House - Ballantine Books
NEMESIS by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett - HarperCollins
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE by Malla Nunn - Simon & Schuster – Atria Books

John Hart is three for three. An impressive run. Super excited to see MYSTIC ARTS nominated here. My fingers are crossed for Mr. Huston.

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE by David Cristofano - Grand Central Publishing
STARVATION LAKE by Bryan Gruley - Simon & Schuster - Touchstone
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf - MIRA Books
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY by Sophie Littlefield - Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books
BLACK WATER RISING by Attica Locke - HarperCollins
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stefanie Pintoff - Minotaur Book

I spent a good portion of last summer wanting to buy but not ultimately purchasing IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM. I'll grab this from the library. BLACK WATER RISING received gobs of acclaim. I have to think this is the early favorite in this category.

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
BURY ME DEEP by Megan Abbott - Simon & Schuster
HAVANA LUNAR by Robert Arellano - Akashic Books
THE LORD GOD BIRD by Russell Hill - Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Books
BODY BLOWS by Marc Strange - Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries
THE HERRING-SELLER'S APPRENTICE by L.C. Tyler - Felony & Mayhem Press

Megan Abbott won this category two years ago for QUEENPIN. As for the other books I don't mean to be flip when I say this, but can I even get the other nominated books from the library? A quick check reveals, except for Mr. Strange's book, the answer is yes.

BEST FACT CRIME
COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen - Hachette Book Group - Twelve
GO DOWN TOGETHER: THE TRUE, UNTOLD STORY OF BONNIE AND CLYDE by Jeff Guinn - Simon & Schuster
THE FENCE: A POLICE COVER-UP ALONG BOSTON'S RACIAL DIVIDE by Dick Lehr - HarperCollins
PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND A FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo - The Penguin Press
VANISHED SMILE: THE MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF MONA LISA by R.A. Scotti - Random House - Alfred A. Knopf

Very rarely does a book come along that redefines how we see an event. Mr. Cullen's book is that book. I'm sure the other's are all good, but COLUMBINE is a defining moment in the psychology of America. Mr. Cullen's book lights up the darkness.

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION by P.D. James - Random House - Alfred A. Knopf
THE LINEUP: THE WORLD'S GREATEST CRIME WRITERS TELL THE INSIDE STORY OF THEIR GREATEST DECTECTIVE edited by Otto Penzler - Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company
HAUNTED HEART: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF STEPHEN KING by Lisa Rogak - Thomas Dunne Books
THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH: THE SECRET LIFE AND SERIOUS ART OF PATRICIA HIGHSMITH by Joan Schenkar - St. Martin’s Press
THE STEPHEN KING ILLUSTRATED COMPANION by Bev Vincent - Fall River Press

BEST SHORT STORY
"LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN" – Crossroad Blues by Ace Atkins - Busted Flush Press
"FEMME SOLE" – Boston Noir by Dana Cameron - Akashic Books
"DIGBY, ATTORNEY AT LAW" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Jim Fusilli - Dell Magazines
"ANIMAL RESCUE" – Boston Noir by Dennis Lehane - Akashic Books
"AMAPOLA" – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea - Akashic Books

BEST JUVENILE
THE CASE OF THE CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY by Mac Barnett - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
THE RED BLAZER GIRLS: THE RING OF ROCAMADOUR by Michael D. Beil - Random House Children’s Books – Alfred A. Knopf
CLOSED FOR THE SEASON by Mary Downing Hahn - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books
CREEPY CRAWLY CRIME by Aaron Reynolds - Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE by Nancy Springer - Penguin Young Readers Group – Philomel Books

BEST YOUNG ADULT
REALITY CHECK by Peter Abrahams - HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen
IF THE WITNESS LIED by Caroline B. Cooney - Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press
THE MORGUE AND ME by John C. Ford - Penguin Young Readers Group – Viking Children’s Books
PETRONELLA SAVES NEARLY EVERYONE by Dene Low - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books
SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell - Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
“PLACE OF EXECUTION,” Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson - PBS/WGBH Boston
“STRIKE THREE” – The Closer, Teleplay by Steven Kane - Warner Bros TV for TNT
“LOOK WHAT HE DUG UP THIS TIME” – Damages, Teleplay by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman - FX Networks
“GRILLED” – Breaking Bad, Teleplay by George Mastras - AMC/Sony
“LIVING THE DREAM” – Dexter, Teleplay by Clyde Phillips - Showtime

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
"A DREADFUL DAY" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Dan Warthman - Dell Magazines

GRAND MASTER
Dorothy Gilman

RAVEN AWARDS
Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Zev Buffman, International Mystery Writers’ Festival

ELLERY QUEEN AWARD
Poisoned Pen Press (Barbara Peters & Robert Rosenwald)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
AWAKENING by S.J. Bolton - Minotaur Books
CAT SITTER ON A HOT TIN ROOF by Blaize Clement - Minotaur Books
NEVER TELL A LIE by Hallie Ephron - HarperCollins – William Morrow
LETHAL VINTAGE by Nadia Gordon - Chronicle Books
DIAL H FOR HITCHCOCK by Susan Kandel - HarperCollins