Mystery Melange

Recycled book sculpture by Long Bin Chen

The Crime Writers of Canada announced the shortlists for the 2014 Arthur Ellis Award, which honor excellence in Canadian crime writing. The winners will be handed out at the Arthur Ellis Gala in Toronto on June 5.

Finalists have been named for this year's CrimeFest Awards in three categories: best crime audiobook, best crime fiction e-book published in both physical and digital format, and best humorous crime novel. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner during the conference May 17 in Bristol, U.K.

Seattle author Mike Lawson won his second straight Spotted Owl Award, given by the Friends of Mystery for the best mystery novel by a Northwest author. Lawson won for his novel House Odds, while Ingrid Thoft won the debut award for her novel Loyalty. For all the finalists, click here.

Earlier this month, RT Book Reviews announced the winners of the 2013 RT Reviewers' Choice Awards in many categories, including various mystery, suspense, and thrillers. In addition, Lee Child and Suzanne Brockmann were honored with a Career Achievement Awards for their body of work. (Hat tip to Omnimystery News.)

Thanks to Elizabeth Foxwell for noting the latest recipient of the George N. Dove Award of the Popular Culture Association's Detective/Mystery Caucus is Christine Jackson. The award honors the serious study of mystery and crime fiction such as Jackson's publication "The Tell-Tale Art: Poe in Modern Popular Culture."

Suspense Magazine's April/May issue includes interviews with Alex Berenson, Barry Eisler, Jennifer McMahon, Matthew Iden, and Gigi Pandian. There's also a new section called "From Across the Pond," with an introduction to authors from Europe including the first profile, author Chris Simms. Plus, the winners of the Terri Ann Armstrong Short Story contest are announced, with the top stories also published in the issue.

Amazon via Omnivoracious posted a list of "100 Mysteries & Thrillers to Read in a Lifetime." This is the latest in a long line of "you must read these" lists, but even if you don't agree with the choices the list creators come up with, there are often some new books and/or authors to give a look.

This week's crime poem over at the 5-2 is "Trickster Time" by Linda Rodriguez, while this week's noir story at Beat to a Pulp is "Tongue Wagging" by Natasha Leullier.

The Q&A roundup includes Billy Kring and Christopher Irvin taking a stab at the Mystery People; and Matthew Louis takes the "Short, Sharp Interivew" challenge from Paul D. Brazill.