Mystery Melange

Don Winslow has won the 2016 Falcon Award from The Maltese Falcon Society Japan for Missing: New York as the best hardboiled/private eye novel published in Japan in the previous year. This is Winslow's fourth Falcon win. He won the same prize in 1994 for A Cool Breeze on the Underground, in 2010 for The Power of the Dog, and in 2011 for The Winter of Frankie Machine.

Critically acclaimed Irish crime writer Ken Bruen has been honored with the IBAM! Award to Literature, whose previous recipients include Maeve Binchy and Frank McCourt. Bruen will be presented with the award at the iBAM! Gala Awards Dinner on October 14 in the Erin Room at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago. Bruen has written more than 50 books since he began writing in the mid-1990s and is perhaps best known for his series of Jack Taylor books. The Los Angeles Review of Books once said, "Bruen is among the most original and innovative noir voices of the last two decades."

This year's Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival announced their longlist of twelve nominees for the 2016 McIlvanney Prize, previously known as the Scottish Crime Book of the Year award. The winners will be handed out at the event, to be held in the central Scottish town of Stirling during the weekend of September 9 through 11. (HT to Shots Magazine)

The Guardian announced that its latest "writing authentic crime fiction masterclass," with authors, forensic pathologists, criminal lawyers and frontline police, is scheduled for September 24 in London. Featured guests include author Erin Kelly, Silent Witness consultant Dr Stuart Hamilton, former chief superintendent Graham Bartlett, and other experts from the world of crime.

The latest issue of Mystery Readers Journal, titled New York City Mysteries II, is now available, with close to thirty "Author, Author" essays, a column on "New York’s Finest: The Top Ten Series Characters" by Jim Doherty, and the usual slate of reviews of the latest releases.

Mike Ripley's latest Getting Away with Murder column for Shots Magazine recapped the recent 50th anniversary celebration of the death of Margery Allingham, one of the Golden Age’s "Queens of Crime," as well as the recent Goldsboro Books History in the Court event; there's a look ahead at the upcoming Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in September, which is this year dedicated to the memory of William McIlvanney, the founding father of "Tartan Noir," who died late last year; a look at the neglected American authors Gerald Petievich and Doug J. Swanson; and much more book goodies from across The Post-Brexit Pond.

CPNG, a Netherlands-based organization that promotes Dutch literature, will next year give away free copies of a new novel by crime writer Deon Meyer. Meyer is writing a special "gift book" for the 2017 Crime & Thriller Book Weeks, which will take place June 9-25, 2017. According to the CPNB, thrillers are the most-read fiction genre in the Netherlands and in the spring and summer thrillers make up 37% of fiction sales. Meyer, who is published in the Netherlands by A.W. Bruna Uitgevers, is the author of novels such as Thirteen Hours, Devil’s Peak, and Trackers.

National Geographic online outlined "How Science Is Putting a New Face on Crime Solving," which takes a look at how advances in forensics are giving us an unprecedented ability to solve cases—and exposing mistakes in some investigations.

The Guardian continues the recent spate of articles focusing on women crime novelists with its take on "After Agatha Christie … female crime writers delve deep into women’s worst fears," and how crime fiction may be increasingly a woman’s game.

I missed this bit of news, but as William Kent Krueger notes on his blog, the Mystery Book Store in Omaha is closing in September. Owner Kate Birkel began the store in 1995, and now, after more than twenty years, she's shutting the doors due to "urban renewal." If you're in that part of the country, plan a visit on September 17 when Krueger has a signing for his next novel, Manitou Canyon, the store’s last official author event.

Bond Street celebrated American's unique bookstores with some fine examples from sea to shining sea.

In the Q&A roundup, Criminal Element welcomed Rick Campbell, author of Ice Station Nautilus, who spent more than 20 years on multiple submarine tours before turning his hand to submarine-based military thrillers; Marie S. Crosswell takes Paul D. Brazill's Short, Sharp Interview challenge; Omnimystery News featured authors Gordon Chaplin (Paraíso) and J.C. Lane (Tag, You're Dead); and the Mystery People snagged Martin Limón to dicsuss Ping-Pong Heart, Limón’s latest case for his South-Korea-stationed 1970s Army CID cops, Sueño and Bascom.