Europe's venerable crime writing convention, Crimefest, announced the shortlists for its annual book awards. The in-person event was rescheduled for May 12-15, 2022, but organizers decided the annual awards must go on. The categories feature the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award, the winner of which receives a £1,000 prize, with a further £1,000 prize also awarded to the Audible Sounds of Crime Award, sponsored by Audible. Other categories include the H.R.F Keating Award for best 2020 biography or critical book related to crime fiction; The Last Laugh Award for best 2020 humorous crime novel; the eDunnit Award for best 2020 crime ebook; Best Crime Novel for Children (ages 8-12); and Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (ages 12-16). Shots Magazine has a roundup and list of all the finalists, with winners to be announced online in May or June.
The Portland, Oregon-based fan group, Friends of Mystery, recently announced the winner of this year's Spotted Owl Award, given annually to what its members determine is the "best mystery written by an author whose primary residence is in the Pacific Northwest." The Last Agent by Robert Dugoni came out on top, and Dugoni (A Cold Trail) was also in a tie for second place with Percentages of Guilt by Michael Niemann. The Rap Sheet blog has a listing of all the other finalists.
Writers' Police Academy Online will present the workshop, "Forensic Psychiatry, Murder, LAPD Lipstick, and Memorable Characters," on April 24, featuring Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels; former LAPD Senior Lead Officer, Kathy Bennett; former detective sergeant and award-winning author, Bruce Robert Coffin; and perinatal psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Hatters Friedman. Registration is open, and you can follow this link to reserve your spot at this day-long seminar. Registration is also open for the Writers' Police Academy virtual Murder Con, August 6-7, and each registered attendee will receive a Sirchie fingerprint kit to be used during an interactive class (delivered to your home in advance).
A new online exhibition from the University of Delaware Library, Museums, and Press is titled "Agatha Christie's Poirot" and draws from collections of materials on the iconic Belgian detective. It's presented in conjunction with the Resident Ensemble Players' radio productions of Christie's "King of Clubs" (freely available until May 21) and "The Cornish Mystery" (freely available starting April 23). (HT to Elizabeth Foxwell)
The magazine Narratively featured a profile of Aphra Behn, the first Englishwoman ever to earn a living writing...who was also a spy. She traveled to the Low Countries and Suriname on missions for King Charles II, and she took up writing to support herself because he never paid her. She later went on to become one of Restoration London’s most popular, and most controversial, playwrights and poets.
Tasha Alexander, author of the New York Times bestselling Lady Emily mystery series (and the daughter of two philosophy professors), applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, The Dark Heart of Florence, the 15th Lady Emily mystery.
Who knew that reading "Bullet Journals" was a thing?
The latest crime poem at the 5-2 Weekly is "The Thief Came In" by Michael A. Arnzen.
In the Q&A roundup, Author Interviews chatted with attorney turned author Adam Mitzner about his new domestic thriller, The Perfect Marriage; and the New York Times spoke with Paula Mcclain, about her first suspense novel, When the Stars Go Dark, which forced her to face her own demons.
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