Lesa's Book Critiques: Murder Takes a Turn by Eric Brown

Lesa's Book Critiques: Murder Takes a Turn by Eric Brown

Award Winners--The Agatha Awards

The Agatha Awards honor the "traditional mystery" and were awarded this weekend at Malice Domestic. I have not read any of these though I have read and very much enjoyed Faithful Unto Death by Stephanie Jaye Evans which was entered in the Best First Novel category. I personally would rank that as one of the best books I read and reviewed in months.

Best Novel:
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny


Best First Novel:
 Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer


Best Non-fiction:
 Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery Novels by John Connolly/Declan Burke


Best Short Story:
"Mischief in Mesopotamia" (PDF) by Dana Cameron (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Nov. 2012)


Best Children's/Young Adult Novel:

The Code Busters Club, Case #2: The Haunted Lighthouse by Penny Warner


Best Historical Novel:

Dandy Gilver and an Unsuitable Day for Murder by Catriona McPherson

Agatha Award Nominees

Yet more books that I have not read. The winners will be announced in May at Malice Domestic. The nominees are.....

Best Novel:

The Diva Digs Up the Dirt by Krista Davis

A Fatal Winter by G.M. Malliet

The Buzzard Table by Margaret Maron

The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny

The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Best First Novel:

Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer

Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown

A Scrapbook of Secrets by Mollie Cox Bryan

A Killer Read by Erika Chase

Faithful Unto Death by Stephanie Jaye Evans

Best Non-fiction:

Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery Novels by John Connolly/Declan Burke

Blood Relations: The Selected Letters of Ellery Queen, 1947-1950 by Joseph Goodrich, Editor

More Forensics and Fiction: Crime Writers Morbidly Curious Questions Expertly Answered by D.P. Lyle

Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre

The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie by Mathew Prichard, Editor

Best Short Story:

“Mischief in Mesopotamia” by Dana Cameron (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)

"Kept in the Dark" by Shelia Connolly (Best New England Crime Stories 2013: Blood Moon Anthology)

"The Lord is My Shamus" by Barb Goffman (Chesapeake Crimes: This Job is Murder)

"Thea's First Husband" by B.K. Stevens (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)

"When Duty Calls" by Art Taylor (Chesapeake Crimes: This Job is Murder)

Best Children's/Young Adult Novel:

Seconds Away by Harlan Coben

The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

The Code Busters Club, Case #2: The Haunted Lighthouse by Penny Warner

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Best Historical Novel:

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

Dandy Gilver and an Unsuitable Day for Murder by Catriona McPherson

Murder on Fifth Avenue by Victoria Thompson

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear