Macavity Award Nominations 2025

 

The Macavity Award nominations are for (for works published in 2024)

The Macavity Award is named after Macavity: The Mystery Cat, in T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats! 

The Macavity Awards are nominated and voted on by members of Mystery Readers International, subscribers to Mystery Readers Journal, and friends of MRI. 

Best Mystery Novel

Hall of Mirrors by John Copenhaver (Pegasus Crime)

Served Cold by James L’Etoile (Level Best Books)

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead)

California Bear by Duane Swierczynski (Mulholland)

The In Crowd by Charlotte Vassell (Doubleday)

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (Crown)

Best First Mystery

Outraged by Brian Copeland (Dutton)

A Reluctant Spy by David Goodman (Headline)

Ghosts of Waikiki by Jennifer K. Morita (Crooked Lane)

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen (Dutton)

The Expat by Hansen Shi (Pegasus Crime)

Holy City by Henry Wise (Atlantic Monthly Press)

Best Mystery Short Story

“Home Game” by Craig Faustus Buck (in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, July/August 2024)

“The Postman Always Flirts Twice” by Barb Goffman (in Agatha and Derringer Get Cozy)

“Curse of the Super Taster” by Leslie Karst (in Black Cat Weekly, Feb 23, 2024)

“Two for One” by Art Taylor (in Murder, Neat)

“Satan’s Spit” by Gabriel Valjan (in Tales of Music, Murder, and Mayhem)

“Reynisfjara” by Kristopher Zgorski (in Mystery Most International)

Best Historical Mystery

The Wharton Plot by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur)

An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Kensington)

Fog City by Claire Johnson (Level Best Books)

The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. Rozan (Soho Crime)

The Bootlegger’s Daughter by Nadine Nettmann (Lake Union)

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn (Berkley)

Best Nonfiction/Critical

Writing the Cozy Mystery: Authors’ Perspectives on Their Craft edited by Phyllis M. Betz (McFarland)

Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers: Critiquing the Columbo Killers by Chris Chan (Level Best Books)

Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice by Alex Hortis (Pegasus Crime)

The Infernal Machine: A True Story of Dynamite, Terror, and the Rise of the Modern Detective by Steven Johnson  (Crown)

On Edge: Gender and Genre in the Work of Shirley Jackson, Patricia Highsmith, and Leigh Brackett by Ashley Lawson  (Ohio State University Press)

Abingdon’s Boardinghouse Murder by Greg Lilly (History Press)

Congratulations to all!

Agatha Award Nominations

 

Malice Domestic have announced the nominations for the 2025 Agatha Awards.

Best Contemporary Novel

A Collection Of Lies by Connie Berry

A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian

A Very Woodsy Murder by Ellen Byron

Fondue Or Die by Korina Moss

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves

​Best Historical Novel

Hall Of Mirrors by John Copenhaver

The Last Hope by Susan Elia Macneal

The Paris Mistress by Mally Becker

The Wharton Plot by Mariah Fredericks

To Slip The Bonds Of Earth by Amanda Flower

Best First Novel

A Deadly Endeavor by Jenny Adams

Ghosts Of Waikīkī by Jennifer K. Morita

Hounds Of The Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens

Threads Of Deception by Elle Jauffret

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen

Best Short Story

"A Matter Of Trust" By Barb Goffman, Three Strikes--You're Dead

"Reynisfjara" By Kristopher Zgorski, Mystery Most International

"Satan's Spit" By Gabriel Valjan, Tales Of Music, Murder And Mayhem: Bouchercon 2024

"Sins Of The Father" By Kerry Hammond, Mystery Most International

"The Postman Always Flirts Twice" By Barb Goffman, Agatha And Derringer Get Cozy

Best Non-Fiction

Abingdon's Boardinghouse Murder by Greg Lilly

Agatha Christie, Marple: Expert On Wickedness by Mark Aldridge

Some Of My Best Friends Are Murderers: Critiquing The Columbo Killers by Chris Chan

The Bookshop: A History Of The American Bookstore by Evan Friss

Writing The Cozy Mystery: Authors' Perspectives On Their Craft Edited by Phyllis M. Betz

Best Children’s/YA Mystery

First Week Free At The Roomy Toilet: A June Knight Mystery by Josh Pachter

Sasquatch of Harriman Lake by K.B. Jackson

Sid Johnson & The Well-Intended Conspiracy by Frances Schoonmaker

The Big Grey Man of Ben Nacdhui by K.B. Jackson

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti

Congratulations to all the nominated authors.

Inaugural Derringer Award For Best Anthology Finalists

 

The Short Mystery Fiction Society has announced the Finalists for the Inaugural Derringer Award for Best Anthology.

Devil's Snare: Best New England Crime Stories 2024, edited by Susan Oleksiw, Ang Pompano, and Leslie Wheeler — with Leslie Wheeler and 3 others. 

Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Grateful Dead, edited by Josh Pachter 

Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk 

Murder, Neat: A Sleuth Sayers Anthology, edited by Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman 

New York State of Crime: Murder New York Style 6, edited by D.M. Barr and Joseph R.G. De Marco 

The 13th Letter, edited by Donna Carrick

Short Mystery Fiction Society Derringer Awards

 

The Short Mystery Fiction Society announced the winners of the 2024 Derringer Awards for works published in 2023. 

FLASH
 The Referee by C. W. Blackwell (Shotgun Honey, October 12, 2023)
 
SHORT STORY
Last Day at the Jackrabbit by John Floyd (The Strand, May 2023)
 
LONG STORY
Good Deed for the Day by Bonnar Spring (Wolfsbane: Best New England Crime Stories, Crime Spell Books)
 
NOVELETTE (TIE)
Mrs Hyde by David Dean (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, March/April 2023)
 
Catherine the Great by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (WMG 2023 Holiday Spectacular Calendar of Stories)
  
Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer 
 
Barb Goffman
 
Hall of Fame
 
Rex Stout

Congratulations to all the nominated authors and winners.

Malice Domestic - 2024 Agatha Award Nominees

 Malice Domestic 36 have announced the nominations for the 2024 Agatha Awards

Congratulations to all the nominated authors.

MACAVITY AWARD WINNERS 2023

 

The Macavity Award Winners 2023 

(for works published in 2022)

The Macavity Awards are nominated and voted on by members of Mystery Readers International, subscribers to Mystery Readers Journal, and friends of MRI. 

Best Mystery Novel

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (Minotaur)

Best First Mystery 

The Maid by Nita Prose (Ballantine)

Best Mystery Short Story

“Beauty and the Beyotch” by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Jan 2022)

Best Mystery Critical/Biographical

The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators by Martin Edwards (Collins Crime Club)

Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Mystery
 
Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen (Forge)

Congratulations to all.

Anthony Award Winners

 The Anthony Award Winners were announced on Saturday night at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention. 

Non-Fiction: 

The Life of Crime by Martin Edwards

Short Story: 

“Beauty and the Beyotch” by Barb Goffman

Best Short Story Anthology: 

Crime Hits Home, edited by SJ Rozan

Best YA/Childrens: 

Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer 

Best Debut: 

The Maid by Nita Prose

Best Historical: 

Anywhere You Run by Wanda Morris

Best Humorous: 

Scot in a Trap by Catriona McPherson

Best Paperback, E-book, Audiobook Origional: 

The Quarry Girls by Jess Lourey

Best Hardcover: 

Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett

Congratulations to all the winners and nominated authors.

The Anthony® Award is named for the late Anthony Boucher (rhymes with “voucher”), a well-known California writer and critic who wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle and the New York Times Book Review, and also helped found Mystery Writers of America. First presented in 1986, the Anthony Awards are among the most prestigious and coveted literary awards. Bouchercon®, the World Mystery Convention founded in 1970, is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization celebrating the mystery genre. It is the largest annual meeting in the world for readers, writers, fans, publishers, editors, agents, booksellers, and other lovers of crime fiction.

The Agatha Award Winners

The Agatha Award Winners were announced at Malice Domestic on Saturday 28 April 2023. 

Best Contemporary Novel

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (Minotaur)

Best Historical Novel

Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower (Berkley)

Best First Novel

Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss (St. Martin’s)

Best Short Story

"Beauty and the Beyotch," by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Magazine, Feb. 2022)

Best Non-Fiction 

Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction by Diane Vallere Ed. (Sisters in Crime)

Best Children's/YA Mystery

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books)

Congratulations to all winners and nominated authors.

Agatha Award Nominees

 

Best Contemporary Novel

Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron (Berkley Prime Crime)

Death By Bubble Tea by Jennifer J. Chow (Berkley)

Fatal Reunion by Annette Dashofy (Level Best Books)

Dead Man's Leap by Tina de Bellegarde (Level Best Books)

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (Minotaur)

Best Historical Novel

The Counterfeit Wife by Mally Becker (Level Best Books)

Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower (Berkley)

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur)

In Place of Fear by Catriona McPherson (Mobius)

Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden (Crooked Lane Books)

Best First Novel

Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss (St. Martin’s)

Death in the Aegean by M. A. Monnin (Level Best Books)

The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra (Constable)

Devil’s Chew Toy by Rob Osler (Crooked Lane Books)

The Finalist by Joan Long (Level Best Books)

The Gallery of Beauties by Nina Wachsman (Level Best Books)

Best Short Story

"Beauty and the Beyotch," by Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Magazine, Feb. 2022)

"There Comes a Time," by Cynthia Kuhn (Malice Domestic Murder Most Diabolical) Wildside Press

"Fly Me to the Morgue," by Lisa Q Mathews,( Malice Domestic Mystery Most Diabolical) Wildside Press

"The Minnesota Twins Meet Bigfoot," by Richie Narvaez, (Land of 10,000 Thrills, Bouchercon Anthology) Down & Out Books

"The Invisible Band," by Art Taylor (Edgar & Shamus Go Golden) Down & Out Books

Best Non-Fiction

The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators by Martin Edwards (HarperCollins)

The Handbook to Agatha Christie: The Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie by Mary Anna Evans and J. C. Bernthal (Bloomsbury Academic)

The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine (Sourcebooks)

Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction, Diane Vallere Ed.(Sisters in Crime)

Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman, by Lucy Worsley (Pegasus Crime)

Best Children's/YA Mystery

Daybreak on Raven Island by Fleur Bradley (Viking Books for Young People)

In Myrtle Peril by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Algonquin Young Readers)

#shedeservedit by Greg Herren (Bold Strokes Books)

Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer by Frances Schoonmaker (Auctus Publishers)

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books)

Congratulations to all of the nominees! 

The Agatha Awards will be presented Saturday, April 29, 2023, during Malice Domestic 35

Malice Registrations and Agatha Banquet Tickets are available on the Malice Domestic website.

Agatha Award Nominations

 

Best Contemporary Novel

Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron (Crooked Lane Books)
Watch Her by Edwin Hill (Kensington)
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Forge)
Symphony Road by Gabriel Valjan (Level Best Books)

Best Historical Novel

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge (Kensington)
Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara (Soho Crime)
The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey (Soho Crime)
Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day (HarperCollins)
The Devil's Music by Gabriel Valjan (Winter Goose Publishing)

Best First Novel

The Turncoat's Widow by Mally Becker (Level Best Books)
A Dead Man's Eyes by Lori Duffy Foster (Level Best Books)
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala (Berkley)
Murder in the Master by Judy L. Murray (Level Best Books)
Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes (Crooked Lane Books)

Best Short Story

"A Family Matter" by Barb Goffman (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Jan/Feb 2021)
"A Tale of Two Sisters" by Barb Goffman in Murder on the Beach (Destination Murders)
"Doc's at Midnight" by Richie Narvaez in Midnight Hour (Crooked Lane Books)
"The Locked Room Library" by Gigi Pandian (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine July/Aug 2021)
"Bay of Reckoning" by Shawn Reilly Simmons in Murder on the Beach (Destination Murders)

Best Non-Fiction

The Combat Zone: Murder, Race, and Boston's Struggle for Justice by Jan Brogan (Bright Leaf Press)
Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter by Chris Chan (Level Best Books)
The Irish Assassins: Conspiracy, Revenge, and the Phoenix Park Murders that Stunned Victorian England by Julie Kavanaugh (Atlantic Monthly Press)
How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America by MWA with editors Lee Child and Laurie R. King (Simon & Schuster)

Best Children's/YA Mystery

Cold-Blooded Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Algonquin Young Readers)
The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur (Fiewel and Friends/Macmillan)
I Play One on TV by Alan Orloff (Down & Out Books)
Leisha's Song by Lynn Slaughter (Fire and Ice/Melange Books)
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books)

Congratulations to all of the nominees! And thanks to everyone who took part in the nomination process.

2021 Malice Domestic Agatha Awards Winners

 

The 2021 Malice Domestic Agatha Awards Winner were announced tonight at More Than Malice, the Virtual Malice Domestic Festival this year.

Best Contemporary Novel

All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny (Minotaur)

Best Historical Novel

The Last Mrs. Summers by Rhys Bowen (Berkeley)

Best First Novel

Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Kensington) 

Best Short Story

"Dear Emily Etiquette" by Barb Goffman (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Sep/Oct)

Best Non-Fiction

Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock by Christina Lane (Chicago Review Press)

Best Children's/YA

Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco by Richard Narvaez (Piñata Books) 

Congratulations to all of the winners!

The Agatha Awards were presented during MORE THAN MALICE, an online virtual crime festival this weekend. All the panels and special events have been recorded and will be available to registered participants for a few weeks. You can still register to view the great panels!

Register Now for MORE THAN MALICE

Malice Domestic - Agatha Award Winners

Malice Domestic announced the Agatha Award Winners on Sunday 1^st May 2016.

Congratulations to all! The full list of nominees can be found here!

Best Contemporary Novel

Long Upon the Land by Margaret Maron (Grand Central Publishing)

Best Historical Novel

Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King (Bantam)

Best First Novel

On the Road with Del and Louise by Art Taylor (Henery Press)

Best Non-Fiction
The Golden Age of Murder: The Mystery of the Writers Who Invented the Modern Detective Story by Martin Edwards (HarperCollins)

Best Short Story,

“A Year Without Santa Claus?”  by Barb Goffman (AHMM)

Best Children’s/Young Adult

Andi Unstoppable  by Amanda Flower (Zonderkidz) -