Left Coast Crime Lefty Awards Announced

 

Left Coast Crime 2026 — San Francisco Schemin’ — will be presenting four Lefty Awards at the convention in San Francisco, California. 

Registrants of the Left Coast Crime Conventions in San Francisco and Denver were able to nominate three titles in each category. 

The 2026 Lefty Awards will be voted on at the convention and presented at the Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco.

Lefty Nominees for Best Humorous Mystery Novel

Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron, (Kensington)

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J Chow (St Martin's Paperbacks)

Bye Bye Blackbird by Elizabeth Crowens (Level Best Books)

Scot's Eggs by Catriona McPherson (Severn House)

All’s Faire in Love and Murder by Cindy Sample (Cindy Sample Books)

Lefty Nominees for Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bill Gotttfried Memorial) for books covering events before 1970

Huguette by Cara Black (Soho Crime)

The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur Books)

A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Kensington)

City Lights by Claire M Johnson (Level Best Books)

Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R King (Bantam)

The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler (Kensington)

Lefty Nominees for Best Debut Mystery Novel

Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover (Chestnut Avenue Press)

We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry (Bantam)

Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L Dove(Berkley)

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs(William Morrow)

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (Celadon Books)

Mortal Zin by Diane Schaffer(Sibylline Press)

Lefty Nominees for Best Mystery Novel

Crooks by Lou Berney(William Morrow)

Throwing Shadows by Claire Booth (Severn House)

Edge by Tracy Clark (Thomas & Mercer)

Waters of Destruction by Leslie Karst (Severn House)

River of Lies by James L’Etoile (Oceanview Publishing)

The Library Game by Gigi Pandian (Minotaur Books)

To be eligible for the 2026 Lefty Awards, the mystery/crime/thriller novels must have been published for the first time in the United States or Canada during 2025, in book or ebook format. (If published in other countries before 2025, a book is still eligible if it meets the US or Canadian publication requirement.)

Congratulations to all the nominated authors.

2020 Left Coast Crime - Lefty Award Nominees

The Left Coast Crime “Lefty” Awards are fan awards chosen by registered members of the Left Coast Crime convention. Nominations for awards to be presented at each annual convention are made by people registered for that convention and also the immediately prior convention. A ballot listing the official nominees is given to each registrant when they check in at the convention, and final voting takes place at the convention. The ballots are tabulated and that year’s Lefty Awards are presented at the Awards Celebration.

Left Coast Crime 2020 will be presenting four Lefty Awards at the 30th annual LCC convention in San Diego, California The Lefty awards will be voted on at the convention and presented at the Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 14, 2020, at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley.

Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel Fatal Cajun Festival by Ellen Byron (Crooked Lane Books) Murder from Scratch by Leslie Karst (Crooked Lane Books) The Subject of Malice by Cynthia Kuhn (Henery Press) Scot & Soda by Catriona McPherson (Midnight Ink) Drowned Under by Wendall Thomas (Poisoned Pen Press)

Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bruce Alexander Memorial) for books covering events before 1970 Murder Knocks Twice by Susanna Calkins (Minotaur Books) The Pearl Dagger by L.A. Chandlar,  (Kensington Books) A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Kensington Books) The Body in Griffith Park by Jennifer Kincheloe (Seventh Street Books) The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey (Soho Crime) Lefty for Best Mystery Novel Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha (Ecco) Borrowed Time by Tracy Clark (Kensington Books) Lost Tomorrows by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing) They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall (Forge Books) Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke (Mulholland Books) Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge (Agora Books) Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (Sarah Crichton Books) One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski (Graydon House) Three-Fifths by John Vercher (Agora Books) Murderabilia by Carl Vonderau, (Midnight Ink) To be eligible, titles must have been published for the first time in the United States or Canada during 2019, in book or ebook format. (If published in other countries before 2019, a book is still eligible if it meets the US or Canadian publication requirement.)

2019 Agatha Award Winners

Malice Domestic announced the winners the Agatha Awards on Saturday 4 May 2019. The winners are as follows:-

Best Contemporary Novel Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron (Crooked Lane Books)

Best Historical Novel 
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey (Soho Crime)

Best First Novel Tie: A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Kensington)
Curses Boiled Againby Shari Randall (St. Martin's)

Best Short Story 
Tie: "All God's Sparrows" by Leslie Budewitz (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)
"The Case of the Vanishing Professor" by Tara Laskowski (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)

Best Children's/Young Adult Mystery 
Potion Problems(Just Add Magic) by Cindy Callaghan (Aladdin)

Best Nonfiction Mastering Plot Twists: How to Use Suspense, Targeted Storytelling Strategies, and Structure to Captivate Your Readers by Jane Cleland (Writer's Digest Books)

Congratulations to all the winners and nominated authors.

2019 Lefty Award Winners

Left Coast Crime announced the winners of the Lefty Awards on Saturday 30 March 2019 in Vancouver, B.C. during Left Coast Crime. 

Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel

Scot Free by Catriona McPherson, (Midnight Ink)

Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bruce Alexander Memorial) for books covering events before 1960.

The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey (Soho Crime)

Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel

A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murderby Dianne Freeman (Kensington Books)

Lefty for Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories).

November Road by Lou Berney (William Morrow)

Congrats to all!