Bouchercon, the Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention, is an annual convention held to honor the best in mystery and crime fiction (there is a “Best Critical or Nonfiction Book” section, as well). Named after writer, reviewer, and editor Anthony Boucher, this convention gives out the Anthony Awards for outstanding work in 8 different categories, including: “Best Novel,” Best First Novel,“ ”Best Paperback Original,“ ”Best Critical or Nonfiction Book,“ ”Best Short Story,“ ”Best Anthology or Collection,“ ”Best Young Adult Novel,“ and ”Best Crime Fiction Audiobook.”
This year, the annual banquet will be held on Friday, September 16, 2016 at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. As always, it's a fantastic list of great work that deserves to be checked out! What have you read already?
*Follow the linked titles to exclusive excerpts or reviews!
BEST NOVEL
Night Tremors by Matt Coyle
The Killing Kind by Chris Holm
The Child Garden by Catriona McPherson
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny
What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan
BEST FIRST NOVEL
Concrete Angel by Patricia Abbott
Past Crimes by Glen Erik Hamilton
New Yorked by Rob Hart
Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich
On the Road with Del & Louise by Art Taylor
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney
Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty
Little Pretty Things by Lori Rader-Day
Young Americans by Josh Stallings
Stone Cold Dead by James W. Ziskin
BEST CRITICAL OR NONFICTION BOOK
The Golden Age of Murder: The Mystery of the Writers Who Invented the Modern Detective Story by Martin Edwards
Meanwhile There Are Letters: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and Ross Macdonald by Suzanne Marrs & Tom Nolan, editors
Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime by Val McDermid
The Lost Detective: Becoming Dashiell Hammett by Nathan Ward
The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For by Kate White, editor
BEST SHORT STORY
“The Little Men: A Bibliomystery” by Megan Abbott
“The Siege” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Dec 2015 by Hilary Davidson
“Feliz Navidead” Thuglit Presents: Cruel Yule by Brace Godfrey/Johnny Shaw
“Old Hands” Dark City Lights by Erin Mitchell [Three Rooms] “Quack and Dwight” Jewish Noir by Travis Richardson
“Don’t Fear the Ripper” Protectors 2: Heroes by Holly West
BEST ANTHOLOGY OR COLLECTION
Safe Inside the Violence by Christopher Irvin
Protectors 2: Heroes-Stories to Benefit PROTECT by Thomas Pluck, editor
Thuglit Presents: Cruel Yule: Holiday Tales of Crime for People on the Naughty List by Todd Robinson, editor
Murder Under the Oaks: Bouchercon Anthology 2015 by Art Taylor, editor
Jewish Noir: Contemporary Tales of Crime and Other Dark Deeds by Kenneth Wishnia, editor
BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
Need by Joelle Charbonneau
How to Win at High School by Owen Matthews
A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
Fighting Chance by B.K. Stevens
Ask the Dark by Henry Turner
BEST CRIME FICTION AUDIOBOOK
Dark Waters by Chris Goff – Assaf Cohen, narrator
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey & India Fisher, narrators
Causing Chaos by Deborah J. Ledford – Christina Cox, narrator
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny – Robert Bathurst, narrator
Young Americans by Josh Stallings – Em Eldridge, narrator
Congratulations to all of the nominees! Good luck!