2007 Edgar Award Nominees

Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce its Nominees for the 2007 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television and film published or produced in 2006. The Edgar Awards will be presented to the winners at our 61st Gala Banquet, April 26, 2007 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City.

BEST NOVEL

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard (HarperCollins)
The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Gentleman and Players by Joanne Harris (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
The Dead Hour by Denise Mina (Hachette Book Group - Little, Brown and Company)
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard (Random House – Ballantine Books)
The Liberation Movements by Olen Steinhauer (St. Martin's Minotaur)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson (Random House)
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (Crown - Shaye Areheart Books)
King of Lies by John Hart (St. Martin's Minotaur – Thomas Dunne Books)
Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith (St. Martin's Minotaur)
A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read (Warner Books – Mysterious Press)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

The Goodbye Kiss by Massimo Carlotto (Europa Editions)
The Open Curtain by Brian Evenson (Coffee House Press)
Snakeskin Shamisen by Naomi Hirahara (Bantam Dell Publishing – Delta Books)
The Deep Blue Alibi by Paul Levine (Bantam Dell Publishing – Bantam Books)
City of Tiny Lights by Patrick Neate (Penguin Group – Riverhead Books)

BEST FACT CRIME

Strange Piece of Paradise by Terri Jentz (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
A Death in Belmont by Sebastian Junger (W.W. Norton and Co.)
Finding Amy: A True Story of Murder in Maine by Capt. Joseph K. Loughlin & Kate Clark Flora (University Press of New England)
Ripperology: A Study of the World's First Serial Killer by Robin Odell (The Kent State University Press)
The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe and the Invention of Murder by Daniel Stashower (Dutton)
Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (HarperCollins – William Morrow)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL

Unless the Threat of Death is Behind Them: Hard-Boiled Fiction and Film Noir by John T. Irwin (Johns Hopkins University Press)
The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear by E.J. Wagner (John Wiley & Sons)

BEST SHORT STORY

"The Home Front" – Death Do Us Part by Charles Ardai (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)
"Rain" – Manhattan Noir by Thomas H. Cook (Akashic Books)
"Cranked" – Damn Near Dead by Bill Crider (Busted Flush Press)
"White Trash Noir" – Murder at the Foul Line by Michael Malone (Hachette Book Group – Mysterious Press)
"Building" – Manhattan Noir by S.J. Rozan (Akashic Books)

BEST JUVENILE

Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison (Penguin Young Readers – Sleuth/Dutton)
The Stolen Sapphire: A Samantha Mystery by Sarah Masters Buckey (American Girl Publishing)
Room One: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
The Bloodwater Mysteries: Snatched by Pete Hautman & Mary Logue (Penguin Young Readers – Sleuth/Putnam)
The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer (Penguin Young Readers – Philomel/Sleuth)

BEST YOUNG ADULT

The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks (Scholastic – The Chicken House)
The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson (Penguin YR – Sleuth/Viking)
Crunch Time by Mariah Fredericks (Simon & Schuster – Richard Jackson Books/Atheneum)
Buried by Robin Merrow MacCready (Penguin YR – Dutton Children's Books)
The Night My Sister Went Missing by Carol Plum-Ucci (Harcourt Children's Books)

BEST PLAY

Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure by Steven Dietz (Arizona Theatre Company)
Curtains by Rupert Holmes (Ahmanson Theatre)
Ghosts of Ocean House by Michael Kimball (The Players' Ring)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY

The Closer – "Blue Blood", Teleplay by James Duff & Mike Berchem (Turner Network Television)
Dexter – "Crocodile", Teleplay by Clyde Phillips (Showtime)
House – "Clueless", Teleplay by Thomas L. Moran (Fox/NBC Universal)
Life on Mars – Episode 1, Teleplay by Matthew Graham (BBC America)
Monk – "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink", Teleplay by Hy Conrad (USA Network/NBC Universal)

BEST TELEVISION FEATURE/MINI-SERIES TELEPLAY

Conviction, Teleplay by Bill Gallagher (BBC America)
Cracker: A New Terror, Teleplay by Jimmy McGovern (BBC America)
Messiah: The Harrowing, Teleplay by Terry Cafolla (BBC America)
Secret Smile, Teleplay by Kate Brooke, based on the book by Nicci French (BBC America)
The Wire, Season 4, Teleplays by Ed Burns, Kia Corthron, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, Eric Overmyer, George Pelecanos, Richard Price, David Simon & William F. Zorzi (Home Box Office)

BEST MOTION PICTURE SCREENPLAY

Casino Royale, Screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade & Paul Haggis, based on novel by Ian Fleming (MGM)
Children of Men, Screenplay by Alfonso Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby, based on a novel by P.D. James (Universal Pictures
The Departed, Screenplay by William Monahan (Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Good Shepherd, Teleplay by Eric Roth (Universal Pictures)
Notes on a Scandal, Screenplay by Patrick Marber (Scott Rudin Productions)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD

William Dylan Powell
"Evening Gold" – EQMM November 2006 (Dell Magazines)

GRAND MASTER

Stephen King

RAVEN AWARDS

Books & Books (Mitchell Kaplan, owner)
Mystery Loves Company Bookstore (Kathy & Tom Harig, owners)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER-MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
Bloodline by Fiona Mountain (St. Martin's Minotaur)

Comments

[Ingrid (I.J.Parker)]

Wonderful! Congratulations to all, and very especially to one of them. I couldn't be happier for him, and shall be rooting all the way.

[John Rickards]

That's great news for Olen. Tough crowd, but isn't it always? Well done to everyone!

[Laura]

There are so many people to root for on this list, often within the same category, that I don't dare single anyone out.

Well, except, perhaps, in the Television feature/miniseries category. Because I really love Cracker.

[Ray]

Congratulations to all - very nice to see THE GOODBYE KISS on there. I just finished it and it's already one of my favourites, a brilliant, brilliant book. Essential. Can't say enough good about it.

And I don't think there's much competition in the teleplay stakes. That "new" Cracker episode... meh. It doesn't hold up against a certain series.

[Kevin Wignall]

Naturally I want Olen to win, because he's done something incredible with this series and with the exception of a few smart critics, it hasn't had the attention it deserves.

And first novel? Although I haven't seen the novels over here, I know his short fiction and damn it, Sir, he's a gentleman, so I'd also like Steve Hockensmith to win.

[Sandra Ruttan]

Kevin, for first novel I'd put my money on Gillian Sharp or Cornelia Read. If you get a chance to read those tell me what you think. I reviewed Cornelia's last year, and I'm reviewing Gillian Flynn's book next Spinetingler.

[Laura]

Meanwhile . . . the Poe Toaster made it to Poe's original gravesite last night. There's a story on the AP wire. A little more drama than usual this year.

[louiseure]

I'm rooting for my Northern California buddies, Cornelia Read and Steve Hockensmith in the Best First category.

What a lovely bunch of Best First contenders to be in!

[Steve Hockensmith]

Thanks for the well wishes, Kevin! You, sir, are a scholar and a saint.

Well, a scholar, anyway. I've heard what you're capable of after a few pints.

And thanks to you, too, Louise. Hey, Cornelia's probably going to be at our MWA lunch tomorrow, isn't she? I hope a brawl doesn't break out.

As for where to put one's money in my category, I have to admit I haven't had the chance to read any of my co-finalist's books yet. (I'll be rectifying that ASAP.) But from all the wonderful things I've heard about them...well, the nice way to put it is "the competition is steep."

The not-so-nice way to put it is "I'm screwed!" But hey -- what a wonderful what to be screwed.

Egad, that *really* didn't sound right. I think I'm jeopardizing my status as a gentleman here....

-Steve

[Cornelia Read]

Steve, no brawls... you would totally kick my ass. In a gentlemanly way, of course.

This is so cool!!! Congrats to EVERYONE!!!!

[Elaine Flinn]

Yes, congrats to all! I'm thrilled for Naomi, but also disappointed Kris & Kelly weren't short-listed. An Unquiet Grave was one of the best in their series.

[Bryon Quertermous]

One of the more over looked categories always tends to be the Best Play category but this year it's cool to see the murder mystery musical Curtains up for the award. I mean its about a murder behind the scenes of a Broadway play. How cool is that? It's coming to Broadway in Feb and I can't wait to see it when I come to NYC.

[John Schramm]

Ms. Read!
Mr. Hockensmith!

Congratulation to both of you! And good luck! I won't place a bet on who will win, since I don't want to jinx anyone.

As for who could kick whose butt ... I dunno, Steve, Cornelia's pretty tough.

[Cornelia Read]

Only when I've had a few beers, John...

[Lettershaper]

Very much enjoyed the time I spent reading and looking around your site...as a poet and an avid reader, I found it a most rewarding look. Thank you...