We’ve all heard those coveted words, “and the winner is . . .” The American Film Industry has the Oscar; television has its Emmy; theatre, the Tony. But mysteries have a plethora of awards: for distinguished work in the mystery genre (books, television, films) Mystery Writers of American awards the Edgar (Edgar Allan Poe); Malice Domestic honors the “traditional mystery” (no explicit sex, gore, or violence), with the Agatha, named after the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie; the Anthony Boucher World Mystery Convention (Bouchercon) gives its Anthony for the best in crime fiction; for the best American mystery written in the style of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe, the Nero Award is given, and The Private Eye Writers of America present the Shamus Awardfor best private-eye novel. Can you name the awards given to these distinguished writers?
Stephen King, Grand Master
Lawrence Block’s The Devil Knows You’re Dead
Jacqueline Winspear’s Birds of a Feather
Louise Penny, Bury Your Dead and The Brutal Telling won best novel two consecutive years.
Laurie R. King’s A Monstrous Regiment of Women.