Mirth Rites

While we’re on the subject of awards, Irish writer Declan Burke helpfully points out that his novel The Big O (which featured among January Magazine’s favorite books of 2007) has been shortlisted for The Last Laugh Award, given out annually for humorous crime fiction published in the British Isles. A winner will be announced during the early June CrimeFest, to be held in Bristol, England.

Here’s a full rundown of the nominees:

• The Big O, by Declan Burke (Hag’s Head Press)
• Murdering Americans, by Ruth Dudley Edwards (Poisoned Pen Press)
• The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam, by Chris Ewan (Long Barn Books)
• Hard Man, by Allan Guthrie (Polygon)
• Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn (Mira Books)
• Angel’s Share, by Mike Ripley (Allison & Busby)
• The Herring Seller’s Apprentice, by L.C. Tyler (Macmillan New Writing)
• What’s So Funny?, by Donald E. Westlake (Quercus)

UPDATE: The other commendation to be handed out during CrimeFest is the Audible Sounds of Crime Award, given to audiobooks. Nominees can be found here.