Six and the Single Award

Just under two months after the announcement that 18 books were being weighed as contenders for the 2013 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, here comes the list of finalists:

• Rush of Blood, by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown)
• Safe House, by Chris Ewan (Faber and Faber)
• The Lewis Man, by Peter May (Quercus)
• Gods and Beasts, by Denise Mina (Orion)
• Stolen Souls, by Stuart Neville (Vintage)
• A Dark Redemption, by Stav Sherez (Faber and Faber)

The winner will be chosen primarily by a judging panel that includes author Val McDermid and Simon Theakston, executive director of T&R Theakston. However, members of the public are also invited--between July 4 and 16--to make their favorites known here. That public vote will reportedly count for 20 percent of the final decision.

A ceremony to declare the victor will be held on Thursday, July 18--the opening night of this year’s Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England. To learn more, click here.

During that same event, Ruth Rendell will be given the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award. Past winners are P.D. James, Colin Dexter, and Reginald Hill.