And Now for the Pinckleys

Author and former journalist Laura Lippman (After I’m Gone) has been declared one of the two winners of this year’s inaugural Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction, “named to honor the memory of Diana Pinckley, longtime crime fiction columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune.” After a quarter-century as a novelist, she walks away with the Pinckley Prize for a Distinguished Body of Work.

A statement from members of the prize committee calls Lippman “one of those writers whose dedication to her home town of Baltimore has captivated American readers. She has created an enduring sleuth in Tess Monaghan, a complex character dealing with the issues that every contemporary woman confronts. And more than that, in her stand-alone works, Lippman has transcended the limits and challenges of genre to become a distinguished writer of social realism.  All that, and she has a wicked sense of humor!”

Sharing today’s spotlight is Montana resident Gwen Florio, who has won the Pinckley Prize for a Debut Novel for her 2013 book, Montana.

These commendations are to be handed out on March 22 during the 28th annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. They’ll be presented by the Women’s National Book Association of New Orleans, which counted Diana Pinckley among its founding members.