Night of Thrillers

I have been more or less off the time clock for the last several days, visiting with my best friend from college here in Seattle. As a consequence, I am a bit late to the party when it comes to announcing the winners of the 2017 Thriller Awards. Those commendations were handed out this last Saturday evening during ThrillerFest XII in New York City. Mystery Fanfare brings us the results.

Best Hardcover Novel: Before the Fall, by Noah Hawley
(Grand Central)

Also nominated: You Will Know Me, by Megan Abbott (Little, Brown); Where It Hurts, by Reed Farrel Coleman (Putnam); Arrowood, by Laura McHugh (Spiegel & Grau); and Underground Airlines, by Ben H.
Winters (Mulholland)

Best First Novel: The Drifter, by Nicholas Petrie (Putnam)

Also nominated: Deadly Kiss, by Bob Bickford (Black Opal); Type and Cross, by J.L. Delozier (WiDo); Recall, by David McCaleb (Lyrical Underground); and Palindrome, by E.Z. Rinsky (Witness Impulse)

Best Paperback Original Novel: The Body Reader, by Anne Frasier (Thomas & Mercer)

Also nominated: In the Clearing, by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer); The Minoan Cipher, by Paul Kemprecos (Suspense); Kill Switch, by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin’s Griffin); and Salvage, by Stephen Maher (Dundurn)

Best Short Story: “Big Momma,” by Joyce Carol Oates (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], March/April 2016)

Also nominated: “The Business of Death,” by Eric Beetner (from Unloaded: Crime Writers Writing Without Guns, edited by Eric Beetner; Down & Out); “The Peter Rabbit Killers,” by Laura Benedict (EQMM, July 2016); “The Man from Away,” by Brendan DuBois (EQMM, July 2016); and “Parallel Play,” by Art Taylor (from Chesapeake Crimes: Storm Warning, edited by Donna Andrews, Barb Goffman, and Marcia Talley; Wildside Press)

Best Young Adult Novel: Steeplejack, by A.J. Hartley (Tor Teen)

Also nominated: Morning Star, by Pierce Brown (Del Rey); Holding Smoke, by Elle Cosimano (Disney-Hyperion); Thieving Weasels, by Billy Taylor (Dial); and The Darkest Corners, by Kara Thomas
(Delacorte Press)

Best E-Book Original Novel: Romeo’s Way, by James Scott Bell (Compendium Press)

Also nominated: The Edge of Alone, by Sean Black (Sean Black); Untouchable, by Sibel Hodge (Wonder Women); Destroyer of Worlds, by J.F. Penn (J.F. Penn); and Breaker, by Richard Thomas (Alibi)

2017 ThrillerMaster: Lee Child

The Thriller Legend Award: Tom Doherty

Silver Bullet Literary Award (for charitable work): Lisa Gardner

Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees!