Toasting Thrillers More Quietly

Because this year’s ThrillerFest was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, winners of the 2020 Thriller Awards were announced today on the International Thriller Writers Facebook page.

Best Hardcover Novel:
The Chain, by Adrian McKinty (Mulholland)

Also nominated: One Good Deed, by David Baldacci (Grand Central); Rag and Bone, by Joe Clifford (Oceanview); Recursion, by Blake Crouch (Crown); They All Fall Down, by Rachel Howzell Hall (Forge); and Conviction, by Denise Mina (Mulholland)

Best First Novel:
Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Also nominated: My Lovely Wife, by Samantha Downing (Berkley); The Good Detective, by John McMahon (Putnam); The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides (Celadon); and American Spy, by Lauren Wilkinson (Random House)

Best Paperback Original Novel:
The Scholar, by Dervla McTiernan (Penguin)

Also nominated: Girl Most Likely, by Max Allan Collins (Thomas & Mercer); Never Look Back, by Alison Gaylin (Morrow); Jihadi Bride, by Alistair Luft (Black Rose Writing); The Bird Boys, by Lisa Sandlin (Cinco Puntos Press); and Such a Perfect Wife, by Kate White (Harper)

Best E-Book Original Novel:
Close to You, by Kerry Wilkinson (Bookouture)

Also nominated: Night Man, by Brett Battles (Brett Battles); The Deep Abiding, by Sean Black (Sean Black); Murder Board, by Brian Shea (Severn River); and Leave No Stone, by LynDee Walker (Severn River)

Best Short Story: “The Long-Term Tenant,” by Tara Laskowski (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], July/August 2019)

Also nominated: “Turistas,” by Hector Acosta (from ¡Pa’Que Tu Lo Sepas!, edited by Angel Luis Colón; Down & Out); “Call Me Chuckles,” by Michael Cowgill (EQMM, March/April 2019); “Snow Job,” by Lia Matera (EQMM, January/February 2019); “Fathers-in-Law,” by Twist Phelan (EQMM, November/December 2019)

Best Young Adult Novel:
Keep This to Yourself, by Tom Ryan (Albert Whitman)

Also nominated: Seven Ways to Get Rid of Harry, by Jen Conley (Down & Out); Catfishing on Catnet, by Naomi Kritzer (Tor Teen); We Speak in Storms, by Natalie Lund (Philomel); and Patron Saints of Nothing, by Randy Ribay (Kokila)

2020 ThrillerMaster Lifetime Achievement Award recipient:
Diana Gabaldon

2020 Silver Bullet Award recipient:
Michael Connelly

2020 Thriller Legend Award recipient:
Writers House (a literary agency)

Congratulations to the winners as well as the other nominees!