Owl on the Line

It’s typically each spring that the Portland, Oregon-based fan group Friends of Mystery names the winner of its annual Spotted Owl Award, honoring crime and mystery fiction published by residents of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and the Canadian province of British Columbia. However, the latest edition of that organization’s newsletter (the “Blood-Letter”) informs us that committee members responsible for selecting nominees are already hard at work, reading possible contenders. Among the novels being considered:

• Stone Cross, by Marc Cameron (Kensington)
• A Cold Trail, by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer)
• The Last Agent, by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer)
• A Desperate Place, by Jennifer Greer (Crooked Lane)
• Credible Threat, by J.A. Jance (Gallery)
• The Last High, by Daniel Kalla (Simon & Schuster)
• Derailed, by Mary Keliikoa (Epicenter Press)
• Shadows of the Dead, by Spencer Kope (Minotaur)
• House Privilege, by Mike Lawson (Atlantic Monthly Press)
• River Blues, by Doc Macomber (Floating Word Press)
• A Reasonable Doubt, by Phillip Margolin (Minotaur)
• No Fixed Line, by Dana Stabenow (Head of Zeus)

There’s still time for authors and publishers to have their novels reviewed for inclusion in the 2021 Spotted Owl competition. “The publishing deadline is December 31, 2020,” the “Blood-Letter” explains, “so if you know an author who has a book qualifying to be considered, please let me know at: jvoss@spiretech.com.”