Back in Bristol, Back in Person

CrimeFest will conclude its four-day run tomorrow, in Bristol, England. But today brought news of that convention’s 2022 award winners.

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award: Winter Counts, by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Simon & Schuster)

Also nominated: Girl A, by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins); The Appeal, by Janice Hallett (Viper); The Khan, by Saima Mir (Point Blank); How to Kidnap the Rich, by Rahul Raina (Abacus); and One Night, New York, by Lara Thompson (Virago)

Audible Sounds of Crime Award: The Man Who Died Twice, by Richard Osman, read by Lesley Manville (Penguin Random House Audio)

Also nominated: Better Off Dead, by Lee and Andrew Child, read by Jeff Harding (Penguin Random House Audio); Girl A, by Abigail Dean, read by Holliday Grainger (HarperFiction); Slow Fire Burning, by Paula Hawkins, read by Rosamund Pike (Penguin Random House Audio); The Night She Disappeared, by Lisa Jewell, read by Joanna Froggatt (Penguin Random House Audio); Apples Never Fall, by Liane Moriarty, read by Caroline Lee (Penguin Random House Audio); The Marriage, by K.L. Slater, read by Lucy Price-Lewis (Audible Studios/Bookouture); and False Witness, by Karin Slaughter, read by Kathleen Early (HarperCollins)

eDunnit Award (for the best e-book):
Girl A, by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins)

Also nominated: The Turnout, by Megan Abbott, (Virago); The Measure of Time, by Gianrico Carofiglio (Bitter Lemon Press); The Dark Hours, by Michael Connelly (Orion Fiction); Running Out of Road, by Cath Staincliffe (Constable); and The Royal Secret, by Andrew Taylor (HarperCollins)

H.R.F. Keating Award (for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction): Patricia Highsmith: Her Diaries and Notebooks, by Patricia Highsmith (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Also nominated: The Detective’s Companion in Crime Fiction: A Study in Sidekicks, by Lucy Andrews (Palgrave Macmillan); Devils, Lusts and Strange Desires: The Life of Patricia Highsmith, by Richard Bradford (Bloomsbury, Caravel); Bond Behind the Iron Curtain, by James Fleming (The Book Collector); Murder Isn’t Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie, by Carla Valentine (Sphere); and Hank Janson Under Cover, by Stephen James Walker (Telos)

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel):
Slough House, by Mick Herron, (Baskerville)

Also nominated: An Untidy Death, by Simon Brett (Severn House); Riccardino, by Andrea Camilleri (Mantle); Bryant & May: London Bridge Is Falling Down, by Christopher Fowler (Doubleday); The Appeal, by Janice Hallet (Viper); and The Rabbit Factor, by Antti Tuomainen (Orenda)

Best Crime Fiction Novel for Children (aged 8-12): Twitch, by M.G. Leonard (Walker)

Also nominated: Noah’s Gold, by Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Macmillan Children’s Books); Vi Spy: Licence to Chill, by Maz Evans (Chicken House); Nightshade, by Anthony Horowitz (Walker); The Five Clues, by Anthony Kessel (Crown House); Lake Evolution, by Jennifer Killick Crater (Firefly Press); Wishyouwas: The Tiny Guardian of Lost Letters, by Alexandra Page (Bloomsbury Children’s Books); and The Secret Detectives, by Ella Risbridger (Nosy Crow)

Best Crime Fiction Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16): Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley (Rock the Boat)

Also nominated: Ace of Spades, by Faridah Àbíké Íyímídé (Usborne); The Girl Who …, by Andreina Cordani (Atom); The Outrage, by William Hussey (Usborne); As Good As Dead, by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey); Splinters of Sunshine, by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder Children’s Books); The Outlaws of Scarlett & Browne, by Jonathan Stroud (Walker); and The Island, by C.L. Taylor (HQ)

According to a CrimeFest press release, “This year also sees the introduction of the Thalia Proctor Memorial Award for Best Adapted TV Crime Drama. The award is named in honour of Thalia, a CrimeFest team member and a much-loved figure in the world of crime fiction, and who sadly died earlier this year. The award is decided entirely by public vote from a longlist of the 43 TV programmes broadcast on British TV in the last year, based on a crime book. Ann Cleeves won the inaugural gong for Shetland [Season 6], beating a strong shortlist that featured Anthony Horowitz for Alex Rider, M.C. Beaton for Agatha Raisin and James Runcie for Grantchester.”

CrimeFest is now in its 15th year. The 2022 convention is its first in-person gathering since 2019; the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of both intervening conferences.

READ MORE: “CrimeFest 2022—A Wonderful Weekend,” by Martin Edwards (‘Do You Write Under Your Own Name?’).