The Leftys Lineup

Organizers of Left Coast Crime today announced their nominees for the 2023 Lefty Awards. Those prizes will be handed out during this year’s convention, which is to be held in Tucson, Arizona, from March 16 to 19. There are four categories of contestants.

Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel:
• Bayou Book Thief, by Ellen Byron (Berkley Prime Crime)
• Death by Bubble Tea, by Jennifer J. Chow (Berkley Prime Crime)
• Five Moves of Doom, by A.J. Devlin (NeWest Press)
• A Streetcar Named Murder, by T.G. Herren (Crooked Lane)
• Scot in a Trap, by Catriona McPherson (Severn House)

Bill Gottfried Memorial Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel (books set before 1970):
• A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder, by Dianne Freeman (Kensington)
• In Place of Fear, by Catriona McPherson (Severn House)
• Anywhere You Run, by Wanda M. Morris (Morrow)
• Under a Veiled Moon, by Karen Odden (Crooked Lane)
• The Secret in the Wall, by Ann Parker (Poisoned Pen Press)
• Framed in Fire, by Iona Whishaw (Touchwood)

Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel:
• Jackal, by Erin E. Adams (Bantam)
• Don’t Know Tough, by Eli Cranor (Soho Crime)
• Shutter, by Ramona Emerson (Soho Crime)
• Other People’s Secrets, by Meredith Hambrock (Crooked Lane)
• The Bangalore Detectives Club, by Harini Nagendra (Pegasus Crime)
• Devil’s Chew Toy, by Rob Osler (Crooked Lane)
• The Verifiers, by Jane Pek (Vintage)

Lefty for Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories):
• Like a Sister, by Kellye Garrett (Mulholland)
• Back to the Garden, by Laurie R. King (Bantam)
• Dead Drop, by James L’Etoile (Level Best)
• Under Lock & Skeleton Key, by Gigi Pandian (Minotaur)
• A World of Curiosities, by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
• Secret Identity, by Alex Segura (Flatiron)

Convention attendees will vote on which books and authors should receive these coveted commendations. The winners will be announced during an awards banquet on Saturday, March 18. If you have not already registered for Left Coast Crime 2023, but are hoping to do so, click here to learn all of the specifics.