Aiming the Derringers

The Short Mystery Fiction Society has announced its winners of the 2024 Derringer Awards, in four categories.

Best Flash Story (up to 1,000 words):
“The Referee,” by C.W. Blackwell (Shotgun Honey, October 2023)

Also nominated: “Sleep Rough,” by Brandon Barrows (Shotgun Honey, September 2023); “To Whom It May Concern,” by Serena Jayne (Shotgun Honey, January 2023); “Teddy’s Favorite Thing,” by Paul
Ryan O’Connor (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2023); and “Supply Chains,” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins (Black Cat Weekly #89)

Best Short Story (1,001-4,000 words): “Last Day at the Jackrabbit,” by John Floyd (The Strand, May 2023)

Also nominated: “Denim Mining,” by Michael Bracken (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, May/June 2023); “Dogs of War,” by Michael Bracken and Stacy Woodson (from Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir Volume Four, edited by Michael Bracken; Down & Out); “I Don’t Like Mondays,” by Josh Pachter (Mystery Magazine, July 2023); “Judge Not,” by Twist Phelan (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May/June 2023); and “A Tail of Justice,” by Shannon Taft (Black Cat Weekly #114)

Best Long Story (4,001-8,000 words):
“Good Deed for the Day,” by Bonnar Spring (from Wolfsbane: Best New England Crime Stories, edited by Christine Bagley, Susan Oleksiw, and Leslie Wheeler; Crime Spell)

Also nominated: “Hard Rain on Beach Street,” by C.W. Blackwell (from Killin’ Time in San Diego, edited by Holly West; Down & Out)l “Reversion,” by Marcelle Dubé (Mystery Magazine, April 2023); “Back to Hell House,” by Nick Kolakowski (Vautrin, Fall 2023); “Troubled Water,” by donalee Moulton (Black Cat Weekly #75); “It’s Not Even Past,” by Anna Scotti (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2023); and “Ignatius Rum-and-Cola,: by Andrew Welsh-Huggins (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, January/February 2023)

Best Novelette (8,001-20,000 words):
TIE — “Mrs. Hyde,” by David Dean (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2023); and “Catherine the Great,” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (from WMG 2023 Holiday Spectacular Calendar of Stories, edited by by Kristine Kathryn Rusch)

Also nominated: “Vengeance Weapon,” by James R. Benn (from The Refusal Camp: Stories by James R. Benn; Soho Press); “The Case of the Bogus Cinderellas,” by Jacqueline Freimor (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, July/Aug 2023); and Madam Tomahawk, by Nick Kolakowski (A Grifter’s Song, Book 29, Down & Out)

In addition, the SMFS awarded its Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer to Virginia fictionist Barb Goffman, and its latest Hall of Fame honors to Nero Wolfe creator Rex Stout.