2016 David Thompson Special Service Award to Otto Penzler

The Bouchercon Board of Directors is proud to announce that Otto Penzler is the recipient of its 2016 David Thompson Special Service Award for “extraordinary efforts to develop and promote the crime fiction field.”

Founded in 1970, and named after distinguished mystery critic, editor, and author, Anthony Boucher, Bouchercon is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that each year brings together fans, authors, publishers, editors, agents, and booksellers from around the world in a different location for a four-day celebration of their shared love of the crime genre. This year’s convention, “Blood on the Bayou—Bouchercon 2016,” takes place in New Orleans, September 15-18 (www.bouchercon2016.com).

The David Thompson Special Service Award was created by the Bouchercon Board to honor the memory and contributions to the crime fiction community of David Thompson, a much beloved Houston bookseller who passed away in 2010. Past recipients of the award are Ali Karim, Marv Lachman, Len & June Moffatt, Judy Bobalik, and Bill and Toby Gottfried.

This year’s honoree, Otto Penzler, is the proprietor of New York City’s The Mysterious Bookshop and founder of The Mysterious Press (1975). A publisher of original works and classic crime fiction in the U.S. and abroad, Mr. Penzler also published The Armchair Detective, a quarterly journal devoted to the study of mystery and suspense fiction, and created the publishing firms of Otto Penzler Books and The Armchair Detective Library. He is a prolific editor, and his most recent anthologies include The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories, The Big Book of Locked Room Mysteries, The Best American Mystery Stories of the 19th Century, and The Best American Noir of the Century. Since 1997 he’s also been the Series Editor of The Best American Mystery Stories of the Year.

The Mystery Writers of America has bestowed on Mr. Penzler two Edgar Awards, its 1994 Ellery Queen Award, and the 2003 Raven Award. He’s also received Lifetime Achievement awards from Noircon and The Strand Magazine. In addition, Mr. Penzler co-chaired two Bouchercon Conventions (1977 and 1983) and served on Bouchercon’s Board for ten years.

David Thompson: R.I.P.

Shocking and very sad news. David Thompson, the force behind Busted Flush Press, died suddenly yesterday, September 13. Besides Busted Flush Press, David worked at Murder by the Book for 21 years. He made an indelible impression on the store and everyone who met him. David was co-chair of Bouchercon St. Louis (2011).

David Thompson was so supportive of everyone in the mystery community. Personally we exchanged numerous emails and tweets on authors, signings and new books. He arranged several of the Mystery Reader Literary Salons. Prior to one of the recent Literary Salon with Don Winslow, in addition to sending bookmarks, David put in a bag of chocolate flavored coffee beans for me. Always the personal touch. He knew my taste in chocolate and in crime fiction and was always suggesting new authors. He was always right. He expanded my reading tastes. I will miss him.

There will be a memorial service. Murder by the Book will share details as soon as they are available. In the meantime, David's wife, McKenna Jordan, asks that no tributes be sent to the bookstore for now.

Still reeling from the shock.

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Sarah Weinman has a tribute and links to the many other tributes.

UPDATE: On Sunday, September 26, there will be a celebration of David's life at the Briar Club, 2603 Timmons Lane, Houston, 77027, 2-  5 PM. In addition, Alafair Burke has set up a fund for those who wish to donate money in David's name, is available at the Murder By the Book website.