THE LEFTY AWARD NOMINEES: 2025 Left Coast Crime

The Lefty Awards will be voted on at Left Coast Crime 2025 and presented at a banquet on Saturday, March 15, at the Westin Denver Downtown. Congratulations to all! 

Lefty Nominees for Best Humorous Mystery Novel

• Ellen Byron, A Very Woodsy Murder (Kensington Books)

• Jennifer J. Chow, Ill-Fated Fortune (St. Martin’s Paperbacks)

• A.J. Devlin, Bronco Buster (NeWest Press)

• Catriona McPherson, Scotzilla (Severn House)

• Rob Osler, Cirque du Slay (Crooked Lane Books)

• Richard Osman, We Solve Murders (Pamela Dorman Books / Viking)

Lefty Nominees for Best Historical Mystery Novel
(Bill Gottfried Memorial) for books covering events before 1970

• John Copenhaver, Hall of Mirrors (Pegasus Crime)

• Robert Dugoni, A Killing on the Hill (Thomas & Mercer)

• Dianne Freeman, An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (Kensington Books)

• Laurie R. King, The Lantern’s Dance (Bantam Books)

• Laura Jensen Walker, Death of a Flying Nightingale (Level Best Books / Historia)

Lefty Nominees for Best Debut Mystery Novel

• Peter Malone Elliott, Blue Ridge (Level Best Books)

• Cindy Goyette, Obey All Laws (Level Best Books)

• Audrey Lee, The Mechanics of Memory (CamCat Books)

• Jennifer K. Morita, Ghosts of Waikiki (Crooked Lane Books)

• K.T. Nguyen, You Know What You Did (Dutton)

Lefty Nominees for Best Mystery Novel
(not in other categories)

• Claire Booth, Home Fires (Severn House)

• Margot Douaihy, Blessed Water (Zando, Gillian Flynn Books)

• Rob Hart, Assassins Anonymous (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

• Leslie Karst, Molten Death (Severn House)

• James L’Etoile, Served Cold (Level Best Books)

• Duane Swierczynski, California Bear (Mulholland Books)

LEFT COAST CRIME: THE UNCONVENTION 2021 Virtual Lefty Award Panels - February 27

On February 27, 2021, Left Coast Crime will present four virtual panels to introduce the 2021 Lefty Award Nominees and their books.

This Zoom Webinar is free, but advance registration is required. Left Coast Crime registrants are the first to receive the news about this event. Please don’t share with your friends yet; we will be announcing the webinar to the public soon.

Registration Link

[Note: Left Coast Crime is charged for each registration.]

 

Schedule for the Day

Introduction: Left Coast Crime and the Lefty Awards (15 minutes)
8:30 AM PT, 9:30  MT, 10:30  CT, 11:30 ET

Nominees for the Lefty Award for Best Debut Novel (60 minutes)
     8:45 PT, 9:45 MT, 10:45 CT, 11:45 ET


Nominees for the Lefty Award for Best Novel  (60 minutes)
    10:00 AM PT, 11:00 MT, Noon CT, 1:00 PM ET


Nominees for the Lefty Award for Best Historical Novel (60 minutes)
    11:15 AM PT, 12:15 PM MT, 1:15 CT, 2:15 ET


Nominees for the Lefty Award for Best Humorous Novel (60 minutes)
    12:30 PM PT, 1:30 MT, 2:30 CT, 3:30 ET

 

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2021 Lefty Award Nominees

Lefty Nominees for Best Humorous Mystery Novel

• Ellen Byron, Murder in the Bayou Boneyard (Crooked Lane Books)
• Jennifer J. Chow, Mimi Lee Gets a Clue (Berkley Prime Crime)
• Carl Hiaasen, Squeeze Me (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Cynthia Kuhn, The Study of Secrets (Henery Press)
• J. Michael Orenduff, The Pot Thief Who Studied the Woman at Otowi Crossing (Aakenbaaken & Kent)
• Sung J. Woo, Skin Deep (Agora Books)

Lefty Nominees for Best Historical Mystery Novel for books set before 1970

• Susanna Calkins, The Fate of a Flapper (Minotaur Books)
• Dianne Freeman, A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder (Kensington Books)
• Laurie R. King, Riviera Gold (Bantam Books)
• Catriona McPherson, The Turning Tide (Quercus)
• Ann Parker, Mortal Music (Poisoned Pen Press)
• James W. Ziskin, Turn to Stone (Seventh Street Books)

Lefty Nominees for Best Debut Mystery Novel

• Daisy Bateman, Murder Goes to Market (Seventh Street Books)
• Mary Keliikoa, Derailed (Camel Press)
• Erica Ruth Neubauer, Murder at the Mena House (Kensington Books)
• Richard Osman, The Thursday Murder Club (Viking)
• Halley Sutton, The Lady Upstairs (Putnam)
• David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Winter Counts (Ecco)

Lefty Nominees for Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories)

• Tracy Clark, What You Don’t See (Kensington Books)
• S.A. Cosby, Blacktop Wasteland (Flatiron Books)
• Matt Coyle, Blind Vigil (Oceanview Publishing)
• Rachel Howzell Hall, And Now She’s Gone (Forge)
• Louise Penny, All the Devils Are Here (Minotaur Books)

Lucinda Surber & Stan Ulrich, Lefty Awards Co-Chairs
 

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2022 in ABQ: Our Next In-Person Convention
Left Coast Crime 2022: Albuquerque, New Mexico

When: April 7–10, 2022
Where: Hyatt Regency Albuquerque
Guest of Honor: Mick Herron
Guest of Honor: Catriona McPherson
Fan Guest of Honor: Kristopher Zgorski
Toastmaster: Kellye Garrett
Ghost of Honor: Tony Hillerman
Visit the LCC 2022 website for more details and to register.

Not sure if you are registered for Albuquerque? Check the Attendee page for your name.