Monday, July 7, 2025
HARPER LEE AWARD: ACE ATKINS
Saturday, July 5, 2025
British CWA Dagger Awards
Gold Dagger:
The Book of Secrets, by Anna Mazzola (Orion)
Ian Fleming Steel Dagger:
Dark Ride, by Lou Berney (Hemlock Press)
ILP John Creasey Dagger (New Blood):
All Us Sinners, by Katy Massey (Sphere)
Historical Dagger:
The Betrayal of Thomas True, by A.J. West (Orenda)
Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger:
The Night of Baby Yaga, by Akira Otani, translated by Sam Bett (Faber & Faber)
ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-fiction:
The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place, by Kate Summerscale (Bloomsbury Circus)
Short Story Dagger:
“A Date on Yarmouth Pier,” by J.C. Berthal (from Midsummer Mysteries)
Twisted Dagger (for psychological and suspense thrillers):
Nightwatching, by Tracy Sierra (Penguin)
Whodunnit Dagger (for cosy crime, traditional mysteries, and Golden Age crime stories):
Dagger in the Library (for a body of work by an established crime writer that has long been popular with borrowers from libraries):
Publishers’ Dagger (Best Crime and Mystery Publisher of the Year):
Orenda Books
Friday, July 4, 2025
VINTAGE FOURTH OF JULY POSTCARDS: May the Fourth be with You!
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Silver Falchion Award Nominees: Killer Nashville
JERICHO BURNING by T.G. Brown
THE GENERAL’S GOLD by Bruce Robert Coffin and LynDee Walker
DESPERATE MEASURES by Ley Esses
WHERE LOVE MEANS NOTHING by Howard Gimple
THE NORTH LINE by Matt Riordan
Best Comedy
Kerry Blaisdell
SWIPED by L.M. Chilton
GET GRIBNITZ by Howard Gimple
MODEL GHOST by TK Sheffield
SORRY, KNOT SORRY by Lois Winston
Best Cozy
BEESWAX BEWITCHMENT by S.E. Babin
ELIZABETH SAILS by Kristin Owens
STUDY GUIDE FOR MURDER by Lori Robbins
FRAMED FOR MURDER by Marla White
WHEELING AND DEALING by Becki Willis
Best Historical
EMPOWERED BY THE DREAM: A JOURNEY OF RESILIENCE
Gladys A. Barrio
THE PARIS MISTRESSb y Mally Becker
A KILLING ON THE HILL by Robert Dugoni
FIND YOUR WAY TO MY GRAVE by Chris Keefer
WHAT ONCE WAS PROMISED by Louis Trubiano
Best Investigator
THE THINGS THAT CANNOT BE FORGOTTEN by Peter W.J. Hayes
LAST DOG OUT by Candace Irving
BLACK & WHITE by Justin M. Kiska
TIGER CLAW by Michael Allan Mallory
MURDER OUTSIDE THE BOX by Saralyn Richard
Best Juvenile / Y.A.
BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE: THE SECRET KEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Valerie Biel
DEAD GIRL by Kerrie Faye
STEALING TIME by Norman Birnbach and Tilia Klebenov Jacobs
SNOWED by Twist Phelan
STAR BROTHER by Maxine Rose Schur
Best Mystery
DROP DEAD SISTERS by Amelia Diane Coombs
OBEY ALL LAWS by Cindy Goyette
AT FIRST I WAS AFRAID by Marty Ludlum
A WORLD OF HURT by Mindy Mejia
SCORCHED: BURN ME ONCE…by Cam Torrens
Best Short Story Collection / Anthology
NEVER TELL COLLECTION, edited by Kjiersti Egerdahl
DAY, edited by Patrick Kitson (author)
DEEDS OF DARKNESS, William Burton McCormick (author)
6-LANE HIGHWAY, Sean Mitchell (author)
LARCENY & LAST CHANCES: 22 STORIES OF MYSTERY & SUSPENSE, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk
Best Suspense
A FRIEND IN THE DARK by Samantha M. Bailey
IF YOU TELL A LIE by Lucinda Berry
THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH by Liv Constantine
LOST TO DUNE ROAD by Kara Thomas
THE LAST PARTY by AR Torre
Best Thriller
RICH JUSTICE by Robert Bailey
THE DREDGE by Brendan Flaherty
THE MECHANICS OF MEMORY by Audrey Lee
A FORGOTTEN KILL by Isabella Maldonado
THE ASCENT by Adam Plantinga
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Fourth of July Mysteries // Fourth of July Crime Fiction
The Fourth of July (Independence Day)
used to be one of my favorite holidays, maybe because I was born in
Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation. Despite what's happening in the U.S. this year, I decided to post my Fourth of July Crime Fiction list. Maybe in spite of it. I claim this holiday and what it stands for. It's so important to this nation, and I don't want to lose sight of and the meaning of the flag, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. Even if you're not celebrating Independence Day, you can celebrate this great group of mysteries that take place on the holiday! And don't miss my Summertime Mysteries List, Summer Sleuthing: Lazy, Hazy, Murderous Days of Summer!
As always, let me know if I've missed any titles. This is an updated list.
Fourth of July Mysteries
Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon
Murder on Parade by Donald Bain (as Jessica Fletcher)
Home of the Brave by Donna Ball
Bomb Pop Threat by Christy Barritt
Hair of the Dog by Laurien Berenson
Murder by Fireworks by Susan Bernhardt
Jealousy Filled Donuts by Ginger Bolton
Plot Boiler by Ali Brandon
The Cat Who Went Underground by Lilian Jackson Braun
Rockets' Red Glare by Lynn Cahoon
The Chocolate Frog Frame-Up by JoAnna Carl
Dead on the 4th of July by Meg Chittenden
Someone to Watch Over Me by Jill Churchill
Independence Day by Anne-Marie Clark
Twanged by Carol Higgins Clark
Independene Day by Ben Coes
BlackBuried Pie by Lyndsey Cole
Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle
The Carousel of Death by Elisabeth Crabtree
A Catered Fourth of July by Isis Crawford
Murder on the 4th of July by P. Creeden
Red, White, and Blue Murder by Bill Crider
Firework Fiasco; Fireworks in Paradise by Kathi Daley
Framed and Frosted by Kim Davis
Guilty as Charred by Devon Delaney
Blood Red, White and Blue by Kathleen Delaney
Dead on the Fourth of July by R. E. Derouin
Four Dog's Sake by Lia Farrell
Blackberry Burial by Sharon Farrow
One Fete in the Grave by Vickie Fee
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Independence Slay by Shelley Freydont
Booneville Retribution by S. Furlong-Bollinger
Mistaken Identity by Patricia Gligor
Born on the 4th of July by Heather Graham
Red, White and Blueberry Murder by Susan Gillard
Light my Firecracker by Carolyn Gregg
Act Of Darkness by Jane Haddam
Bowled Over by Victoria Hamilton
Yankee Doodle Dead; Dead, White and Blue by Carolyn Hart
Fourth of July Fatality by Kelly Hashway
Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
The Ghost Who Lied by Bobbie Holmes
The Falls: Fourth of July by George Jackson
Exit Wounds by J. A. Jance
Fourth of July Forgery by Tonya Kappes
A Timely Vision; A Watery Death by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Silence of the Jams by Gayle Leeson
Die Like a Hero by Clyde Linsley
The July Girls by Phoebe Locke
Dahlias and Death by London Lovett
Death on Nantucket by Francine Mathews
Left Hanging by Patricia McLinn
Star Spangled Murder by Leslie Meier
Cold Hard News by Maureen Milliken
Manic in Christmas River; Mayhem in Christmas River; Mutts & Murder by Meg Muldoon
Bats and Bones Karen Musser Nortman
A Fifth for the 4th of July by Doug Olsen and Julie Gollan
Foal Play by Kathryn O'Sullivan
Iron Ties by Ann Parker
4th of July by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
The Body in the Birches by Katherine Hall Page
4th of July by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Murder is No Picnic by Amy Pershing
Three Woofs for the Dead, White and Plus by Laura Quinn
Firecrackered by Patricia Rockwell
Death by Deep Dish Pie by Sharon Short
The Dam Committee by Earl H. Smith
Killing Grounds by Dana Stabenow
And Four to Go ("Fourth of July Picnic") by Rex Stout
Independence Day Plague by Carla Lee Suson
Doggone Dead by Teresa Trent
Prepped for the Kill by A.E. H. Veenman
The 4th of July Can Be MURDER! by Dianne Warth Vereen
Thread and Gone by Lea Wait
Independence Day Murder by Linnea West
Kaboom by J.A. Whiting and Nell McCarthy
Some Welcome Home by Sharon Wildwind
Mrs. Morris and the Sorceress by Traci Wilton
Star Spangled Murder by Valerie Wolzien
Happy 4th of July Murder by Rachel Woods
Short Stories
Rex Stout's "Fourth of July Picnic" in Century of Great Suspense Stories, Edited by Jeff Deaver.
S. Furlong-Bolliger's "Booneville Retribution: 4th of July Mystery Short Story" in Kings River Life.
A Sparrow Falls Fourth of July in A Sparrow Falls Holiday by Donna McLean.
Children’s Mysteries
Murder On The Fourth of July by Carolyn Keene
The Philly Fake by David E. Kelly
Calendar Mysteries: July Jitters by Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney
The Fourth of July Fiasco by Jim McNeal
The Case of the July 4th Jinx by Lewis B. Montgomery and Amy Wummer
True Crime
Death on the Fourth of July: The Story of a Killing, a Betrayal, and Hate Crime in America by David A. Neiwert
As always, I welcome additions and comments.
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
CANADA DAY: Mystery Readers Journal: Canadian Mysteries
Buy this back issue! Available as a downloadable PDF.
ARTICLES
- Canadian Crime, the Undiscovered Country by Kevin Thornton
- The Canadians Are Coming by Robin Harlick
- Murder, Eh? by Lou Allin
- Becoming Canadian by Cathy Ace
- Setting Out From Saskatoon by Anthony Bidulka
- Land of Ice and Snow, Smoggy Steeltown, and the Italian Mob! Or, how to write mob comedies… by Melodie Campbell
- Mysteries in the Canadian North by Brenda Chapman
- An Insider’s Take by Miriam Clavir
- A Quiet Courage by Peter Clement
- Writing Canadian Cops by Vicki Delany
- Sleeping With an Elephant by Ruth Donald
- Research Made Fun With Vancouver’s Police Dogs by Elizabeth Elwood
- Mystery Is in the Mind by A.R. Grobbo
- Exploring the Canadian Wilds with Meg Harris by R.J. Harlick
- France on Berlin Time, Part II: The Canadian Connection by J. Robert Janes
- Canadian From Coast to Coast by Amber Harvey
- The Canadian Conundrum by Tim Heald
- Left Coast Noir by Dietrich Kalteis
- The Canadian Mystery Writer’s Wardrobe by Linda Kupecek
- Ordinary People, Like You and Me, Interrupted by Murder by J. A. Menzies
- Thoughts About Killing the Canadian Way by John Moss
- Canadianese by Louise Penny
- The Canadian Who Came in From the Cold (But Just for a Short Time) by Steve Shrott
- The Inferiority Complex of a Canadian Mystery Author by Cathy Spencer
- From Rangers to Red Serge by Kay Stewart
- Canadian as Maple Murder Pie by Robin Timmerman
- APOK? by Mike Walton
- Mystery in Retrospect: Reviews by Madeleine Harris-Callway, Lesa Holstine, Gay Toltl Kinman, L.J. Roberts, Lou Allin, Margaret Blair
- Children’s Hour: Canada by Gay Toltl Kinman
- In Short: Canadian Capers by Marv Lachman
- Crime Seen: North of the Border by Kate Derie
- From the Editor’s Desk by Janet Rudolph














