I’ve just booked my hotel room for Bouchercon 2006 in Madison, Wisconsin ( if you attending, and haven’t made room reservations yet, you better hurry — the area hotels are selling out fast). I also received my Anthony Award ballot in the mail this week. The Anthonys are selected by Bouchercon attendees and any mystery novel published in 2005 is eligible for nomination. I hope if you enjoyed THE MAN WITH THE IRON ON BADGE, and are attending Bouchercon this fall, that you will consider nominating the book for Best Novel when you receive your ballot. My book aside, I can’t honestly remember all the good stuff that I read that was published in 2005. Please jog my memory with any suggestions you might have in the comment below. The categories are Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story and Best Critical/Non-fiction Work. Thanks!
How about shameless familial promotion? Best First Novel: Die a Little by Megan Abbott
(Please don’t tell on me because you did ask).
I am all for familial promotion… I intend to nominate my brother Tod’s short story “The Living End” from his 2005 collection SIMPLIFY. I hope other Bouchercon attendees, will too.
I haven’t read DIE A LITTLE yet… but I have it sitting right here and have heard great things about it.
Best Novel:
Same Time, Same Murder: A Gil and Claire Hunt Mystery
by Robert J Randisi, Christine Matthews
St. Martin’s Press
THE JAMES DEANS by Reed Farrell Coleman. BAD DEBTS by Peter Temple.
SORROW’S ANTHEM by Michael Koryta
I’ll probably nominate my own, just because I’m a shill, even though it’s out of print.
Legally, anyway.
Ahem.
I second ahem.
Laura Lippman’s The Power of Three was the best book I read last year.
The Messiah of Crime Fiction – Duane Swierczynski and his The Wheelman
Kiss Her Good-bye by Allan Guthrie.
And know that if I were ever attending another Bcon, I’d attend this one and vote for Man With the Iron-on Badge. And I’d probably vote for Tod’s short story, as well. Both are great.
KISS HER GOODBYE and THE WHEELMAN are also both here in my office, waiting to be read. I’ve heard great things about them both (particularly THE WHEELMAN).
I have no book-related comment to make, but I do have a piece of advice about Madison: L’Etoile. A restaurant on the capital square, probably a short walk from your hotel. Make a reservation now. You won’t be sorry. During the day, they sell marzipan croissants. Oh god, I’m going to cry now…
Best Novel – The Closers by Michael Connelly. Hmmm, L’Etoile … marzipan croissants, mmmm.
I started reading THE WHEELMAN today… it’s terrific.