(I'm a little late posting Sarah's comments on the Edgar nominees obviously).
Ed here: Sarah is one of the indispensable voices in contemporary mystery fiction. Here she looks at the new Edgar Nominees. Get a free subscription to this don't miss newsletter (and read the rest of her takes on the Edgars) by going here: https://tinyletter.com/thecrimelady
Sarah Weinman:
The Edgar Award nominees were announced earlier this morning, two days after namesake Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. For the last few years I've copped out and not said much about who should have been nominated and who got left off -- largely because I didn't feel like it -- and while it's tempting to continue that oh-so-lazy tradition what is a newsletter if not for off-the-cuff commentary? So, to wit: The Best Novel list of six is quite solid. Lots of notable names -- Stephen King, Ian Rankin, Karin Slaughter, Mo Hayder -- who have been nominated several times before. Great to see THE FINAL SILENCE by Stuart Neville on the list, and Wiley Cash is certainly going to be around a long time. Rankin's been nominated a bunch of times and keeps losing so perhaps this will be his year. It would be a good lifetime achievement award, in any case. Best First has some novels I myself wouldn't have put on since they weren't to my taste, but I'm quite pleased to see Adam Sternbergh's SHOVEL READY and Allen Eskens' THE LIFE WE BURY, the latter really underrated. Best PBO tends to be a strong category and it is no different this time. Literary quirk with Chris Abani; great mystery storytellers like Alison Gayin, Catriona McPherson, and William Lashner; post-apocalyptic nightmares with Ben Winters, and I'm not sure with Lisa Turner because I am not familiar with this book in the slightest. Best Fact Crime is also strong -- now that Lacy Johnson's memoir is up for this *and* for the NBCC Award in autobiography, I am buying a copy this week -- though it sticks out because I had urged Riverhead to submit John Safran's GOD'LL CUT YOU DOWN for consideration and they obviously didn't and oops, sucks to be them, I hope they learn their lesson for next year's awards season if they want to get some traction for GIRL ON THE TRAIN, if they even possibly care about such things. Seriously, publishers, always submit, it is worth the trouble. |
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