Category: Award winners

• Edgar Awards 2026: What Mystery Writers Selected as The Best

  

  This year’s winners include an unofficial “problem-solver” in Silicon Valley and a zealous journalist pursuing a fugitive who confessed to killing nine people as a teen. Links to winners, nominees.

  N.K. Mitchell

  April 30, 2026

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Best of …, Contemporary Setting, Cozy Mystery, Historical Setting, Law Enforcement, LGBTQ+ Sleuths, New Release, Private Investigators, Senior Sleuths, Traditional Mystery, Uncategorized

  book-review, book-reviews, books, Cozy Mystery, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reading, reviews, thriller

• Agatha Award Winners 2026: Celebrating Traditional Mysteries

  

  This year’s winners include an historical mystery where Agatha Christie isn’t the author but a suspect, and Dorothy Sayers’ assistant must prove her innocence. Links to winners, nominees.

  N.K. Mitchell

  April 26, 2026

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Best of …, Contemporary Setting, Cozy Mystery, Historical Setting, Private Investigators, Sleuths of Color, Traditional Mystery, Uncategorized, Young Adult

  agatha-christie, book-review, book-reviews, books, Cozy Mystery, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reading, reviews

• Left Coast Crime Awards 2026: Some Familiar Winners

  

  Two 2026 winners are repeats from last year for their most recent novels featuring female protagonists. See the results of this year’s first big mystery awards for work in 2025.

  N.K. Mitchell

  April 21, 2026

  Award winners, Best of …, Contemporary Setting, Cozy Mystery, Law Enforcement, LGBTQ+ Sleuths, New Release, Private Investigators, Traditional Mystery

  book-review, book-reviews, books, Cozy Mystery, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reading, reviews, thriller

• Anthony Awards 2025: New Categories Added

  

  Female sleuths again swept this annual awards contest, which included new categories such as best cozy/humorous, best historical and best paranormal. Need help adding to your TBR list?

  N.K. Mitchell

  December 3, 2025

  Award winners, Best of …, New Release

  book-review, book-reviews, books, Cozy Mystery, reading

• My Favorite Mysteries Set in National Parks and Wild Places

  

  It’s the time of year when I’m dreaming of adventures in national parks. Here are four books that transport you to these beautiful spaces, via park rangers, a senior sleuth and a rank amateur, with the added spice of murder.

  N.K. Mitchell

  May 5, 2025

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Contemporary Setting, Law Enforcement, New Release, Private Investigators, Traditional Mystery

  book-review, book-reviews, books, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reading, reviews

• Edgar Awards 2025: What Mystery Writers Selected as The Best

  

  This year’s winners include a final outing for PI Maisie Dobbs and the story of an aspiring writer who finds her literary idol murdered the day after she gives him her manuscript.

  N.K. Mitchell

  May 2, 2025

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Contemporary Setting, Cozy Mystery, Historical Setting, Law Enforcement, New Release, Private Investigators, Traditional Mystery

  book-review, book-reviews, books, Cozy Mystery, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reading, reviews

• Agatha Award Winners 2025: Celebrating Traditional Mysteries

  

  This year’s winners include an historical cozy featuring the intrepid sister of the Wright Brothers and a thriller about a Vietnamese-American artist whose picture-perfect life is starting to unravel.

  N.K. Mitchell

  April 28, 2025

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Contemporary Setting, Cozy Mystery, Historical Setting, New Release, Sleuths of Color, Traditional Mystery, Young Adult

  book-review, books, Cozy Mystery, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reviews, thriller

• Left Coast Crime Awards 2025: One Female Sleuth Winner

  

  Immediately added to my TBR list: A former reporter must investigate a murder with the detective who broke her heart in their native Hawaii in the Best Debut Mystery Novel winner.

  N.K. Mitchell

  March 19, 2025

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Contemporary Setting, New Release, Sleuths of Color

  book-review, book-reviews, books, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reading

• An Amateur Sleuth’s Adventures in Academia Provide a Cozy Diversion

  

  In troubled times, a well-written cozy offers welcome respite from the day’s news. Cynthia Kuhn’s series features a sharp protagonist, a look at life on campus from someone who’s been there, and a lively sense of humor.

  N.K. Mitchell

  March 3, 2025

  Amateur Sleuths, Award winners, Backlist, Contemporary Setting, Cozy Mystery

  book-review, book-reviews, books, Cozy Mystery, fiction, mystery

• Female Sleuths Sweep 2024 Anthony Awards

  

  This year’s Anthony winners include a quirky mother-daughter-granddaughter trio, a Chicago detective tracking a serial killer and a young Enola Holmes taking on brother Sherlock.

  N.K. Mitchell

  September 2, 2024

  Award winners

  book-review, crime-fiction, fiction, mystery, reviews