Edgar Awards 2007

There are several different mystery awards but this always seems to net me the biggest payoff in terms of favorite new authors.

Grand Master * Stephen King

Best Mystery Novel
*The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin
• The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
• Gentleman and Players by Joanne Harris
• The Dead Hour by Denise Mina
• The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard
• Liberation Movements by Olen Steinhauer

Best First Novel by an American Author
*The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
• King of Lies by John Hart
• Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith
• A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read

Best Paperback Original
*Snakeskin Shamisen by Naomi Hirahara
• The Goodbye Kiss by Massimo Carlotto
• The Open Curtain by Brian Evenson
• The Deep Blue Alibi by Paul Levine
• City of Tiny Lights by Patrick Neate

Romance Novels

I didn't do my homework this weekend. In fact, I goofed off by reading romance novels all weekend long. Ok, I worked Saturday and Sunday but still, I read four romance novels instead of reading my notable nominees AND I had fun.

On of the novels was by one of my favorite authors in that genre but it turned out to be the "Big Misunderstanding" where the main characters love each other but fight, break-up and years later see each other and realize that they were destined to be together. A lot of readers object to the "Big Misunderstanding" because so often, if they would just sit down and talk there would be no misunderstanding. As a plot device, it is shaky but I never seem to mind that. What bothers me is the "years later" part. I guess I can't quite suspend disbelief on that one.