Thu 12 Jun 2025
BEST PI HARDCOVER
Kingpin by Mike Lawson (Atlantic Monthly Press)
The Hollow Tree by Phillip Miller (Soho Crime)
Farewell, Amethystine by Walter Mosley (Mulholland Books)
Trouble in Queenstown by Delia Pitts (Minotaur Books
Death and Glory by Will Thomas (Minotaur Books)
BEST ORIGINAL PI PAPERBACK
Geisha Confidential by Mark Coggins (Down & Out Books)
Quarry’s Return by Max Allan Collins (Hard Case Crime)
Not Born of Woman by Teel James Glenn (Crossroad Press)
Bless Our Sleep by Neil S. Plakcy (Samwise Books)
Call of the Void by J.T. Siemens (NeWest Press)
The Big Lie by Gabriel Valjan (Level Best Books)
BEST FIRST PI NOVEL
Twice the Trouble by Ash Clifton (Crooked Lane Books)
The Devil’s Daughter by Gordon Greisman (Blackstone Publishing)
Fog City by Claire M. Johnson (Level Best Books)
The Road to Heaven by Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson (Dundurn Press)
Holy City by Henry Wise (Atlantic Monthly Press)
BEST PI SHORT STORY
“Deadhead” by Tom Andes (Issue 10.1: A Case of KINK – Cowboy Jamboree Magazine)
“Alibi in Ice” by Libby Cudmore (July/August 2024, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine)
“Drop Dead Gorgeous” by M.E. Proctor (Janie’s Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith – White City Press)
“Under Hard Rock” by Ed Teja (Black Cat Weekly #164)
“The Five Cent Detective” by S.B. Watson (Crimeucopia: Great Googly-Moo!)
June 12th, 2025 at 9:43 am
This is news that I assume has just been announced.
It comes as no surprise, to me, at least, that I have not read — or even seen — any of these. I do know the names of five of the authors, though.
Congratulations to all!
June 12th, 2025 at 10:08 am
In the Old Days, I would have read all of the nominees. But, today, I’m just like you: I recognize some names but haven’t read any of the books.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:14 am
I have been able to read one book all year. In the Old Days, it would have been four or five a week.
I miss the Old Days.
But it is good to see there are people still writing PI stories.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:00 am
The Road to Heaven by Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson (Dundurn Press)
This is a good read.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:17 am
It has gotten good reviews elsewhere as well. (I had to go look it up, of course.)
I am selling more books that I have than I am buying, but this looks like a good one. Thanks for the recommendation!
June 12th, 2025 at 11:40 am
Quarry’s Return, another great one in a great series.
June 12th, 2025 at 1:19 pm
It is difficult for me to think of Quarry as a PI, but I’m sure glad Collins is still writing about him. I confess to having lost track of how many there are now.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:48 am
I haven’t read any of them, either, but I’m sure the ones by Collins and Mosely are good. The other authors are mostly unknown to me. I did notice, though, in looking them up that many of them are historical mysteries and/or set in England or Canada. That doesn’t disqualify them at all, of course, but they’re not the sort of American PI novels that I tend to read. (And I don’t read many new books, period, these days, which is a fault, if there is one, in me, not the authors or books.)
June 12th, 2025 at 1:20 pm
You and I think a lot alike, James.
June 12th, 2025 at 3:38 pm
Mike Lawson is one of my favorites writing now, most his books are about a “fixer” for the House Of Representatives that tends to get himself into and then out of trouble. First books were all “House —-“, now going with more regular titles. Usually pretty quick reads, author has a relaxed writing style that just flows along.
The Ash Clifton book as very good, and actually has a PI in it. Looking forward to a second novel from the author.
June 12th, 2025 at 3:49 pm
I am going to have to try a Mike Lawson book. For whatever reason, the series has flown under my radar until now.
And of course the Ash Clifton book is new to everybody. (Well, almost everybody.) I’ll check that one out, too!
June 13th, 2025 at 9:55 pm
A few friends on the list so it wouldn’t be fair to comment, but this time I have read a few of the nominees.