Shamus Award Nominees, 2010

Here's the list from the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA), with finalists to be announced at this year's Bouchercon. The Shamus Awards are for private eye fiction only. The PWA defines a “private eye” as any mystery protagonist who is a professional investigator, but not a police officer or government agent, “a person paid for investigative work but not employed by a unit of government. Thus books and stories about private investigators (licensed and unlicensed), lawyers and reporters who do their own legwork, and other hired agents are eligible; works centering on law enforcement officers or amateur sleuths are not.”

Best P.I. Novel
The Silent Hour, Michael Koryta
Where the Dead Lay, David Levien
Locked In, Marcia Muller
Schemers, Bill Pronzini
My Soul to Take, Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Best P.I. Paperback Original
Dark Side of the Morgue, Raymond Benson
Sinner's Ball, Ira Berkowitz
Red Blooded Murder, Laura Caldwell
Vengeance Road, Rick Mofina
Body Blows, Marc Strange

Best P.I. First Novel
Loser's Town, Daniel Depp
The Last Gig, Norman Green
The Good Son, Russel D. McLean
Faces of the Gone, Brad Parks
Chinatown Angel, A. E. Roman

Best P.I. Short Story
"The Dark Island," Brendan Dubois, in Boston Noir
"Deadline Edition," S. L. Franklin, in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, April 2009
"Blazin' on Broadway," Gary Phillips, in Phoenix Noir
"Suicide Bonds," Tim L. Williams, in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2009
"Julius Katz," Dave Zeltserman, in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sept./Oct. 2009

We're tickled to note husband and wife Muller and Pronzini on the list, and we offer special congrats to Dave Zeltserman, a regular guest here at Kingdom Books.