From the Private Eye Writers of America
The finalists for the 2021 Shamus Awards, for works published in 2020. The winners head each category, and are in brown. The lists below are in alphabetical order by author.
BEST PI HARDCOVER
- Blind Vigil by Matt Coyle (Rick Cahill)
- What You Don’t See by Tracy Clark (Cass Raines)
- Do No Harm by Max Allan Collins (Nate Heller)
- House on Fire by Joseph Finder (Nick Heller)
- And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall (Grayson Sykes)
BEST ORIGINAL PI PAPERBACK
- Brittle Karma by Richard Helms (Eamon Gold)
- Farewell Las Vegas by Grant Bywaters (Joe Roddick)
- All Kinds of Ugly by Ralph Dennis (Jim Hardman)
- Remember My Face by John Lantigua (Willie Cuesta)
- Damaged Goods by Debbi Mack (Erica Jensen)
BEST PI SHORT STORY
- “Mustang Sally” by John M. Floyd in Black Cat Mystery Magazine (Thomas Langford)
- “A Dreamboat Gambol” by O’Neil De Noux in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (Lucien Caye)
- “Setting the Pick” by April Kelly in Mystery Weekly Magazine (Joe)
- “Show and Zeller” by Gordon Linzner in Black Cat Mystery Magazine (Dorian Zeller)
- “Nashua River Floater” by Tom MacDonald in Coast to Coast Noir (Dermot Sparhawk)
BEST FIRST PI NOVEL
- The Missing American by Kwei Quartey (Emma Djan)
- Squatter’s Rights by Kevin R. Doyle (Sam Quinton)
- Derailed by Mary Keliikoa (Kelly Pruett)
- I Know Where You Sleep by Alan Orloff (Anderson West)
- Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Virgil Wounded Horse)
THE EYE (Lifetime Achievement Award)
Gay would like to thank the judges: Colleen Collins, O’Neil DeNoux, Dennis Palumbo, April Kelly, Chad Williams, Clive E. Rosengren, Mary Keliikoa, David Thompson, Matt Coyle, Andrew McAleer, Ron Katz an Kevin Burton Smith.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- The Shamus Awards: 1982-present
As bestowed by The Private Eye Writers of America
List respectfully compiled by Kevin Burton Smith. Thanks to Gay Kinman for her help with this one. PWA Logo by Terry Beatty (copyright 2005).
