Two of this year's major mystery awards have been chosen: the Lefty awards given by the popular Left Coast Crime convention and the Edgar awards, given by the writer members of the Mystery Writers of America (MWA).

Left Coast Crime is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors. LCC is held during the first quarter of the year in Western North America. Conventions have been held from Anchorage to El Paso, from Boulder to Hawaii, and various locations in between. The Edgars are based in New York City where the ceremony is held annually. The winners and their categories are listed below for both of these awards. 

Please check out our blog posts about the Lefty Award Nominees and the Edgar Award Nominees to find the other great mystery reads from 2020. There are links to the books in our catalog if you click on the book's cover graphic. The Nominee lists also have this feature.

  Best Debut Mystery Novel – Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weska

  Bruce Alexander Memorial Award, Best Historical Mystery Novel for a mystery covering events before 1970 – The Turning Tide by Catriona McPherson

  Best Humorous Mystery Novel – Mystery in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron

  Best Mystery Novel – All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

Best  Novel

  Deepa Anaparra , Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line (Penguin Random House – Random House)

Best First Novel

  Caitlin Mullen, Please See Us (Simon & Schuster – Gallery Books)

Best Paperback Original

  Alyssa Cole When No One is Watching (HarperCollins Publishers - William Morrow)

Best Critical/Biographical

  Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock

by Christina Lane (Chicago Review Press) 

Mary Higgins Clark Award winner

  The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne by Elsa Hart  (Minotaur Books)