2026 Nominees
BEST FIRST NOVEL
VOICES OF ELYSIAN FIELDS
Two days before Christmas, Jonathan Gray, M. D., Chief Deputy Coroner for Orleans Parish, receives shocking news. Robby O’Malley—Jonathan’s mentor for nearly forty years—has died under mysterious circumstances. Within hours after Robby’s death, Gray takes the oath of office as Coroner and participates in autopsies of an elderly couple murdered in their Garden District home. After mass on Christmas morning, Archbishop Phillip Fontenot asks Gray to investigate the sexual assault of one of his parishioners, as well as the disappearance of her sister—without involving the police. As Jonathan winds his way through what appear to be separate incidents, he uncovers connections and secrets that members of the city’s power elite would just as soon remain hidden.
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BEST CHILDREN'S / YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
WELL-BEHAVED CHILDREN SELDOM MAKE HISTORY
By Chris Chan
Thirteen-year-old Volker Berchtwelt is out for revenge. Almost one year earlier, his older brother Benek was arrested for the murder of his estranged girlfriend. When Volker gave Benek an alibi, no one believed him, and Benek was convicted. Thanks to Volker’s pleading, private investigators Isaiah Funderburke and Nerissa Kaiming start their own inquiry into the case, but when tragedy strikes, Volker snaps. Drawing inspiration from Roald Dahl’s Matilda and South Park, Volker plots to humiliate and destroy everybody responsible for the guilty verdict. But a diminutive, ticked-off kid can’t turn the criminal justice system upside down…can he?
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BEST CRITICAL / NON-FICTION NOVEL
VACATIONS CAN BE MURDER
A True Crime Lover's Travel Guide to New England
For the true crime lover—finally, a travel guide from an award-winning travel journalist and suspense author that gives you the down and dirty on exactly where the major crimes occurred, and where the bodies are buried. For aficionados of paranormal, prison, and tombstone travel, there’s a goldmine of tourism suggestions for you here as well.
Along with summaries of the major crimes committed in New England, you’ll discover where to find the best crime and ghost tours; which hotels and restaurants are former jails, courthouses, or harbor paranormal activity; where infamous criminals are/were jailed, and which venues and attractions might feed your fancy for murder and justice. Reading lists in each chapter will guide you to books expounding on the crimes discussed.. Best of all, suggested itineraries bring all the pieces together to help you traverse New England’s criminal landscape in an organized and entertaining way. Up for a true crime road trip? Let Vacations Can Be Murder be your ultimate travel guide.
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BEST ANTHOLOGY / COLLECTION
HOLLYWOOD KILLS
Edited by Adam Meyer & Alan Orloff
Thirteen-year-old Volker Berchtwelt is out for revenge. Almost one year earlier, his older brother Benek was arrested for the murder of his estranged girlfriend. When Volker gave Benek an alibi, no one believed him, and Benek was convicted. Thanks to Volker’s pleading, private investigators Isaiah Funderburke and Nerissa Kaiming start their own inquiry into the case, but when tragedy strikes, Volker snaps. Drawing inspiration from Roald Dahl’s Matilda and South Park, Volker plots to humiliate and destroy everybody responsible for the guilty verdict. But a diminutive, ticked-off kid can’t turn the criminal justice system upside down…can he?
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BEST SHORT STORY
"BROTHERLY LOVE" By Cheryl A. Head
from
EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH
Crime Fiction inspired by the Songs of Stephen Sondheim
Edited by Josh Pachter
In Every Day a Little Death, twenty authors—some from the world of crime fiction, some from the world of the theater—use Sondheim’s lyrics as the inspiration for twenty tales of malfeasance, misdemeanor…and murder.
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The 2026 Anthony Award winners will be announced at the
Bouchercon Mystery Convention in October!
