Malice Domestic celebrates traditional mystery

The annual Agatha Awards ceremony took place in Rockville/North Bethesda between April 24th and April 26th. The awards were given by Malice Domestic to the authors writing in the mystery genre.

Malice Domestic, LTD. was established in 1989 and hosts its yearly awards ceremony in the Maryland area. It is a nonprofit organization founded to join fans of traditional mysteries. Malice also gives out grants to promising writers.

Agatha Awards winners are selected by fans who sign up to vote by December 31st of the preceding year. Award winners are chosen because their books not only exemplify the traditional mystery genre but also contain no explicit sex, excessive gore or violence.

The categories are Best Nonfiction, Best Children/Young Adult Novel, Best Short Story, Best First Novel, Best Historical Novel, Best Contemporary Novel, a lifetime achievement honor and the Poirot Award. The Poirot Award is normally given to someone who has made “significant contributions to the genre” but may not necessarily be an author.

And the award goes to…

The nominees this year are all incredible professionals in the field. After lengthy voting, here is the final list:

• Best NonFiction, Dawn M. Barclay for Vacations Can Be Murder: A Travel Guide to New England
• Best Children’s /Young Adult, Mia P. Manansala for Death in the Cards
• Best Short Story, Ashley Ruth-Bernier for “Six-Armed Robbery”
• Best First Novel, Adrian Andover for Whiskey Business
• Best Historical Novel, Kelly Oliver for The Case of the Christie Conspiracy
• Best Contemporary Novel, Mindy Quigley for At Death’s Dough: A Deep Dish Mystery
• Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Jacqueline Winspear
• Poirot Award went to Jim Huang

Best Nonfiction, Dawn M. Barclay leads crime lovers along the path of true crime and mayhem in dramatic New England.

Available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Best Young Adult, Mia P. Manansala introduces the resourceful teen who must solve a disappearance after a tarot reading.

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Best First Novel, Adrian Andover mixes it up with a mixologist who must prove his innocence after a dead body is found behind his lounge.

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.

Best Historical Novel, Kelly Oliver strikes home again with her critically acclaimed series. Agatha Christie must prove her own innocence in this case where she is a prime suspect.

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Mindy Quigley serves up romance and mystery as Delilah O’Leary fires up her pizza oven and her heart for Al Capone’s great-grandson. Death and intrigue surround the pair.

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

More information on the awards

If you weren’t able to go this year, get ready for next year. Malice has already released the dates. You can prepare. The awards will take place next year on April 9-11. We’ll keep you posted.