2008 Shamus Award Winners and Nominees

The Private Eye Writers of American have announced the winners for the 27th annual Shamus Awards given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The 2008 awards cover works first published in the U.S. in 2007. The awards were presented on October 10 at the PWA banquet in Baltimore, Maryland, during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention.

Best Novel

Winner

Soul Patch by Reed Farrel Coleman

former NYPD cop Moe Prager

trade paperback, $14.95

Other Nominees

Head Games by Thomas Cavanagh

retired Orlando cop Mike Garrity

harcover, $24.95

The Color of Blood by Declan Hughes

Irish PI Ed Loy

paperback, $7.99

A Welcome Grave by Michael Koryta

Cleveland PI Lincoln Perry

paperback, $6.99

A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner

Philadelphia lawyer Victor Carl

paperback, $7.99

Best First Novel

Winner

Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover

Chicago reporter turned PI Ray Dudgeon

paperback, $7.99

Other Nominees

The Cleaner by Brett Battles

Jonathan Quinn, freelance "cleaner" for intelligence agencies

paperback, $6.99

Keep It Real by Bill Bryan

Ted Collins, employee of Apprentice-like reality TV show (and this is a Shamus nominee because...)

trade paperback, $13.95

When One Man Dies by Dave White

Ex-cop, ex-PI Jackson Donne

trade paperback, $13.95

The Last Striptease by Michael Wiley

Chicago PI Joe Kozmarski

hardcover, $23.95

Best Paperback Original

Winner

Song of Innocence by Richard Aleas

New York PI John Blake

paperback, $6.99

Other Nominees

Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong

Mafia hit woman Nadia

paperbacl, $6.99

Stone Rain by Linwood Barclay

Suburban dad and SF writer Zach Walker

paperback, $6.99

Deadly Beloved by Max Allan Collins

Graphic novel PI Ms. Tree makes her first appearance in a novel

paperback, $6.99

Blood of Paradise by David Corbett

protection specialist Jude McManus in El Salvador

trade paperback, $9.95