Arthur Ellis 2012 Shortlists announced!

In a series of events nation-wide, the Crime Writers of Canada last night announced the nominated titles for the 2012 Arthur Ellis Awards for Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing. Details about the awards were posted here in January but the award short-lists for books and others writings from 2011 were only announced last night.

Congratulations to the nominated authors in all seven award categories.  On May 31, 2012, some of them will be leaving the Arthur Ellis Awards Banquet in Toronto with their own wooden statuette of a hanging man (whose arms and legs flail when the string is pulled).

As an aside (okay, more like its own paragraph), the origin of the statuette's design has an interesting connection to children's literature.  Children's and YA author, Tim Wynne-Jones, author of Blink and Caution (Candlewick, 2011), recently reviewed here, apparently had a role in its design.  However,  Tim Wynne-Jones, who became an officer of the Order of Canada in December of 2011, humbly explains his role in this note on the Crime Writers of Canada website.

A note on Arthur by Tim Wynne-Jones

I'm happy to clarify Arthur's history. It was my job to head the committee, as Tony said. And my big contribution, as far as I'm concerned, was in realizing that a book prize is kind of a stage prop. The darn thing should look good in somebody's hands as well as on their mantel. So I thought to go to a stage designer, Peter Blais, who happened also to be a wonderful actor, and who happened to be someone I had acted with and knew to have a wicked sense of humour. He got it! He understood what I was trying to say and came up with the jumping jack. So Peter very much deserves the kudos for Arthur and I'm just pleased to have got him on board. It's the best prize around, as far as I'm concerned. I'm lucky enough to have won one and also to have won an Edgar and Arthur beats Edgar all to heck!  (Retrieved from http://www.crimewriterscanada.com/awards/arthur-ellis-awards/history on April 19, 2012.)

Now, back to the shortlists.

Here are the titles and authors nominated for the  2012 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile/Young Adult Crime Book:

Blink and Caution 
by Tim Wynne-Jones
Candlewick

Charlie's Key
by Rob Mills
Orca Books

Empire of Ruins: The Hunchback Assignments III

by Arthur Slade
HarperCollins Canada

Held

by Edeet Ravel
Annick Press

Missing
by Becky Citra
Orca Books

 We look forward to the announcement of winners at the end of May.

Special thanks to Bill Selnes at Mysteries and More from Saskatchewan (you can get all shortlists here) and tweeps @evacmo and @barbhowson for the scoops.

The Arthur Ellis Awards

For readers of crime, mystery, espionage and all manner of criminal doings, both fictional and factual, the Arthur Ellis Awards for Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing are the awards to check out for the newest and the best. (A bit of trivia: The awards are named for the pseudonym of the Official Executioner for the Dominion of Canada from 1913-1935, which explains the appearance of the award as seen to the right.)  Awarded annually by the Crime Writers of Canada since 1984, the Arthur Ellis Awards include the following categories:

For Published Works:

• Best Crime Novel *
• Best First Crime Novel *
• Best Crime Book in French
• Best Crime Nonfiction
• Best Juvenile/Young Adult Crime Book
• Best Crime Short Story

For Unpublished Work:

• The Unhanged Arthur Award for Best Unpublished First Crime Novel *
  

*Awards for which prizes are provided

This year's shortlist of works from 2011 will be announced in April 2012, and the awards presented at the Arthur Ellis Awards Banquet in Toronto on Thursday, May 31, 2012.

So, if you're looking for a great mystery or thriller, until the 2012 short list is announced, the books nominated for the  2011 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile/Young Adult Crime Book will provide you with a strong selection.

Short List:

• Borderline by Allan Stratton (HarperCollins Canada, 2010) 

• Pluto's Ghost by Sheree Fitch (Doubleday Canada, 2010)

• Victim Rights by Norah McClintock (Red Deer Press, 2010)

• The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz (HarperCollins Canada, 2010)

• The Worst Thing She Ever Did by Alice Kuipers (HarperCollins Canada, 2010)

Winner:

The Worst Thing She Ever Did  
by Alice Kuipers
HarperCollins Canada, 2010

While the title suggests a mystery to which the reader is not privy,  sixteen-year-old Sophie knows what she did and what it has cost.  After her sister's death, Sophie is instructed by a therapist to share herself, particularly her grief, in a journal. 


For more information about the awards, go to the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Awards