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Lefty Awards 2010

The 2010 Lefty Awards went to A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell (Best Historical Mystery Novel), Getting Old Is a Disaster by Rita Lakin (Best Humorous Mystery Novel) and Death Was in the Picture by Linda Richards (Panik Award (Best Los Angeles Noir)). 14 books were nominated across 3 categories.

Winners

Best Historical Mystery Novel

  1. A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrellsource (opens in a new tab)

Best Humorous Mystery Novel

  1. Getting Old Is a Disaster by Rita Lakinsource (opens in a new tab)

Panik Award (Best Los Angeles Noir)

  1. Death Was in the Picture by Linda Richardssource (opens in a new tab)

Nominees

Best Historical Mystery Novel

  1. Freedom’s Flight by Gary Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. In a Gilded Cage by Rhys Bowensource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Serpent in the Thorns by Jeri Westersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexandersource (opens in a new tab)

Best Humorous Mystery Novel

  1. High Crimes on the Magical Plane by Kris Nerisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Living with Your Kids Is Murder by Mike Befelersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Strangle a Loaf of Italian Bread by Denise Dietzsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Swan for the Money by Donna Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)

Panik Award (Best Los Angeles Noir)

  1. Boulevard by Stephen Jay Schwartzsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Cemetery Road by Gar Anthony Haywoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitzsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Lefty Awards

Year is the Left Coast Crime convention year at which the Lefty was presented. Transcribed from Left Coast Crime's own Lefty Archives page (leftcoastcrime.org/LeftyArchives.html); every year cross-checked against Stop You're Killing Me's Lefty page, with Wikipedia's Left Coast Crime article as a spot check. Winners are starred on the LCC page; all other listed books are Nominee (LCC's word). Kept every book category: Best Humorous Mystery Novel (the original Lefty, titled Most Humorous Mystery to 2015), Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bruce Alexander Memorial, renamed Bill Gottfried Memorial from 2022), Best Mystery Novel and Best Debut Mystery Novel (from 2017), and the one-off convention wildcard awards (Rocky, Hawaii Five-O, Panik, Hillerman Sky, Watson, Golden Nugget, Eureka!, Squid, Calamari, Rose, Rosebud, Best LCC Regional Mystery, Best World Mystery). Dropped the 2008 Arty (cover art). No historical award was given in 2007 or 2008. 2020 (San Diego, cancelled) and 2021 (virtual Unconvention) still gave Lefties and are included. Repairs: the LCC page labels the 2023 Best Mystery Novel list as a second Best Debut Mystery Novel list; moved to Best Mystery Novel, which SYKM confirms. Title fixes: Who Is Maud Dixon? (2022, question mark restored), A Short Time to Die (2018), How to Book a Murder (2022). Category labels normalized across years.

Organization: Left Coast Crime. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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