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Mystery Readers International · award year

Macavity Awards 2022

The 2022 Macavity Awards went to Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala (Best First Mystery), Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby (Best Mystery Novel) and How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America by Lee Child and Laurie R. King (Best Nonfiction/Critical), with winners in 1 more category. 24 books were nominated across 4 categories.

Winners

Best First Mystery

  1. Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansalasource (opens in a new tab)

Best Mystery Novel

  1. Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosbysource (opens in a new tab)

Best Nonfiction/Critical

  1. How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America by Lee Child and Laurie R. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)

Sue Feder Historical Mystery

  1. Clark and Division by Naomi Hiraharasource (opens in a new tab)

Nominees

Best First Mystery

  1. All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Deer Season by Erin Flanagansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Girl A by Abigail Deansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Who is Maude Dixon? by Alexandra Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)

Best Mystery Novel

  1. 1979 by Val McDermidsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bobby March Will Live Forever by Alan Parkssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Dark Hours by Michael Connellysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. We Begin at the End by Chris Whitakersource (opens in a new tab)

Best Nonfiction/Critical

  1. Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World by Mark Aldridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History by Margalit Foxsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Reason for the Darkness of the Night: Edgar Allan Poe and the Forging of American Science by John Treschsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense by Edward Whitesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Unquiet Englishman: A Life of Graham Greene by Richard Greenesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Tony Hillerman: A Life by James McGrath Morrissource (opens in a new tab)

Sue Feder Historical Mystery

  1. Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Daysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Bombay Prince by Sujata Masseysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Hollywood Spy by Susan Elia MacNealsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garciasource (opens in a new tab)

About the Macavity Awards

Book categories only (Best Mystery Novel, Best First Mystery, Best Nonfiction/Critical, Sue Feder Historical Mystery), transcribed from Mystery Readers International's Macavity Awards page. Short story category skipped. Year is the award year MRI lists; books were published the year before. Category names drift on the page (Best First Mystery Novel, Best Mystery Nonfiction, Best Mystery-Related Nonfiction/Critical, Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award); they are normalized here. The winner is the first-listed name in each category heading; the rest are nominees. 2009's Declan Hughes nominee is listed as The Dying Breed (UK) / The Price of Blood (US); the UK title is kept.

Organization: Mystery Readers International. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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