A Look at Your 2021 ITW Thriller Awards Nominees

The International Thriller Writers have announced the finalists for this year’s Thriller Awards. The winners will be named during the 2021 Thrillerfest, which will be held virtually June 28 – July 10, including panels, seminars, PitchFest, and more. Congratulations to all the nominees!

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BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL

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S.A. Cosby – BLACKTOP WASTELAND (Flatiron Books)
Joe Ide – HI FIVE (Mulholland Books)
Richard Osman – THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB (Penguin)
Ivy Pochoda – THESE WOMEN (Ecco)
Lisa Unger – CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 (Park Row)

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Read S.A. Cosby on pain as the unifying thread across crime fiction.

Read Joe Ide on bringing Sherlock Holmes to modern-day L.A.

Read Richard Osman on why all British people are potential murderers.

Read Ivy Pochoda on the book that will make your child a future crime writer.

Read Lisa Unger on pop culture depiction of scam artists and grifters.

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BEST FIRST NOVEL

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Jasmine Aimaq – THE OPIUM PRINCE (Soho Press)
Don Bentley – WITHOUT SANCTION (Berkley)
Kyle Perry – THE BLUFFS (Michael Joseph)
Francesca Serritella – GHOSTS OF HARVARD (Random House)
David Heska Wanbli Weiden – WINTER COUNTS (Ecco)

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Read Francesca Serritella on the clues and symbols we leave behind.

Read David Heska Wanbli on why indigenous fiction matters.

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BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL

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Alyssa Cole – WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING (William Morrow Paperbacks)
Layton Green – UNKNOWN 9: GENESIS  (Reflector Entertainment)
John Marrs – WHAT LIES BETWEEN US (Thomas & Mercer)
Andrew Mayne – THE GIRL BENEATH THE SEA (Thomas & Mercer)
Benjamin Stevenson – EITHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT (Penguin Random House Australia)

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Read Alyssa Cole on taking on social injustice through crime fiction.

Read John Marrs on techno-thrillers to read as our world crumbles.

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BEST SHORT STORY

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Steve Hockensmith – “The Death and Carnage Boy” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
Laura Lippman – “Slow Burner” (Amazon Original Stories)
Alan Orloff – “Rent Due” (Down & Out Books)
Elaine Viets – “Dog Eat Dog” (Untreed Reads)
Andrew Welsh-Huggins – “The Mailman” (Down & Out Books)

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BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

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Demetra Brodsky – LAST GIRLS (Tor Teen)
Andrea Contos – THROWAWAY GIRLS (Kids Can Press)
Kit Frick – I KILLED ZOE SPANOS (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Lily Sparks – TEEN KILLERS CLUB (Crooked Lane Books)
Heather Young – THE DISTANT DEAD (William Morrow)

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BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL

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Sean Black – AVENUE OF THIEVES (Sean Black)
Jeff Buick – A KILLING GAME (Novel Words)
Diane Capri – FULL METAL JACK (AugustBooks)
Jake Needham – MONGKOK STATION (Half Penny)
Kirk Russell – NO HESITATION (Strawberry Creek)