Left Coast Crime just ended yesterday. The Lefty Awards are voted on by attendees at the convention. They were presented Saturday night. Congratulations to the four winners.
Best Humorous Mystery Novel: – Scot’s Eggs by Catriona McPherson
Best Historical Mystery Novel for books set before 1970 (The Bill Gottfried Memorial): The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler
Best Debut Mystery Novel: Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover
Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories): River of Lies by James L’Etoile
Congratulations!
I liked the Rob Osler book a lot. I thought he did a terrific job with the time and place – 1898 Chicago.
I may have to try it, Jeff. And, Kevin has been touting James L’Etoile’s books.
I DID TOO!
Good to know. And thanks for recommending the Osler book, Jeff. I’ve never read anything by James L’Etoile. Does anyone have a recommendation about which book of his to start with?
Kim, If you’re going to read this series, I’d start with Face of Greed. I know Kevin has reviewed them here.
I already have the James L’Etoile book at home (bought it at a book launch for another series of his, so now I’ll have to move it up my queue! I’ll talk more about Left Coast Crime (came home yesterday) on Thursday.
I’m looking forward to hearing about LCC, Margie. My friend, Aubrey Hamilton, said there was no one under 50 there. That doesn’t sound good for future conventions.
Lesa, I find that is true of so many things.
We have about 500 members of our Friends of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums group, and I doubt any of them is under 50. Events at any of our libraries are (poorly) attended even by older people, and even when held in the evening or at weekends (though things people can take young children to, like Bookbug, remain popular.)
Even at the Edinburgh Book Festival most events are only attended by older people (unless they feature very well known YA or fantasy authors) – though I feel this is at least partly because tickets are expensive and so many young people are having to manage on minimum wage while paying (especially in somewhere like Edinburgh) extremely high rents.
When I attended the British Association of Friends of Museums conference last year, the excellent speaker from the British Museum in London said there was just no point in wasting resources trying to persuade young adults to become members, but the important thing was to keep in touch with them (via emails, social media, etc) as then they would be more likely to come back when they had small children of their own to entertain.
There is of course a children’s programme at the Ed Book Festival, but it’s still very expensive, and unless you already live in the city you will also be paying outrageously inflated hotel bills plus buying food and drinks all day to placate your offspring.
Some people seem to think that because younger people don’t join things, this means they are apathetic and lazy, but I don’t think that’s the case at all – I think they just have other ways of participating. My daughters are much better than I am at, for example, boycotting unethical companies and calling out bad practices.
Maybe the big book festival concept is now outdated? Local events – talks in indy bookshops for example – seem much more popular (and affordable) and often allow debut and non-celebrity authors to have a fair go at promoting their work. EIBF is far too high stakes for a publisher to secure a spot for an untested author, so we end up with far too many celebrities and highly experienced writers, simply because they are more reliably bankable.
As you can tell, this is a subject that frequently exercises my mind!
Rosemary, I think you’ve put a good deal of thought into this. And, I agree. My youngest sister, an avid reader, never read when she was raising her four kids. She was working full time, raising kids, and didn’t have the time for anything like that. Once her youngest kids were in high school, I introduced her to reading again, and she’s never quit. Now, she attends plays, brought the Edgar Allan Poe program we went to to our attention, went to Chautauqua events before Covid (they shut down), and has the time now and disposal income to go to things. I talked to a friend who went to Left Coast Crime. She said she must have spent around $2000 to attend Left Coast, with flights, hotel, food. What young person can afford that?
I’m so glad you mentioned that. I think you’re right on target. It’s why they say Broadway is usually for older, usually white, people. I pay a fortune to indulge myself once or twice a year to go.
I look forward to your comments, Margie!
I picked up some good series to read from the winners and the runner-up’s!
I would love to read all of them!
I hope you can get them, Carol.
To be honest, 1970 seems a bit arbitrary for historical fiction. What is their rationale? Will the cutoff be 1971 next year?
My guess is that it’s 50 years, Glen, and they just move it every decade.