Mystery Melange

 

Book Art via Paper Anthology

Sisters in Crime (SinC) announced the winner of the 2025 PRIDE Award for emerging LGBTQIA+ writers is Lizabeth Engelmeier of Southern Illinois for her novel-in-progress, Soft Little Monsters. Engelmeier will receive a $2,000 grant to support activities related to career development, including workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses, and research activities required for completion of her work. Congratulations also to the runners-up: Shelley Kinsman of Toronto, Ontario; Derek Puddester of Vancouver, British Columbia; Bryn and Rebecca Michelson-Ziegler of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; A. Mitchell of Detroit, Michigan; and Taryn Stickrath-Hutt of Chicago, Illinois.


The deadline for the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers is fast approaching. To apply, writers must not have published a book, short story, or dramatic work in the mystery field, either in print, electronic, or audio form and should submit three chapters of a work in progress in the style of Agatha Christie, or a "traditional" mystery. Each grant may be used to offset registration, travel, or other expenses related to attendance at a writers' conference or workshop within a year of the date of the award. In the case of nonfiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses. Each grant currently includes a $1,500 award plus a comprehensive registration for the following year's convention and two nights' lodging at the convention hotel, but does not include travel to the convention or meals. Application materials must be received by November 1, 2025. For more information, follow this link.


You have a bit longer to apply for the 2025 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. The contest is also open to writers who have never been the author of any published mystery novel. Applicants should submit a crime fiction manuscript of at least 65,000 words in which murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. The top prize is a publishing contract and $10,000 advance against royalties. The deadline is November 30, 2025.


It seems a bit early for the "best of" lists, but that isn't stopping Publishers Weekly, which already released its choices for best books of the year. You can check out the twelve chosen titles in the Mystery/Thriller category here.


Janet Rudolph revealed that the Left Coast Crime 2027 location has been chosen. The Big Chile Returns, the 37th Left Coast Crime convention, will be held April 1–4, 2027, at the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Left Coast Crime is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors. LCC is held during the first third of the year in rotating locations in Western North America, with conventions held from Anchorage to El Paso, from Boulder to Hawaii, and various locations in between. In addition to panels and workshops, the event also celebrates the Lefty Awards for excellence in crime fiction in several categories.


Mystery Fanfare posted an updated list of Halloween Mysteries (mysteries that take place on or around Halloween) and also some Halloween-related nonfiction to help you celebrate.


The latest episode of Mysteryrats Maze podcast featured the spooky short story "Forever Yours" by James Patrick Focarile, read by actor Kevin Broden. 


Kings River Life (the sponsor of Mysteryrats Maze) also posted some Halloween stories free to read, including "Pennies for Poe and El Cuervo!" by Pamela Ebel and "A Dead Man in the Mortuary."

The authors at Mystery Lovers Kitchen have whipped up some Halloween eats and reads, including Halloween Chex Mix via Leslie Budewitz; Mummy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies from Molly MacRae; Spiced Pumpkin Cake, courtesy of Maddie Day, and more.


On Art Taylor's "The First Two Pages" blog feature, Richie Narvaez returned with an essay on his story, “The Skies Are Red,” for On Fire and Under Water: A Climate Change Crime Fiction Anthology, edited by Curtis Ippolito.


This week's crime poem up at the 5-2 Crime Poetry Weekly is "The Vamp" by Allison Whittenberg.


In the Q&A roundup, Jill Amadio stopped by Promoting Crime Fiction to discuss writing and researching her private eye Kelly Pruett series; and Writers Who Kill's E. B. Davis chatted with Marilyn Levinson aka Allison Brook about Death On Dickens Island, the first novel in her Books on the Beach mystery series.