The Strand magazine has unveiled nominees for the 2020 Strand Critics Awards, which recognize excellence in the field of mystery fiction and publishing. In addition, Walter Mosley and Tess Gerritsen are receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards. The Strand Critics Awards will be held virtually on September 4.
Bronwen Hruska of Soho Press is receiving the Publisher of the Year Award. "The characteristic of a great publisher is one who takes risks, who is never satisfied with the status quo, and most importantly someone who is dedicated to releasing works from a diverse set of authors," said Strand managing editor Andrew Gulli. "For over a decade, Hruska has done just that. She has been a fearless and tireless advocate for her authors, and they all love her."
Hruska commented: "Publishing is a labor of love, full stop. At Soho, we believe in every book we publish, every author. But to be recognized for that work--and by Strand magazine, a leader in the crime fiction community--is truly an honor. Thank you Strand, and thank you to our wonderful authors who make our work not only meaningful, but quite joyful as well."
This year's Strand Critics Awards nominated titles are:
Mystery novel
Big Sky by Kate Atkinson (Little, Brown)
The Lost Man by Jane Harper (Flatiron Books)
The Sentence Is Death by Anthony Horowitz (Harper)
Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman (Morrow)
Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke (Mulholland Books)
The Border by Don Winslow (Morrow)
Debut novel
Scrublands by Chris Hammer (Atria Books)
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (Sarah Crichton Books/FSG)
One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski (Graydon House)
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Celadon Books)
Three-Fifths by John Vercher (Agora Books)