Salisbury’s John Hart has won the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year for his second novel, “Down River.”
Hart and wife Katie were in New York Thursday night for the presentation at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Hart’s first novel, “The King of Lies,” was nominated in 2007 for Best First Novel by an American Author, among many other nominations and awards.
“Down River” was nominated in March for the SIBA Award, given each year by the Southern Independent Booksellers Association to recognize the best in Southern fiction, and for the Strand Critics Award, judged by some of the best critics in the nation, from such newspapers as The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and others.
Other nominees for the 2008 Edgar Best Mystery were Benjamin Black’s “Christin Falls,” Ken Bruen’s “Priest,” Michael Chabon’s “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” and Reed Farrel Coleman’s “Soul Patch.”
Tania French won Best First Novel by An American Author for her book set in Dublin, “In the Woods.” Megan Abbott’s “Queenpin” was named best paperback original.
“Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy,” by Vincent Bugliosi, won Best Fact Crime Book.
Bill Pronzini, author of the “Nameless Detective” series, was honored as a Grand Master.
Mystery Writers of America (MWA) sponsors the Edgar Awards. It is considered the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre.