Edgar Award Nominations 2025

Best Novel

THE TAINTED CUP, Robert Jackson Bennett
ROUGH TRADE, Katrina Carrasco
THINGS DON’T BREAK ON THEIR OWN, Sarah Easter Collins
MY FAVORITE SCAR, Nicolás Ferraro
THE GOD OF THE WOODS, Liz Moore
LISTEN FOR THE LIE, Amy Tintera
THE IN CROWD, Charlotte Vassell

Best First Novel An American Author

TWICE THE TROUBLE, Ash Clifton
COLD TO THE TOUCH, Kerri Hakoda
THE MECHANICS OF MEMORY, Audrey Lee
A JEWEL IN THE CROWN, David Lewis
THE PRESIDENT’S LAWYER, Lawrence Robbins
HOLY CITY, Henry Wise

Best Paperback Original

THE PARIS WIDOW, Kimberly Belle
THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10, Seraphina Nova Glass
SHELL GAMES, Bonnie Kistler
A FORGOTTEN KILL, Isabella Maldonado
THE ROAD TO HEAVEN, Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson

I’ve listed the major award nominations for mystery novels. Other Edgar Award nominations can be seen here.

Comments: With the exception of THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore and LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera, there are a lot of obscure titles nominated this year. I happened to read TWICE THE TROUBLE by Ash Clifton and liked it quite a bit and I’ve heard good things about HOLY CITY by Henry Wise and THINGS DON’T BREAK ON THEIR OWN by Sarah Easter Collins. Twelve out of the eighteen nominees are female authors. I would populate the list with different titles, but it’s hard to judge these nominations as lacking since I have only read three of the titles. Larry Gandle will review the Best Novel and Best First Novel by an American Author categories in a future issue of Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine.