The Private Eye Writers of America have announced the Shamus Award Nominees for 2022 for best private eye fiction.

Best P.I. Hardcover

RUNNER, Tracy Clark (Kensington)
LAST REDEMPTION, Matt Coyle (Oceanview)
PAY OR PLAY, Howard Michael Gould (Severn House)
FAMILY BUSINESS, S.J. Rozan (Pegasus)
HEAD CASE, Michael Wiley (Severn House)

Best Original P.I. Paperback

EVERY CITY IS EVERY OTHER CITY, John McFetridge (ECW Press)
THE BURDEN OF INNOCENCE, John Nardizzi (Weathertop Media)
ANGELS IN THE WIND, Manuel Ramos (Arte Público Press)
FROG IN A BUCKET, Clive Rosengren (Coffeetown Press)
AN EMPTY GRAVE, Andrew Welsh-Huggins (Swallow Press)

Best First P.I. Novel

PORNO VALLEY, Phillip Elliot (Into the Void)
DEAD MAN’S EYES, Lori Duffy Foster (Level Best)
SUBURBAN DICKS, Fabian Nicieza (Putnam)
THE ARRANGEMENT, M. Ravenel (Chikara Press)
LOST LITTLE GIRL, Gregory Stout (Level Best)

Best P.I. Short Story

“Disposable Women,” Michael Bracken (Tough)
“Sixteen Lies,” Matt Goldman (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], September/October)
“Sweeps Week,” Richard Helms (EQMM, July/August)
“Oro de Tontos (Fool’s Gold),” Tom Larsen (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, November/December)
“The Hidden Places,” Linda Stansberry (EQMM, May/June)

Editor’s Comments: I have read five of the nominated novels and I would say that the Matt Coyle LAST REDEMPTION is the best of what I have read. I also like SUBURBAN DICKS by Fabian Nicieza, but it is not for everyone’s tastes. However, it was also nominated for an Edgar Award.
One other observation: a lot of the nominated novels are published by small presses. Of the big publishers there is only Putnam and perhaps Kensington, if you consider that a big publisher. Are the big publishers shying away from private eye fiction? Or is it that their p.i. novels aren’t getting nominated? I’m guessing the former.