The Barry Award winners were announced at the Opening Ceremonies of Bouchercon on August 31, 2023.
Best Mystery Novel Winner
DESERT STAR by Michael Connelly
(Little, Brown)
Best First Mystery Winner
THE MAID by Nita Prose (Ballantine)
Best Thriller Winner
KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE (Berkley)
The Don Sandstrom Award for Lifetime Achievement in Mystery Fandom Winner
Mystery Mike Bursaw
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mystery Mike, here is why he won this award. This is an appreciation that I wrote when he won a Thriller Award at ThrillerFest.
Mystery Mike Bursaw and I first met at the Las Vegas Bouchercon (World Mystery Convention) in 2003. We each had tables in the small, cramped Book Dealer’s Room and we shared the narrow aisle in between them. Inevitably, we kept bumping into each other. Over the course of the convention we also shared some stories, formed common bonds and have been fast friends ever since. We both love books, particularly thrillers and mysteries, and have similar tastes. If he likes a book I’m likely to do so as well, and visa versa. What better basis for a friendship is there? For the last several years we often share a room at conventions (if our wives don’t attend) so we have even more time to interact.
One of our most memorable shared experiences was at the first ThrillerFest in Phoenix, Arizona in 2006. Clive Cussler was a prominent guest and we arranged to have lunch with him. Clive regaled us with humorous stories and later followed Mike to his room (Clive walked slowly on his soon-to-be-operated-on knees) to sign 200+ books. And once again, more great stories and lots of laughter. We’ll never forget it – a once in a lifetime event.
People Person
So why is a bookseller being honored at ThrillerFest? It’s because Mike is so much more than a profit-motivated bookseller. He is a people person who looks out for the best interests of not only his customers but everyone he encounters. And as a super-fan, he is a champion of the whole mystery/thriller fiction industry and many of its writers. If you are a writer that he especially likes, he will hand-sell your books to death. And did I mention that he is generous to a fault? If you are a fan trying to find the next great writer to read, talk to Mike. Once he gets a feel for which writers you most admire he can easily point out others that you will like. If you’ve never met him, take advantage of his presence at this year’s ThrillerFest to do so. He is very approachable and will love to meet you.
Thriller Fan
Mike has been a lifelong fan of thriller fiction – from early standouts such as Alastair Maclean and Robert Ludlum up to present day favorites Mark Greaney, Jack Carr and Tony Tata (and many others).
It was at the urging of Mike (and another thriller fan Steele Curry), that I added a “Best Thriller Award” to our annual Barry Awards (sponsored by the magazine I publish – Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine). This was the first award ever given specifically to thriller writers, as it predates the Thriller Award given out by ITW by one year. He has served faithfully on the nominating committee of the Barry Thriller Award ever since. It has been our privilege to recognize with Barry Thriller Awards such outstanding thriller writers as Meg Gardiner, Taylor Stevens (twice), Michael Koryta, Daniel Silva (twice), Thomas Perry, Deon Meyer, Jamie Freveletti, Brett Battles, Robert Crais, Joseph Finder (twice), and Barry Eisler.
A few years ago at Bouchercon, Mike invited several thriller writers to an informal dinner on Saturday night and since then that has become a tradition – the Saturday Night Thriller Dinner — one not to be missed.
Support of Mystery and Thriller Conventions
He works tirelessly behind the scenes at major conventions such as Bouchercon and ThrillerFest and is often found working with organizers of those conventions to make them the success that they are. This will usually involve annual trips to New York City to meet with publishers and/or trips to the convention sites to work out details with the organizers and the hotels.
Bookseller
Mystery Mike started in the bookselling business over fifty years ago – as a 15-year-old sweeping floors and stocking inventory for a wholesale distributor. He’s seen a lot of changes in the business over that period of time and has had to change with the times, especially in the last ten to fifteen years. Mystery Mike continues to sell new hardbacks from popular authors but also concentrates on collectable and rare books which he sells online at www.mysterymikes.com and at mystery conventions. He regularly buys hardcover collections of fans who have had to downsize or who have passed on, so if you or your heirs are ever in that position, please contact him. He is my go-to-guy when the time comes. My wife has him on speed-dial.