Bouchercon is an annual convention of creators and devotees of mystery and detective fiction. It is named in honour of writer, reviewer, and editor Anthony Boucher; also the inspiration for the Anthony Awards, which have been issued at the convention since 1986. This page details Bouchercon XXXIX and the 23rd Anthony Awards ceremony.
The convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland on October 9, 2008; running until the 12th. The event was chaired by Ruth Jordan, publisher and editor of Crimespree magazine, and Judy Bobalik, editor of the Reflections in a Private Eye magazine.
Lifetime Achievement awards — Robert Rosenwald & Barbara PetersDistinguished Contribution to the Genre award — Lawrence BlockInternational Guest of Honor — John HarveyAmerican Guest of Honor — Laura LippmanToastmaster — Mark BillinghamFan Guest of Honor — Thalia ProctorThe following list details the awards distributed at the twenty-third annual Anthony Awards ceremony.
Winner:
Laura Lippman, What the Dead KnowShortlist:
James Lee Burke, The Tin Roof BlowdownLee Child, Bad Luck and TroubleRobert Crais, The WatchmanWilliam Kent Krueger, Thunder BayWinner:
Tana French, In the WoodsShortlist:
Sean Chercover, Big City, Bad BloodLisa Lutz, The Spellman FilesCraig McDonald, Head GamesMarcus Sakey, The Blade ItselfWinner:
P. J. Parrish, A Thousand BonesShortlist:
Megan Abbott, QueenpinKen Bruen & Jason Starr, SlideDavid Corbett, Blood of ParadiseRobert Fate, Baby Shark's Beaumont BluesWinner:
Laura Lippman, "Hardly knew Her", from Dead Man's Hand: Crime Fiction at the Poker TableShortlist:
Rhys Bowen, "Please Watch Your Step", from The Strand Magazine February/May 2007Steve Hockensmith, "Dear Dr. Watson", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine February 2007Toni L. P. Kelner, "How Stella Got Her Grave Back", from Many Bloody Returns: Tales of Birthdays with BiteDaniel Woodrell, "Uncle", from A Hell of a Woman: An Anthology of Female NoirWinner:
Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower & Charles Foley, Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in LettersShortlist:
Roger Sobin, The Essential Mystery ListsPatrick Anderson, The Triumph of the Thriller: How Cops, Crooks and Cannibals Captured Popular FictionChristiana Gregoriou, Deviance in Contemporary Crime FictionWinner:
Stan Ulrich & Lucinda Surber, Stop, You're Killing Me!Shortlist:
Sarah Weinman, Confessions of an Idiosyncratic MindJ. Kingston Pierce, January Magazine (and The Rap Sheet)Tess Gerritsen & J. T. Ellison et al., MurderatiDavid Montgomery, Crime Fiction DossierWinner:
Jon Jordan and Ruth Jordan, Crimespree MagazineShortlist:
Ali Karim, Shots magazineMaddy Van Hertbruggen, 4 Mystery AddictsSarah Weinman, Confessions of an Idiosyncratic MindJudy Bobalik, for being one of the best friends and supporters of mystery writers