NEWS

THE MANUAL OF DETECTION NAMED WINNER OF NORTH AMERICAN HAMMETT PRIZE

The North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers is pleased to announce that The Manual of Detection: A Novelby Jedediah Berry (Penguin Press), has been named the winner of the organization's annual HAMMETT PRIZE for a work of literary excellence in the field of crime writing.

The winning title was chosen by a group of three distinguished outside judges: Stephanie Anderson, Manager of WORD bookstore in Brooklyn; Glenn Burger, author of Chaucer’s Queer Nation; and Tamar Lewin, New York Times national reporter covering education.

The judges selected from among five finalists nominated from the hundreds of crime books published in 2009. These five titles were selected by the organization's nominations committee headed by Lou Boxer.

Other books nominated for the 2009 HAMMETT PRIZE were Bury Me Deep: A Novel, by Megan E. Abbott (Simon & Schuster); Devil’s Garden, by Ace Atkins (Putnam); The Long Fall, by Walter Mosley (Riverhead); and The Way Home, by George P. Pelecanos (Little, Brown).

Mr. Berry received a bronze trophy, designed by West Coast sculptor, Peter Boiger. The award ceremony took place on May 29, in Toronto, during the Bloody Words mystery convention.