The nominees are...

The nominees are in for the Shamus Award of the Private Eye Writers of America:

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel:
• The Silent Hour, by Michael Koryta (Minotaur)
• Where the Dead Lay, by David Levien (Doubleday)
• Locked In, by Marcia Muller (Grand Central)
• Schemers, by Bill Pronzini (Forge)
• My Soul to Take, by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (William Morrow)

Best First P.I. Novel:
• Loser’s Town, by Daniel Depp (Simon & Schuster)
• The Last Gig, by Norman Green (Minotaur)
• The Good Son, by Russel D. McLean (Minotaur)
• Faces of the Gone, by Brad Parks (Minotaur)
• Chinatown Angel, by A.E. Roman (Minotaur)

Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel:
• Dark Side of the Morgue, by Raymond Benson (Leisure)
• Sinner’s Ball, by Ira Berkowitz (Three Rivers Press)
• Red Blooded Murder, by Laura Caldwell (Mira)
• Vengeance Road, by Rick Mofina (Mira)
• Body Blows, by Marc Strange (Dundurn)

Best P.I. Short Story:
• “The Dark Island,” by Brendan DuBois (from Boston Noir, edited by Dennis Lehane; Akashic)
• “Deadline Edition,” by S.L. Franklin (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, April 2009)
• “Blazin’ on Broadway,” by Gary Phillips (from Phoenix Noir, edited by Patrick Millikin; Akashic)
• “Suicide Bonds,” by Tim L. Williams (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2009)
• “Julius Katz,” by Dave Zeltserman (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2009)

The names of this year’s Shamus winners will be announced in October.
My personal favorites: The Good Son and Sinner's Ball. And isn't it ironic that many nominees are not from America?