WINNER: Liz Rachel Walker, The Dieppe Letters
The judges were thrilled with the quality of all 10 of this year’s finalists and narrowing those down to a shortlist of 5 was a tough task. The finalists ranged from cozy mysteries to dark police procedurals, from a charming young teen puzzle to books that delved deep into the mysteries of the past. We liked them all and look forward to seeing many of them in print in the future.
But the unanimous choice for all three judges was The Dieppe Letters.
From the moment the detective inspector sees a body next to a bombed-out building, we were swept up in the intrigue of war-time London. The historical detail and wonderful descriptions dropped us right into that era and the characters were fully realized, believable, and sympathetic. The author is blessed with a delicious use of language that carefully weaves this story together.
“Of all the novels I have read,” one judge said, “this one will stay with me as a standout (and as a first novel, I still can't quite get over that).
The 2021 Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript is now open. Click for more info:
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The Grand Master Award is presented biennially to recognize a Canadian crime writer with a substantial body of work who has garnered national and international recognition.
Because of the pandemic, we were not able to present the award at the 2020 Arthur Ellis Awards Gala. Instead, the judge's words have been turned into a script and read by voice actor Frank Kierney.
The award art and photos are property of Crime Writers of Canada. All photos of Peter Robinson are used with permission.