The Verdict is in: Landay and Quirk win the top prizes
On Wednesday, July 10, at an invitation-only cocktail party at the Society of Illustrators in Manhattan, William Landay won The Strand Critics Award for Best Novel for Defending Jacob (Delacorte) and Matthew Quirk won the Best First Novel award for The 500 (Reagan Arthur Books).
“I am deeply grateful and honored to receive this award, particularly in light of the distinguished authors nominated along with me, Tana French, Dennis Lehane, Gillian Flynn, and Lyndsay Faye,” said Landay. “Congratulations to all of them on writing such wonderful books. And cheers to the Strand, a champion of mystery fiction worthy of its namesake.”Matthew Quirk who took the top prize for best first novel for The 500 was equally elated, “The Strand Magazine has such an amazing history and a great community of writers today. It’s a real honor.”
In addition to the Critics Awards, Faye Kellerman was recognized for her contribution to the field of crime fiction with the Strand Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award, with her husband Jonathan Kellerman and daughter Aliza in attendance, Kellerman thanked the critics for the award and spoke about her path from working in the medical field to becoming one of the most successful crime novelists of the past quarter century.
The Critics Awards were judged by a select group of book critics and journalists, including Dick Lochte (LA Times), Dennis Drabelle (Washington Post), Christian Duchateau (CNN), and Gerald Bartell (San Francisco Chronicle).
“Defending Jacob was a gripping read, so it was good to see Bill win—all the nominees should be congratulated for coming up with some fantastic books in 2012,” said Andrew F. Gulli, managing editor of The Strand. “And it was great to see Faye Kellerman getting the lifetime Achievement award, in addition to being a great talent, she’s also a warm and generous person.”
Best Novel
The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye (Putnam)
Broken Harbor by Tana French (Viking)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Crown)
Defending Jacob by William Landay (Delacorte Press)
Live by Night by Dennis Lehane (William Morrow)
Best Debut Novel
A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash (William Morrow)
The Yard by Alex Grecian (Putnam)
The Expats by Chris Pavone (Crown)
Disappeared by Anthony Quinn (Mysterious Press/Open Road)
The 500 by Matthew Quirk (Reagan Arthur Books
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Faye Kellerman