2022 Beltie Mystery Prize
The Beltie Mystery Prize is our annual award given to the best mystery book of the year. Pete Mock, McIntyre's lead buyer and resident Mystery Guru, is the sole judge and jury. Pete's list and his recommendations for the 2022 prize are below! You'll also find a deal on our bundle of all the nominees together.
And now the envelope please…
Rip, tear, ouch, a paper cut,
A few spots of blood apropos for the moment….
And the winner is… S.A. Cosby and Razorblade Tears!
Even with a stellar selection of titles this year (both Razorblade Tears and Five Decembers by James Kestrel are Edgar Award finalists) this may have been the easiest pick of a winner in Beltie history. In years past there would be arguments almost up to the deadline but this year it was pretty much decided that Razorblade Tears was the frontrunner from the day it was published. After that it was a matter of finding anyone to challenge that assumption. The closest competitor, Hello Transcriber by Hannah Morrissey came out after the deadline and will almost certainly be a nominee next year. And while all the rest on this year’s list were worthy, they just didn’t have the grit and soul that carried Razorblade across the finish line.
It is the poignancy, the sheer power of the prose, but, most of all, the empathy that imbues this story of two ex-cons searching for the killers of their married sons is what has raised S.A Cosby to a level all his own. There is no one writing like him today and he is a very deserving winner of the 2022 Beltie Prize for Best Mystery.
Way to go, my friend.
