Twitter was abuzz yesterday with news of the 2012 MWA Edgar Award Nominations. For those who don’t know (I didn’t) MWA stands for Mystery Writers of America, and the award is named in honour of one of the best-known fathers of crime, Edgar Allan Poe.
The entire list of nominations is available on Janet Rudolph’s Mystery Fanfare blog. As a fan of international crime fiction, I was particularly pleased to see two translated novels in the ‘Best Novel’ category: The Devotion of Suspect X, a Japanese novel by Keigo Higashino and 1222 by the Norwegian author Anne Holt.
Both novels have been loitering in my TBR pile and I’m hoping that their nomination for this prestigious prize is the encouragement I need to finally get reading.
Mrs. Peabody Investigates 
By coincidence I had just got Suspect X from the library- I had decided not to read it but good reviews from Keishon and Karen of Euro Crime made me change my mind.
I have read 1222 and it isn’t her best in my opinion. Her other series is a favourite of mine – Fear Not recently came out in UK and I liked that a lot (it was very cheap in Kindle format but don’t know if it still is).
I haven’t read any Anne Holt before (I know, I know!), so perhaps it would be best to start elsewhere. Your comment has also just made me realise that I have overdue library books! Arrrrgh! (Although on the bright side my fines can help keep our libraries afloat.)
I enjoyed 1222, but it wasn’t a usual mystery reading experience. First, one has to unravel and try to understand the main character, who is more cantankerous and eccentric than many. It’s a complex book, which needs thought. I didn’t like all of the characters, but when I was finished I was glad I soldiered on and finished it. It’s unusual, but worth it.
I must add Suspect X to my TBR list.
Thanks, Kathy. 1222 is one of those books that I’ve had in my hands a number of times in the bookshop, but haven’t quite been able to decide whether to get or not. The investigator intrigues me, and the first few pages are certainly arresting, but also quite hard-hitting. Good to hear that you were glad to have kept going – I’ll bear that in mind when I finally reach it!