VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE CRIME BOOKS OF 2014



A little later than in the past two years, but THE HOUSE OF CRIME & MYSTERY'S READERS'S CHOICE AWARDS are back for a 3rd edition.(You can still check out the winners of 2013 and 2012).

I've written down a list, to help start you out, in each category, but you're under no obligation to pick one of these titles --just add your own favourites (there's a blank space at the bottom of each category). To be eligible, the books need to have been published between December 1st, 2013 and December 31st, 2014 (if you're not sure, I'll verify the pub dates; but hey, this is for fun so we can be flexible).

There are still nine categories and only one minor change: the non-fiction category now includes biographies as well. You don't need to vote in every category if you don't want to. Once you're done, email me you selections (one pick per category, 10 answers max in total --you can do it quickly by just writing the authors's last names or part of the titles in your message or just copy/pasting the list) at housecrimyst@gmail.com or in the comment space below this post. Every participant will be entered automatically for a chance to win a bundle of books (some were published in 2014 --and they're all nominated here, others are advance reader's copies of 2015 titles). 

Also, every writer, agent, publicist, and publisher who would like to add a book or two to the bundle, you are welcome to send them directly to me (my mailing address is: 117 Dumou-chel street, Chateauguay (Quebec) J6J 3E8 Canada). I will give away 5 books to one winner, and 2 books to four more winners. Additional books will be given at random among all participants.

Voting closes on January 10th at 11:59 pm (Montréal time). Everyone over 18 years of age can participate --from everywhere on the planet. Don't forget to give me your full name, city and country; if you win I will contact you again for your full address. Results will be posted on Sunday, January 11th.

Help authors around the world by voting and passing the word around so more votes can come in. Let's beat last year's tally of 1,117 ballots filled (up from 632 the previous year). Thank you in advance for participating.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, whatever you celebrate, as long as it involves peace, kindness, and love! À bientôt, in 2015.


December 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2014

WORLD (except CAN, USA, UK)   
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
SPRING TIDECilla & Rolf BÖRJLINDHesperus Nova 
THE MURDER OF HARRIET KROHNKarin FOSSUMHarvill Secker 
THE SWEETNESS OF LIFEPaulus HOCHGATTERERMacLehose 
REYKJAVIK NIGHTSArnaldur INDRIDASONHarvill Secker 
THE SANDMAN Lars KEPLERMcLelland & Stewart 
BURIED ANGELSCamilla LACKBERGHarper Collins UK 
IRÈNEPierre LEMAÎTREMacLehose 
CONFESSIONSKanae MINATOMulholland Books 
THE SONJo NESBORandom House Canada 
THE GERMAN DOCTORLucia PUENZOHesperus Nova 
LIFE OR DEATHMichael ROBOTHAMSphere 
FORTY DAYS WITHOUT SHADOWOlivier TRUCGrand Central Publishing 
BED OF NAILSAntonin VARENNEQuercus 
DOG WILL HAVE HIS DAYFred VARGASRandom House UK 
DECOMPRESSIONJuli ZEHNan A. Talese/Doubleday 
other:   
UNITED KINGDOM
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
THE BONES BENEATHMark BILLINGHAMLittle, Brown 
THE WOLF IN WINTERJohn CONNOLLYAtria/Emily Bestler Books 
THE KILLING SEASONMason CROSSOrion  
LONG WAY HOMEEva DOLANHarvill Secker 
THE SECRET PLACETana FRENCHViking 
THE SILKWORMRobert GALBRAITH (aka J.K. ROWLING)Mulholland Books 
DARKNESS, DARKNESSJohn HARVEYRandom House UK/Arrow 
A SONG FOR THE DYINGStuart MACBRIDEHarper Collins UK 
THE LEWIS MANPeter MAYQuercus 
THE DEAD GROUNDClaire MCGOWANHeadline 
THE NIGHTMARE PLACESteve MOSBYOrion  
THE FINAL SILENCEStuart NEVILLESoho Crime 
NATURAL CAUSESJames OSWALDHarper Collins UK 
THE FARMTom Rob SMITHGrand Central Publishing 
DEAD GONELuca VESTEHarper Collins UK 
other:   
UNITED STATES of AMERICA
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
BLISS HOUSELaura BENEDICTPegasus Crime 
BROKEN MONSTERSLauren BEUKESMulholland Books 
ALL DAY AND A NIGHTAlafair BURKEHarper 
WAYFARING STRANGERJames Lee BURKESimon & Schuster 
ONE KICKChelsea CAINSimon & Schuster 
THE HOLLOW GIRLReed Farrel COLEMANTyrus Books 
THE BURNING ROOMMichael CONNELLYLittle, Brown 
THE SKIN COLLECTORJeffery DEAVERGrand Central Publishing 
THE COLD NOWHEREBrian FREEMANQuercus 
I AM PILGRIMTerry HAYESEmily Bestler Books 
NATCHEZ BURNINGGreg ILESWilliam Morrow 
MR MERCEDESStephen KINGScribner 
THOSE WHO WISH ME DEADMichael KORYTALittle, Brown 
THE DROPDennis LEHANEWilliam Morrow 
AFTER I'M GONELaura LIPPMANWilliam Morrow 
FOREVER'S JUST PRETENDCraig MCDONALDBetimes Books 
THE STOLEN ONESRichard MONTANARIMulholland Books 
ROSE GOLDWalter MOSLEYDoubleday 
COP TOWNKarin SLAUGHTERDelacorte Press 
IN THE BLOOD Lisa UNGERTouchstone 
 other:   
CANADA
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
PEACEFIELDPhilip David ALEXANDERNow or Never Publishing 
NO SAFE HOUSELinwood BARCLAYDoubleday Canada 
THE WOMEN OF SKAWA ISLANDAnthony BIDULKAInsomniac Press 
SQUALLSean COSTELLOScrivener Press 
BLOOD ALWAYS TELLSHilary DAVIDSONForge Books 
THE RIVER BURNSTrevor FERGUSONSimon & Schuster 
THE TWO SISTERS OF BORNEOIan HAMILTONAnansi Press 
BETRAYALJ. Robert JANESMysterious Press 
NO KNOWN GRAVESMaureen JENNINGSMcLelland & Stewart 
RIDE THE LIGHTNINGDietrich KALTEISECW Press 
KILL FEEOwen LAUKKANENPutnam 
BLACK ROCKJohn MCFETRIDGEECW Press 
THE LONG WAY HOMELouise PENNYMinotaur Books 
THAT NIGHTChevy STEVENSSt.Martin's Press 
LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTSSam WIEBEDundurn Press 
 other:   
TOP INDIE or SELF-PUBLISHED
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
BITE HARDERAnonymous-9 (Elaine ASH)Down & Out Books 
PECKERWOODJedidiah AYRESBroken River Books 
WOLF TICKETSRay BANKSBlasted Heath 
UNDERCOVERGerard BRENNANCreatespace 
STINKING RICHRob BRUNETDown & Out Books 
THE BITCHLes EDGERTONNew Pulp Press 
THE BIG UGLYJake HINKSONBeat to a Pulp 
THE GUILLOTINE CHOICEMichael J. MALONEContraband 
FOREVER'S JUST PRETENDCraig MCDONALDBetimes Books 
TUSSINLANDMike MONSONAll Due Respect Books 
GREEDDan O'SHEAExhibit A 
TWO BULLETS SOLVE EVERYTHINGRyan SAYLES & Chris RHATIGANAll Due Respect Books 
SONS OF SPARTAJeffrey SIGERPoisoned Pen Press 
MAN DOWNRoger SMITHTin Town 
THE NATIONAL TRUTHSteve TROTTERStephen Trotter 
other:   
TOP SHORT-FICTION COLLECTION
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
FACE-OFFvarious edited by David BALDACCISimon & Schuster 
TROUBLE IN THE HEARTLANDvarious edited by Joe CLIFFORDGutter Books 
13 CRIME STORIES FROM LATIN AMERICAselected by Daniel GALERAMcSweeney's (Issue #46) 
THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2014edited by Laura LIPPMANMariner Books 
DARK CORNERS issue 1edited by McNeely & GallagherDark Corners Pulp Magazine 
THE BIG BOOK OF LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIESVarious edited by Otto PENZLERBlack Lizard 
THE BEAT GOES ONIan RANKINOrion 
THUGLIT issue 11edited by Todd ROBINSONThuglit Publishing 
other:   
 
TOP NON-FICTION or BIOGRAPHY
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
GOODIS: A LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITEPhilippe GARNIERBlack Pool 
THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACEJeff HOBBSScribner 
A SPY AMONG FRIENDSBen MACINTYRECrown Publishers 
TINSELTOWNWilliam J. MANNHarper 
400 THINGS COPS KNOWAdam PLANTINGAQuill Driver Books 
 other:   
TOP CRIME FICTION in FRENCH (original)
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
LOUISE EST DE RETOURChrystine BROUILLETÉditions de l'homme 
CRYSTALJacques GOYETTEADA 
TERMINUS BELZEmmanuel GRANDLiana Levi 
YERULDELGGERIan MANOOKAlbin Michel 
L'EMPIRE DU SCORPIONSylvain MEUNIERGuy St-Jean Éditeur 
VIOLENCE À L'ORIGINEMartin MICHAUDGoélette 
DIX PETITS HOMMES BLANCSJean-Jacques PELLETIERHurtubise 
WILDWOODJohanne SEYMOURLibre Expression 
ANGORFranck THILLIEZFleuve Éditions 
LES SIRÈNES DE ZICATELAClaude VAILLANCOURTQuébec Amérique 
 autre:   
TOP CRIME FICTION in FRENCH (translated)
TITLESWRITERSPUBLISHERSVOTES
DOSSIER 64Jussi ADLER-OLSENAlbin Michel 
MARÉE D'ÉQUINOXECilla et Rolf BÖRJLINDSeuil Policiers 
LA FEMME AUX FLEURS DE PAPIERDonato CARRISICalmann-Lévy 
CEUX QUI TOMBENTMichael CONNELLYCalmann-Lévy 
LES ÂMES PERDUES DE DUTCH ISLANDJohn CONNOLLYPresses de la Cité 
LES NEUF CERCLESR.J. ELLORYSonatine 
ARRÊTEZ-MOILisa GARDNERAlbin Michel 
AVANT QUE JE ME CONSUMEGaute HEIVOLLJC Lattès 
PRAGUE FATALEPhilip KERRÉditions du Masque 
UNE MAIN ENCOMBRANTEHenning MANKELLSeuil Policiers 
KOBRADeon MEYERSeuil Policiers 
POLICEJo NESBOGallimard/Série Noire 
LE VER À SOIEJ.K. ROWLINGGrasset et Fasquelle 
ENTRE DANS MA VIEClara SANCHEZMarabooks 
LA FERMETom Rob SMITHBelfond 
 autre:   
YOUR FAVOURITE CRIME BOOK OF 2014
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