Friday, February 21, 2014

Judging the Petrona Award 2014

This afternoon, I will be meeting the three esteemed judges: Barry Forshaw, Kat Hall and Sarah Ward to determine the shortlist for the 2014 Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year.

I think this will be a long meeting as there're are lots of well regarded titles on the eligibles list.

I won't be online until the evening but I'd love to see what other readers think should be on the shortlist and what their winner would be.

The shortlist will be announced in March and the winner will be announced in May at Crimefest.

The winner of the 2013 Petrona Award was Liza Marklund for Last Will translated by Neil Smith.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Karen, I've read but a few eligibles only. Hope to see in the shortlist, Cold Hearts and Police but have at least eight books TBR still.

Anonymous said...

I haven't read as much Scandinavian crime fiction as in previous years, but I think there are five outstanding eligible books that should be on the shortlist.

Lifetime: Liza Marklund trans Neil Smith

The Strangler's Honeymoon: Hakan Nesser trans Laurie Thompson

Police; Jo Nesbo trans Don Bartlett [Maxine's favourite translator]

Blessed Are Those Who Thirst: Anne Holt trans Anne Bruce

Linda, As In The Linda Murder: Leif G.W. Persson trans Neil Smith

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see the short list, Karen! I know you all will choose wisely.

Little Grey Doll said...

I wish I could have read more of the "eligibles". But I still have a fondness for Toumainen's "The Healer"... not just crime but climate-change future crime.

Bernadette said...

I haven't read nearly enough eligible titles either but would agree with the commenter above me - The Healer was an awesome read and offers something genuinely different

Marklund's Lifetime was also good though I don't think as good as the previous year's winner

Anonymous said...

I agree Lifetime is not as good as Last Will.
But I don't think you could have a Petrona shortlist without an Annika Bengtzon book.

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm outnumbered but I thought Lifetime more believable than Last Will, which was a bit too far-fetched for me.

I do agree that a book by Liza Marklund must be included in the shortlist for the prize, since Maxine Clarke was such a fan.

Can't wait to see the list.