Congratulations to Reed Farrel Coleman on winning the 2009 Best Hardcover Shamus Award!

The Shamus Award is given by the Private Eye Writers of America to honor excellent work in the Private Eye genre.The award was created by Robert J. Randisi in 1981. Committee members of PWA select nominees and winners, much in the same way as the Edgars are chosen. In general, a "private eye" is any mystery protagonist who is a professional investigator, but not a police officer or government agent.

The other nominees included:

• Salvation Boulevard by Larry Beinhart (Carl Van Wagener)
• The Blue Door by David Fulmer (Eddie Cero)
• The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (Ed Loy)
• The Ancient Rain by Domenic Stansberry (Dante Mancuso)

(Note Ken Bruen looking on at bottom right hand of picture)