Quest is available on BookSprout - Get your review copy NOW!

ARC Review Opportunity - Quest: Mortal Path Book Four I'm excited to share that Quest, the fourth book in the Mortal Path series, will be available for reviewers through Booksprout beginning June 8 for a limited time. If you enjoy supernatural thrillers, ones that are mythology-based with high stakes action, and a heroine with a complicated past and a fierce sense of justice, I'd love to invite you to request a review copy. If you are a newcomer to the series, Quest is written so that you won't be lost in the story!

Request your copy here: https://bit.ly/BkSprout
Your reviews help new readers discover the series, and I'm deeply grateful for every reader who joins Maliha's journey.

Quest is available on NetGalley until 7/8/2026!

 

I’m thrilled to share that Quest, the final book in the Mortal Path series, is now live on NetGalley! Quest can be enjoyed on its own, even as the final book in the series — I wrote it with new readers in mind.

Description: As the last pieces of the Great Lens surface, Maliha races against time to stop an ancient evil from consuming the world. But the real battle is the one inside her — between the woman she was and the hero she’s fighting to become.

Reviewers, bloggers, booksellers, librarians, educators, journalists, media professionals, and other book‑industry members can request a free digital review copy (ePUB) here: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/840894

You’ll need a NetGalley account to download the review copy. Signing up is free.

⭐ How to request Quest on NetGalley

1. Create or sign in to your NetGalley account. Click the above link, then use the drop down menu on the upper right of the screen under the image of a person to login or create. When setting up your profile, be sure to select Sci‑Fi & Fantasy as one of your preferred genres. In your Profile Bio, mentioning that you enjoy urban fantasy helps me understand your reading interests.

2. Search for the book. On your Dashboard, use the search box. Type Quest and select "All of NetGalley" in the dropdown. Quest: Mortal Path Book Four should appear in the results.

3. Request the review copy before July 8, 2026. Click on Quest, then click the blue Request button. If you’d like to read more before requesting, click See Full Details.

That’s all there is to it!

I’m looking for honest reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or your blog. As an indie‑published series finale, Quest relies heavily on reader support to reach new audiences. Even if you haven’t read the previous books, you’ll find enough context in this one to follow the story — that was intentional.

If you’d like to explore Maliha Crayne’s world, mythology, character arc, and the thread of romance woven through the earlier books, you can learn more at mortalpathbooks.com.

Thank you for supporting this series all the way to its finale.

#Quest #MortalPath #DakotaBanks #NetGalley

Celebrating a Book Excellence Award

 

Sometimes the writing life offers a moment that makes all the long hours, revisions, doubts, and determination feel like they’ve come full circle. Today, I’m delighted to share one of those moments.

Quest: Mortal Path Book Four has been named a Book Excellence Award Finalist for Urban Fantasy, and I’ve just received the official certificate recognizing the honor.

This award means a great deal to me. The Book Excellence Awards evaluate thousands of entries from around the world, looking for books that demonstrate exceptional writing, strong presentation, and meaningful impact. To have Quest stand out among so many talented authors and compelling stories is both humbling and deeply gratifying.

For those who have followed The Mortal Path series from the beginning, you know how much heart and history are woven into these books. Quest is the finale — the culmination of a journey that has spanned years of world‑building, character evolution, and emotional investment. To see it recognized in this way feels like a celebration not just of the book, but of the entire arc that brought it here.

Thank you to every reader who has walked this path with me. Your enthusiasm, messages, and support have carried this series farther than I ever imagined. This award is as much yours as it is mine.

A Moment in an Author's Life Worth Mentioning

 A Moment Worth Sharing: The Book Excellence Review for Quest

Every once in a while, something arrives in your inbox that makes you stop, breathe, and feel the weight of a long journey settle into a moment of quiet gratitude. That happened to me when I received a professional review from Book Excellence for Quest: Mortal Path Book Four.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know how much this book means to me. It’s the conclusion of a series that has lived with me for years — through drafts and rewrites, through publishing transitions, through the shift from traditional publishing to indie, and through all the life that happens in between. Writing Quest was both a return and a letting‑go, a chance to bring Maliha Crayne’s story to its rightful close.

So when a thoughtful, in‑depth review arrives — one that sees the heart of what you were trying to do — it feels like a small light turning on in a room you’ve been walking through for a long time.

I wanted to share that light with you.

Book Excellence Review

In Quest: Mortal Path Book Four, Dakota Banks brings Maliha Crayne’s long battle against darkness to a powerful and emotional close. 

An ancient evil rises with plans to take over the world, and Maliha must stop it by rebuilding the Great Lens: a legendary artifact powerful enough to banish demons forever. But every piece she finds comes with greater danger. Alongside her loyal team, she faces deadly supernatural enemies, and while the external battle is fierce, the deeper conflict lies within Maliha herself. She must confront whether she can truly atone for her past and whether redemption is fully possible. As events spiral toward the final confrontation, sacrifices become unavoidable, and the fate of the Earth depends not just on strength, but on the choices she makes.

Author Dakota Banks skillfully blends urban fantasy with ancient mythology, creating a world that feels both exciting and believable. The structure of the quest to recover the Great Lens keeps the tension building steadily, with each recovered fragment raising the stakes. By the time the story reaches its climax, the ending feels intense, earned, and emotionally satisfying. 

In addition, Maliha is a strong, fearless and memorable protagonist. Shaped by centuries of violence and burdened by guilt, she still feels love, doubt, jealousy, and loyalty. Her emotional struggle, especially her battle between self-sacrifice and self-forgiveness, gives the novel its heart. She is not just a warrior fighting demons; she is a woman trying to reconcile who she has been with who she wants to become. Themes of loyalty, sacrifice, responsibility, balance, and romance tie the story together, reminding us that even the fiercest warriors still long for connection and hope.

Fans of supernatural thrillers, dark mythology, and strong female heroes will find Quest deeply satisfying. Dakota Banks gives Maliha Crayne the ending she deserves: one that is thrilling, moving, and unforgettable. - Review by Book Excellence (bookexcellence.com)

Why This Review Means So Much

Reviews come in many shapes — some short and sweet, some analytical, some emotional. What struck me about this one is how deeply it understood the heart of the story. Quest isn’t just about assembling the Great Lens. It’s about assembling a life — piece by piece, choice by choice — and deciding what kind of person you want to be when the world asks more of you than you think you can give.

Maliha has always been a character who carries her past with her, but she also carries hope. Seeing that reflected back in a review is a gift.

And for those of you who have followed her from Dark Time all the way to Quest, this review belongs to you too. You’ve walked this path with me — through the mythology, the danger, the heartbreak, and the redemption. Your messages, your encouragement, and your patience while I brought this final book into the world have meant more than you know.

If You’d Like to Read Quest

You can find all editions — Kindle, mass market paperback, and trade paperback — on my website (https://dakota-banks.com) or through your usual booksellers. I’ve also added a clear navigation link on the blog so you can easily return to the main Dakota Banks website anytime.

And if you’ve already read Quest, thank you. Truly. Your support keeps this world alive.

Dakota Banks Interview

Quest - Series Conclusion - Kindle Giveaway of 100 copies - Enter Now!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Quest

by Dakota Banks

Giveaway ends March 31, 2026.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

An Amazon Review makes a difference

Thank you for reading QUEST or any other Mortal Path series book. If the Mortal Path series has meant something to you, a brief Amazon review helps other readers discover the story. Even a single sentence makes a difference to authors like me. 

You can review QUEST on Amazon here: Kindle, Mass Market Paperback, or Trade Paperback versions. Heartfelt thanks! 💖

An Excellent Trailer for Dark Time: Mortal Path Book One

Here is an excellent trailer for Dark Time: Mortal Path Book One. It's worth a watch! The Mortal Path series of high stakes action, mythologically based fantasy/thrillers with a strong heroine is now concluded with the release of Quest: Mortal Path Book Four. Quest is available in eBook, mass market paperback, and trade paperback versions from Amazon.

Don't miss the giveaway of 15 signed paperbacks of Quest, the finale of the Mortal Path series. Only a few days left!

The end of the Goodreads giveaway of 15 signed paperback copies of Quest: Mortal Path Book Four by Dakota Banks is just days away! Open to US and Canadian residents. Quest is the long-awaited finale of an epic urban fantasy/action-packed/romantic/thriller series featuring Maliha Crayne.

She's a 300-year-old assassin who made a deal with a Sumerian demon to save her life from an unjust death sentence.

After centuries of killing at his command, she's turned rogue, now attempting to balance the scale of lives taken with lives saved.

Get your entry in by the deadline, January 28th. Enter here.

Giveaway - 15 Signed Paperbacks of Quest, Mortal Path Series Finale!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

    Quest 
    Giveaway:
    Starts January 16, 2026
    Ends January 28, 2026

    See giveaway details
    at Goodreads.

     15 signed paperbacks!
      by Dakota Banks

Mythology-based,
Urban fantasy/thriller,
Series finale!
Open to US and Canadian Residents

    Enter Giveaway

Mortal Path eBook series giveaway is HERE!

Last day is Saturday, January 31st - Enter NOW!

Four eBooks. One epic journey.
The Mortal Path series — Dark Time, Sacrifice, Deliverance,
and Quest (series conclusion) — can be yours.

✵ Giveaway starts Saturday, January 3, 2026.
✵ All four Kindle eBooks — FREE.
✵ Enter using this short form.
✵ Entries accepted until Saturday,
    January 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
✵ No tricks. Just an amazing reading experience.
✵ No Kindle device? No problem!
    Read on any device with the free Kindle app.

---

FREE - Limited Time - Quest: Mortal Path Book Four Kindle E-Book

To celebrate the conclusion of the 

Mortal Path series, I’m making the 

Kindle edition of Quest

 free for a few days.

FREE! Quest: Mortal Path Book Four
(Kindle version), 

where urban fantasy meets
suspense and ancient mythology,
is free from 

Friday 12/19 - Tuesday 12/23, 2025! 

Go to https://amzn.to/3KceZXS

Friday - Tuesday,

regular price $3.99 after
Tuesday, 12/23/2025.

The epic, highly anticipated conclusion to the Mortal Path series is here.

Bound by a demonic pact for three centuries, Maliha Crayne has fought relentless battles to protect humanity and her own soul. With the world on the brink of destruction, Maliha races against time to reassemble the Great Lens, an ancient artifact powerful enough to banish the demons threatening the future of humankind forever. Learn more about the rest of the series here.

Perfect for fans of:

Urban Fantasy • Paranormal Romance • Mythological Fantasy • Supernatural Thrillers • Action-Adventure Fantasy • Strong Female Heroes

"Readers who like their paranormal romantic suspense novels to feature nonstop action, twisting plots, and deadly heroines will devour Banks' clever and compelling
Mortal Path series." - Lisa Gardner - #1 New York Times bestselling author

p.s. No Kindle device? No problem! Read on any device (phone, tablet, computer) by going to read.amazon.com after purchasing the e-book. 

Enjoy the read -- and thank you for being part of the Mortal Path Journey!
Dakota Banks

Trailers for Quest: Mortal Path Book Four, series conclusion

 Here are two trailers for the Mortal Path series conclusion, Quest.

Turn up the sound to listen.

      

Conclusion of the Mortal Path series!

 

   Quest: Mortal Path Book Four

   Series Conclusion!

eBook, $3.99, ISBN-13: 979-8232240738
   Trade Paperback, $19.99, ISBN-13: 979-8232641849

   The epic, heart-stopping conclusion to the Mortal Path series is here.

Bound by a demonic pact for centuries, Maliha Crayne has fought relentless battles

    to protect humanity, and her own soul. Now, the final war is at hand.

   With the world on the brink of destruction, Maliha races against time to reassemble 

   the Great Lens, an ancient artifact powerful enough to banish the demons

   threatening the future of mankind forever.

    From volcanic peaks to the depths of the Underworld, Maliha and her fearless team face:

   • Deadly supernatural enemies
      • Ancient Sumerian magic
      • Brutal betrayals
      • And sacrifices that may cost everything

   As the final shards of the Lens fall into place, destiny exacts its ultimate price. The fate of

   Maliha—and the fate of Earth, hang in the balance.

  Will she finally balance the scales of her past… or will ancient demons claim dominion over 

   the world?

  Immerse yourself in a gripping tale of myth, magic, redemption, and relentless action where 

  courage is tested, loyalty is forged in fire, and love defies even death.

  QUEST delivers:
     ✔ Urban fantasy packed with nonstop action
     ✔ Supernatural suspense & dark mythology
     ✔ A fierce, unforgettable female warrior
     ✔ Martial arts combat & high-stakes missions
     ✔ Romance woven into epic adventure
     ✔ A breathtaking, emotional series finale

   Perfect for fans of:
   Urban Fantasy • Paranormal Romance • Mythological Fantasy •
   Supernatural Thrillers • Action-Adventure Fantasy • Strong Female Heroes

   The final battle has begun.

   Claim your copy of QUEST today and experience the
   legendary conclusion to the Mortal Path series.

   Full of action, drama, suspense, paranormal thrills, and romance,

Quest has it all.

 

   Find it on Amazon here.

     Read an Excerpt Now!

International Thriller Writers Announces 2024 Thriller Award Winners!

 

2024 ITW Thriller Award Winners!

During a gala banquet and celebration held on Saturday, June 1st at the Sheraton Times Square in New York City, the International Thriller Writers announced the winners of the 2024 Thriller Awards. 

BEST FIRST NOVEL

I.S. Berry – THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW (Atria)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL

Luke Dumas – THE PALEONTOLOGIST (Atria)

BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL

Robert Swartwood – THE KILLING ROOM (Blackstone Publishing)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

Elizabeth Wein – STATELESS (Little, Brown & Co.)

BEST SHORT STORY

Lisa Unger – UNKNOWN CALLER (Amazon Original Stories)

BEST AUDIOBOOK

Gregg Hurwitz – THE LAST ORPHAN (Macmillan); Narrated by Scott Brick

BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL

S.A. Cosby – ALL THE SINNERS BLEED (Flatiron Books)

Congratulations to all the finalists! 

Also receiving special recognition during the ThrillerFest XIX Awards Banquet:

·         2024 ThrillerMaster, Tess Gerritsen

·         2024 ThrillerMaster, Dennis Lehane

·         2024 Spotlight Guest, Steph Cha

·         2024 Spotlight Guest, Ruth Ware

·         2024 Silver Bullet Award, Louise Penny

·         2024 Thriller Legend, Audible

·         2024 ThrillerFan, Ayo Onatade

The Board of Directors and members of the International Thriller Writers wish to congratulate all the winners and nominees of the 2024 Thriller Awards. 

Special thanks to the Thriller Award judges for their hard work and dedication!

Submissions for the 2025 ITW Thriller Awards will open on June 12, 2024 at https://www.ThrillerWriters.org.

Tosca Lee
ITW Board of Directors, Vice President, Awards

Screenplay wins Best TV Pilot!

My screenplay "Bound by Blood," adapted from Dark Time, the first book of the Mortal Path book series, is the winner of the BEST TV PILOT award for the first 2024 cycle of the Colossus Film Festival! I move on to the yearly program now, and I have high hopes there.

 

International Thriller Writers Announces Finalists for Thriller Awards!

The International Thriller Writers (ITW) is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2024 Thriller Awards! Learn more about the finalists by clicking the LINKS to their websites below.

ITW is an honorary society of authors, both fiction and nonfiction, who write books broadly classified as “thrillers.” This would include (but isn’t limited to) such subjects as murder mystery, detective, suspense, horror, supernatural, action, espionage, true crime, war, adventure, and myriad similar subject areas.

ITW’s mission is “To bestow recognition and promote the thriller genre at an innovative and superior level for and through our Active members; to provide opportunities for mentoring, education and collegiality among thriller authors and industry professionals; and to grant awards for excellence in the thriller genre.” 

One of the main purposes of the organization is to provide a way for successful, bestselling authors to help debut and midlist authors advance their careers. To that end, ITW has designed numerous, effective programs and events which promote debut and midlist writers and their work, sometimes in partnership with bestselling authors. In addition, ITW promotes literacy, gives money to worthy organizations, supports libraries, and advances the genre. Finally, it brings together almost a thousand writers, readers, publishers,  editors and agents at its annual conference, ThrillerFest, as well as at CraftFest, a writing workshop program, and PitchFest, where aspiring authors can meet and pitch top literary agents.

Interested in joining ITW? I've been a member for years! Read about membership qualifications and find out how to apply. 

Best Hardcover Novel

• S.A. Cosby – ALL THE SINNERS BLEED (Flatiron Books)
• Robert Dugoni – HER DEADLY GAME (Thomas & Mercer)
• J.T. Ellison – IT’S ONE OF US (Harlequin – MIRA Books)
• Mick Herron– THE SECRET HOURS (Soho Crime)
• Joe Ide – FIXIT (Mulholland Books)
• C.J. Tudor – THE DRIFT (Ballantine Books)

Best Audiobook

• I.S. Berry – THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW (Simon & Schuster Audio)
  Narrated by Pete Simonelli
• Gregg Hurwitz – THE LAST ORPHAN (Macmillan)
  Narrated by Scott Brick
• Freida McFadden – THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET (Bookouture)
  Narrated by Lauryn Allman
• James Patterson, Mike Lupica – THE HOUSE OF WOLVES (Hachette Audio)
  Narrated by Ellen Archer
• Emma Rosenblum – BAD SUMMER PEOPLE (Macmillan)
  Narrated by January LaVoy

Best 1^st Novel

• I.S. Berry – THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW (Atria)
• Amy Chua – THE GOLDEN GATE (Minotaur)
• Margot Douaihy – SCORCHED GRACE (Zando)
• Kerryn Mayne – LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER (Bantam Books)
• Steve Urszenyi  – PERFECT SHOT: A THRILLER (Minotaur)

Best Paperback Original Novel

• Tracy Clark – HIDE (Thomas & Mercer)
• Luke Dumas – THE PALEONTOLOGIST (Atria)
• Tess Gerritsen – THE SPY COAST (Thomas & Mercer)
• Lisa Gray – TO DIE FOR (Thomas & Mercer)
• Johnathan Maberry  – CAVE 13: A JOE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL NOVEL (St. Martin’s Griffin)
• J. Todd Scott  – CALL THE DARK (Thomas & Mercer)

Best Short Story

• Chris Bohjalian - SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS (Amazon Original Stories)
• J.T. Ellison -THESE COLD STRANGERS (Amazon Original Stories)
• Smita Harish Jain - AN HONORABLE CHOICE (Wildside Press)
• Richard Santos - RUSH HOUR (Akashic Books)
• Lisa Unger - UNKNOWN CALLER (Amazon Original Stories)
• Stacy Woodson - ONE NIGHT IN 1965 (Down & Out Books)

Best Young Adult Novel

• Sorboni Banerjee, Dominique Richardson – RED AS BLOOD (Wolfpack Publishing LLC)
• Darcy Coates – WHERE HE CAN’T FIND YOU (Sourcebooks Fire)
• Courtney Gould – WHERE ECHOES DIE (Wednesday Books)
• Andrea Hannah – WHERE DARKNESS BLOOMS (Wednesday Books)
• Elizabeth Wein – STATELESS (Little, Brown & Co.)

Best E-Book Original Novel

• Jeff Buick – THE VULTURE FUND (Self-published)
• Rona Halsall – THE BIGAMIST (Bookouture)
• Matt Phillips – A GOOD RUSH OF BLOOD (RunAmok Books)
• Lisa Regan – CLOSE HER EYES (Bookouture)
• Robert Swartwood – THE KILLING ROOM (Blackstone Publishing)
• Laura Wolfe – THE IN-LAWS (Bookouture)

Mystery Writers of America Announces Nominees for the 78th Annual Edgar® Awards

Hello everyone! Mystery Writers of America (MWA) announced the nominees for the 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Award, which will be celebrated on May 1, 2024, at the New York Marriot Marquis in Times Square. This year's Edgar Awards Banquet will be in honor of the 215^th birthday of one of the most famous mystery writers in literary history, Edgar Allan Poe. Purchase banquet tickets here. 

MWA is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. I'm an Active member. Some 3,000 members who are fiction and non-fiction writers, screen and television writers, publishers, editors, and literary agents have joined MWA. You can join, too - no need to be published, just a supporter of the genre. See Membership Information. 

Here is your chance to get to know each of the nominees in their respective categories!

Best Novel

• James Lee Burke (Flags on the Bayou)
• S.A. Cosby (All the Sinners Bleed)
• Jennifer Cody Epstein (The Madwomen of Paris)
• Jessica Knoll (Bright Young Women)
• Michael Koryta (An Honest Man)
• William Kent Krueger (The River We Remember)
• Colson Whitehead (Crook Manifesto)
  
  
  Best 1^st Novel by an American Author

• I.S. Berry (The Peacock and the Sparrow)
• Amy Chua (The Golden Gate)
• Ken Jaworowski (Small Town Sins)
• Kristen Loesch (The Last Russian Doll)
• Ritu Mukerji (Murder by Degrees)

Best Paperback Original

• A.F. Carter (Boomtown)
• Tracy Clark (Hide)
• Jess Lourey (The Taken Ones)
• Jesse Q Sutanto (Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers)
• Scott Von Doviak (Lowdown Road)

Best Fact Crime

• Kim Cross (In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America’s Child)
• Zeke Faux (Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall)
• John Glatt (Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders)
• Nathan Masters (Crooked: The Roaring '20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a Crusading Senator, and the Birth of the American Political Scandal)
• Barbara Rae-Venter (I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever)
• Joe Sexton (The Lost Sons of Omaha: Two Young Men in an American Tragedy)

 Best Critical/Biographical

• David Bordwell (Perplexing Plots: Popular Storytelling and the Poetics of Murder)
• Max Allan Collins & James L. Traylor (Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction)
• Mark Dawidziak (A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe)
• Robert Morgan (Fallen Angel: The Life of Edgar Allan Poe)
• Steven Powell (Love Me Fierce in Danger - The Life of James Ellory)

 Best Short Story

• Linda Castillo (“Hallowed Ground”)
• Heather Graham (“Thriller,” Thriller)
• Rob Osler (“Miss Direction,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sept-Oct 2023)
• Ian Rankin (“The Rise,” Amazon Original Stories)
• Lisa Scottoline (“Pigeon Tony’s Last Stand," Amazon Original Stories)

Best Juvenile

• Elizabeth C. Bunce (Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity)
• Adrianna Cuevas (The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto)
• Lamar Giles (Epic Ellisons: Cosmos Camp)
• Larry Schwarz & Iva-Marie Palmer (The Jules Verne Prophecy)
• Claire Swinarski (What Happened to Rachel Riley)

Best Young Adult

• April Henry (Girl Forgotten)
• Matthew J. Kirby (Star Splitter)
• Cameron Kelly Rosenblum (The Sharp Edge of Silence)
• Yvonne Woon (My Flawless Life)
• Laura Zimmermann (Just Do This One Thing for Me)

Best Television Episode Teleplay

• Wyatt Cain & Charlie Peppers (“Time of the Monkey” - Poker Face)
• Liz Heldens (“I’m a Pretty Observant Guy” - Will Trent)
• Rian Johnson (“Dead Man’s Hand” - Poker Face)
• Graham Roland & John Wirth (“Hózhó Náhásdlii” (Beauty is Restored) - Dark Winds)
• Nora Zuckerman & Lilla Zuckerman (“Escape from Shit Mountain” - Poker Face)

Additional Awards to be Presented by MWA

Robert L. Fish Memorial Award

• Bill Bassman (“Errand for a Neighbor” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Jan-Feb 2023)
• Kate Hohl (“The Body in Cell Two” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May-June 2023)
• Sean McCluskey (“The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Jan-Feb 2023)
• Meghan Leigh Paulk (“It’s Half Your Fault” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July-Aug 2023)
• Gabriela Stiteler (“Two Hours West of Nothing” - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Setp-Oct 2023)

The Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award

• Lina Chern (Play the Fool)
• Carol Goodman (The Bones of the Story)
• Anastasia Hastings (Of Manners and Murder)
• Kate Robards (The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard)
• Mary Winters (Murder in Postscript)

The G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award

• Samantha Jayne Allen (Hard Rain)
• Linda Castillo (An Evil Heart)
• Susan Isaacs (Bad, Bad Seymour Brown)
• Val McDermid (Past Lying)
• Sarah Stewart Taylor (A Stolen Child)

The Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award

• Danielle Arceneaux (Glory Be)
• Vivien Chien (Misfortune Cookie)
• Jennifer J. Chow (Hot Pot Murder)
• Patricia Johns (Murder of an Amish Bridegroom)
• Mark Waddell (The Body in the Back Garden)

Special Awards

Grand Masters

• Katherine Hall Page
• R. L. Stine

Ellery Queen Award

• Michaela Hamilton, Kensington Books

Bound by Blood Teleplay Scores Again

Notching another contest win for Bound by Blood, the Mortal Path series pilot teleplay that covers the first part of BOOK ONE: DARK TIME. An especially fun festival that I was invited to attend. Great people! 😍 

Logline: A Colonial woman unjustly burned as a witch struggles to reclaim her soul from the ancient Sumerian demon who saved her and used her as his Ageless assassin for over 300 years.