Regular borg readers know about novelist Elizabeth C. Bunce′s reviews here at borg. In 2021 her novel Premeditated Myrtle won the Edgar Award at the 75th annual honors (awarded by the Mystery Writers of America and named for mystery writing pioneer Edgar Allan Poe). That year she was also a finalist for both the Agatha Award (honoring mystery author Agatha Christie), and Anthony Award (honoring mystery author Anthony Boucher), and the next year Elizabeth was a 2022 finalist–her second consecutive year–for the Edgar Award, Agatha Award, and Anthony Award, for Cold-Blooded Myrtle. This year not only was Elizabeth’s latest novel, In Myrtle Peril, a finalist for the Agatha Award, this week Bouchercon announced Elizabeth is a finalist again for the Anthony Award–another accolade for the third year in a row!
The Anthony Award is an annual recognition for mystery authors, named to honor mystery writer and Mystery Writers of America co-founder Anthony Boucher (shown above, with cat friend). Past novelists recognized by the Anthony Awards include Daphne Du Maurier, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Lilian Jackson Braun, Robert B. Parker, Max Allan Collins, Jill Thompson, Louise Penny, Lawrence Block, Laura Lippman, Nancy Pickard, Sue Grafton, Jonathan Kellerman, Patricia Cornwell, Donald E. Westlake, Rick Riordan, Lee Child–and Elizabeth (shown above with Sophie, the inspiration for Peony the Cat in her series of mystery novels).
Publishers Weekly referred to the Myrtle Hardcastle mystery series as “the best thing to happen to youth mysteries since Trixie Belden.” The Wall Street Journal said, “Younger Holmes fans (and older ones too) should be charmed by Elizabeth C. Bunce’s Cold-Blooded Myrtle.” Industry reviewer Kirkus has already awarded Volume 4, In Myrtle Peril a starred review, saying, “Another thrilling mystery from our young Victorian sleuth… The mystery as a whole is charming. How can it be otherwise when solved by “a cat, a dog, two doctors, a journalist on crutches, an unemployed law clerk, a solicitor in pyjamas, a nurse with a cricket bat, a governess, an off-duty housekeeper, and one small frantic Investigator”? Enthusiastically, chaotically delightful.”
Find out more about Elizabeth and her novel In Myrtle Peril here. A novel for mystery readers of all ages, check out In Myrtle Peril here at Amazon. Check out Elizabeth’s reviews of books, TV, and movies at borg here.
This year the Anthony Award again will be announced at the annual World Mystery Convention (also called Bouchercon) in late summer. The convention has been held annually since 1970. Read the full list of nominations for the 2022 Anthony Awards at its website here.
Congratulations to Elizabeth and all of this year’s nominees!
