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Lefty Awards 2011

The 2011 Lefty Awards went to The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear (Best Historical Mystery Novel), The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein by J. Michael Orenduff (Best Humorous Mystery Novel) and The Spider’s Web by Margaret Coel (Hillerman Sky Award (Best Southwest Landscape)), with winners in 1 more category. 19 books were nominated across 4 categories.

Winners

Best Historical Mystery Novel

  1. The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspearsource (opens in a new tab)

Best Humorous Mystery Novel

  1. The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein by J. Michael Orenduffsource (opens in a new tab)

Hillerman Sky Award (Best Southwest Landscape)

  1. The Spider’s Web by Margaret Coelsource (opens in a new tab)

Watson Award (Best Sidekick)

  1. Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Nominees

Best Historical Mystery Novel

  1. A Night of Long Knives by Rebecca Cantrellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. City of Dragons by Kelli Stanleysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Murder for Greenhorns by Robert Kresgesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Demon’s Parchment by Jeri Westersonsource (opens in a new tab)

Best Humorous Mystery Novel

  1. Old Dogs by Donna Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Revenge for Old Times’ Sake by Kris Nerisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Swift Justice by Laura DiSilveriosource (opens in a new tab)

Hillerman Sky Award (Best Southwest Landscape)

  1. Snare by Deborah J Ledfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Bone Fire by Christine Barbersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Wild Penance by Sandi Aultsource (opens in a new tab)

Watson Award (Best Sidekick)

  1. Dead Lift by Rachel Bradysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Rolling Thunder by Chris Grabensteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinnsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Wild Penance by Sandi Aultsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Lefty Awards

Year is the Left Coast Crime convention year at which the Lefty was presented. Transcribed from Left Coast Crime's own Lefty Archives page (leftcoastcrime.org/LeftyArchives.html); every year cross-checked against Stop You're Killing Me's Lefty page, with Wikipedia's Left Coast Crime article as a spot check. Winners are starred on the LCC page; all other listed books are Nominee (LCC's word). Kept every book category: Best Humorous Mystery Novel (the original Lefty, titled Most Humorous Mystery to 2015), Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bruce Alexander Memorial, renamed Bill Gottfried Memorial from 2022), Best Mystery Novel and Best Debut Mystery Novel (from 2017), and the one-off convention wildcard awards (Rocky, Hawaii Five-O, Panik, Hillerman Sky, Watson, Golden Nugget, Eureka!, Squid, Calamari, Rose, Rosebud, Best LCC Regional Mystery, Best World Mystery). Dropped the 2008 Arty (cover art). No historical award was given in 2007 or 2008. 2020 (San Diego, cancelled) and 2021 (virtual Unconvention) still gave Lefties and are included. Repairs: the LCC page labels the 2023 Best Mystery Novel list as a second Best Debut Mystery Novel list; moved to Best Mystery Novel, which SYKM confirms. Title fixes: Who Is Maud Dixon? (2022, question mark restored), A Short Time to Die (2018), How to Book a Murder (2022). Category labels normalized across years.

Organization: Left Coast Crime. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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