Best Books of the Year
Menu

Mystery Readers International · award year

Macavity Awards 2020

The 2020 Macavity Awards went to One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski (Best First Mystery), The Chain by Adrian McKinty (Best Mystery Novel) and Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer (Best Nonfiction/Critical), with winners in 1 more category. 24 books were nominated across 4 categories.

Winners

Best First Mystery

  1. One Night Gone by Tara Laskowskisource (opens in a new tab)

Best Mystery Novel

  1. The Chain by Adrian McKintysource (opens in a new tab)

Best Nonfiction/Critical

  1. Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimersource (opens in a new tab)

Sue Feder Historical Mystery

  1. The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescottsource (opens in a new tab)

Nominees

Best First Mystery

  1. American Spy by Lauren Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomaresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Miracle Creek by Angie Kimsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downingsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridgesource (opens in a new tab)

Best Mystery Novel

  1. Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippmansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Sarah Jane by James Sallissource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Murder List by Hank Philippi Ryansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. This Tender Land by William Kent Kruegersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Your House Will Pay by Steph Chasource (opens in a new tab)

Best Nonfiction/Critical

  1. Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps: A Life of John Buchan by Ursula Buchansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story by Laird R. Blackwellsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Indecent Advances: A Hidden History of True Crime and Prejudice Before Stonewall by James Polchinsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History by Peter Houlahansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and Her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women by Mo Moultonsource (opens in a new tab)

Sue Feder Historical Mystery

  1. A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne Freemansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Charity's Burden by Edith Maxwellsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Murder Knocks Twice by Susanna Calkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Pearl Dagger by L.A. Chandlarsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Masseysource (opens in a new tab)

About the Macavity Awards

Book categories only (Best Mystery Novel, Best First Mystery, Best Nonfiction/Critical, Sue Feder Historical Mystery), transcribed from Mystery Readers International's Macavity Awards page. Short story category skipped. Year is the award year MRI lists; books were published the year before. Category names drift on the page (Best First Mystery Novel, Best Mystery Nonfiction, Best Mystery-Related Nonfiction/Critical, Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award); they are normalized here. The winner is the first-listed name in each category heading; the rest are nominees. 2009's Declan Hughes nominee is listed as The Dying Breed (UK) / The Price of Blood (US); the UK title is kept.

Organization: Mystery Readers International. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2020

Shares the most books with