2001 Derringer Award Results

The Short Mystery Fiction Society's 2001 Derringer Awards results were determined by a vote of the membership at large after member-volunteer judges narrowed the submissions to finalists. Winners bolded:

Best Flash (Up to 1,200 words) (Tie)

• "Polls Don't Lie" by Earl McGill (Blue Murder, 2000)
• "The New Lawyer" by Mike Wiecek (Crimestalker Casebook, Spring 2000)
• "Accident" by Guy Belleranti (About.com Mysteries)
• "Sunken Dreams" by Tim Myers (Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, December 2000)
• "Lucky Man" by Ali Seay (About.com Mysteries)

For Best Short (1,201–10,000 words)

• "Erie's Last Day" by Steve Hockensmith (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, May 2000)
• "The Disappearance of Miss Sarah Oswald" by Jennifer Ashley (Over My Dead Body, Spring 2000)
• "Amish Butter" by Jacqueline Fiedler (Unholy Orders: Mysteries with a Religious Twist, Intrigue Press, November 2000)
• "The Dark Tower" by Gwen Moffat (Malice Domestic 9, Avon Books, April 2000)
• "Tom Wasp and Anybody's Child" by Amy Myers (Scenes of Crime: CWA Anthology 2000, Constable, September 2000)

Best Novella (More than 10,000 words)

• "Lilacs and Lace" by Lynda Douglas (Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, June 2000)
• "The Death Row Pet Show" by Doug Allyn (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, April 2000)
• "Attitude Thing" by William J. Carroll, Jr., (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, May 2000)
• "Blood Paths" by Clark Howard (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, June 2000)
• "The Sedgemoor Strangler" by Peter Lovesey (Criminal Records, Orion, April 2000)

Best Puzzle Story

(A story of any length that is formatted to require an interactive response from the reader before the solution is revealed)

• "The Cabin Killer" by Henry Slesar (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 2000)
• "Happy Acres Homicide" by Richard Ciciarelli (Solve-It #227, MysteryNet.com)
• "Killing the Old Survivors" by Gary Sensening (Solve-It #215, MysteryNet.com)

Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement

• John Lutz:

  I was more than pleased to learn that I was going to receive the Society's Golden Derringer award for lifetime achievement. The news prompted me to learn the identities of the previous winners, writers whose work I've had the highest regard for over the years. I agree with the notion that short fiction writers often get short shrift (though Ed Hoch is going to receive the MWA's Grandmaster Edgar in May -- long overdue). The Short Mystery Fiction Society is a valuable feature of the literary landscape. I've always thought and said that the mystery short story is more demanding than the novel, requiring a more extensive bag of tricks and more adroitness and precision. It's gratifying to know there are others out there who agree. The award is much appreciated, and without question has the neatest name of any award to be won.
  
  I thank you.

Derringer for Reader Support

• Babs Lakey