The Mystery Writers of America announced the winners of their annual special awards on Wednesday.
The writers’ organization has designated Laurie R. King as its 2022 Grand Master. The California-based author is known for her novels featuring San Francisco police detective Kate Martinelli (The Art of Detection) and her series of historical mysteries following Mary Russell, a detective and the wife of Sherlock Holmes (Island of the Mad).
King “exemplifies the excellence that defines the Grand Master Award, and we are delighted to recognize her achievements,” MWA President Alafair Burke said in a news release. Previous Grand Master honorees have included Walter Mosley, Sue Grafton, and Mary Higgins Clark.
Lesa Holstine was named the winner of the Raven Award, given in recognition of “outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing.” Holstine, an Indiana librarian, is the founder of the popular blog Lesa’s Book Critiques.
The winner of the Ellery Queen Award, given to individuals or teams in the publishing industry, is Juliet Grames, the senior vice president and associate publisher of indie publisher Soho Press. Grames is also the author of a novel, The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna.
The winners of the MWA special awards will accept the prizes at the Edgar Awards ceremony, scheduled for April 28 in New York.
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
