Edgar Nominees for Youth

Intrigued by mysteries?  The Mystery Writers of America annually awards an Edgar to superior books, short stories, and screen plays which delve into the dark genres of mystery and crime .  The Edgar Award is named in honor of Edgar Allan Poe, America’s classic horror and suspense author who is also the creator of the C. Auguste Dupin, one of the earliest literary detectives.  We’ve highlighted a few nominees in the Youth and Teen categories.  Also, Lois Duncan, who pioneered the young adult suspense novel with her classic I Know What Did Last Summer, will be acknowledged as a Grand Master.

  YOUTH

   Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick:  Truly Lovejoy is an Army brat smack in the middle of a large family.  When her father returns from Afghanistan minus one arm, the family returns to his home town of Pumpkin Falls, NH, a quintessential New England small town.  Twelve-year- old Truly isn’t sure how she will fit into yet another new school, especially as she has inherited the family height.  She just wants to blend in.  While working at the family bookshop, Truly uncovers a old letter tucked away in an unnoticed rare book.  Both the book (Charlottes’ Web) and the note set off a string of mysterious happenings.  Selling the book could help save the financially beleagued bookstore, but it is stolen.  The cryptic message in the note sends Truly off on a hunt for clues as to the writers of what seems to be a love story from the town’s past.  Along the way, she finds both answers and new friends.  Frederick has written an engaging mystery and a heartfelt story about starting over, fitting in and standing out.  Truly is aware that the town of Pumpkin Falls is an anachronism, but as she and her classmates try to figure out the meaning and authors of the letters (more than one is discovered), they learn to love  the townspeople around them, family and friends.  By the end of the story, the Lovejoy family seems to fit their name again.

  Space Case: a Moon Base Alpha Novel by Stuart Gibbs:  Living on the Moon as part of the first lunar colony is not as glamorous or exciting as it’s cracked up to be by NASA.  That’s the first thing our teenage astronaut pioneer Dash Gibson wants us to know.  The food is horrible, the landscape never changes, and well, the less said about using the bathrooms, the better (although Dash manages to convey quite a bit of vaguely disgusting information).  However, Dash’s name  is our first clue:  when one of the scientists dies, he turns detective ala Dashiell Hammett to prove it was NOT an accident.  Equal parts mystery, science fiction and middle school humor, this murder on the Moon provides entertainment for those who want a mystery out of this world.

  Nick and Tesla’s Super Cyborg Gadget Glove  by “Science Bob” Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith:  For the armchair detective who doesn’t want to just deduce the answer to the mystery, Nick and Tesla Holt offer gadgets and equipment complete with instructions to help catch the spy, thief, secret agent, you name it.  As we discover through the four books in this series,  Nick & Tesla’s scientist parents have been summoned away on a supposed government job, although the kids are sure the real nature of the job is a lot more world altering than soy bean propagation for 3^rd World countries.  Receiving warnings as to their parents’ status and their own safety, the budding Inspector Gadgets are sent to live with their absent minded, junk food addicted  professor Uncle Newt, whose cluttered house and basement lab provide them with materials.  Yes, by the end of each installment Nick & Tesla have uncovered thieves,spies, and other nefarious types.  but the main mystery of their parents’ whereabouts remains unsolved.    A mystery series for gadet lovers and inventors, not to mention pranksters. 

  Greenglass House by Kate Milford.  Receiving starred reviews across the board when published, Milford has created an atmospheric tale of smuggling, role playing  and characters wth mysterious motives and pasts.  Milo and his adoptive parents run a quaint inn in the fictional  harbor town of Nagspeake up on a hill  reached primarily by cable car.  When unexpected guests  turn up one snowy evening off-season (even smugglers have seasons) Milo is disconcerted and later intrigued.  As the travelers gradually reveal themselves through clues, we and Milo realize they are all connected to Greenglass House.  Starting with dustjacket cover of Greenglass House and the Skadwacke Harbors filled with detail and fog, we are pulled into investigating the past.  A cozy mystery with old fashioned adventure.

Other Youth Nominees:

      

TEEN

  The Doubt Factory by Paolo Bacigalupi.  A techno-thriller by the award-winning author of Ship Breaker. Alix is a golden girl: pretty, wealthy and on her way to an Ivy League.  Ho-hum is how she regards her life.  Her complacency is shattered by a stalker, Moses, and his subversive group, 2.0, teens whose families have been devasted by medical malpractice.  They reveal to Alix that her father’s PR company protects huge corporations and obfuscates the truth; in this case, pharmaceuticals.  Alix’s emergencing social conscience, combined with the excitement  of whistleblowing and her attraction to bad boy Moses entice her to join forces with 2.0 in bringing to light her father’s corporate coverups and misinformation, and the shadowy figures behind it all. 

  Prince of Venice Beach by Blake Nelson.  Cali is pretty happy with his life living in Venice Beach surfing, skateboarding and playing basketball.  He doesn’t consider himself a homeless vagabond, just someone who has escaped a horrible life in foster care and is living under the radar. His biggest fear is being found (although he’s not sure anyone is looking).  Always up for earning a few bucks, he finds a missing teen for a private investigator and, ironically, likes the job.  However, one assignment, or more precisely, one runaway, turns out to be way more than he bargained for.  Cali must decide who needs his help the most: the target, her family, or perhaps himself. 

Other Teen nominees: