Looking for a good historical mystery to settle into? You might want to check out the finalists and winner of the Left Coast Crime Convention's Lefty Award for best historical mystery. The Leftys are nominated by and voted on by conference attendees—that is, by mystery readers and writers.  First, here are the finalists and a little about them: A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (5th in the Countess of Harleigh mystery series) by Dianne Freeman : "The Agatha Award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries are a witty romp through the high society of Victorian England with a touch of romance, an appealing and independent female lead, and rich historical detail. In this charming fifth installment, Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, finds her wedding day overshadowed by murder . . ." In Place of Fear  (standalone) by Catriona McPherson : "Edinburgh 1948. It’s the first day of the new National Health Service and wee Nelly Crowther fae Freer Street, w...

Okay, the only secret I'm talking about here is in the title of the eighth book in my Silver Rush series, THE SECRET IN THE WALL. So please feel free to share the news! First, it has been showing up on a number of awards lists (all of which warm the cockles of my little writerly heart): Winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Traditional Novel (awards will be presented on June 24, at the WWA convention in Rapid City, South Dakota) Finalist for the Foreword INDIES Award for Mystery (winners will be announced online June 15) Nominee for Left Coast Crime's Lefty Award for Best Historical Mystery (attendees vote at the conference, and winners are announced at the banquet on March 18) Second, you certainly have a chance to win (and keep!) a copy of SECRET by entering a Goodreads giveaway contest (sponsored by my publisher, Poisoned Pen Press / Sourcebooks), which runs through March 25. Just go here , click on the "Enter Giveaway" button, and fil...