If you’re looking for some great reads in the thriller vein, this list is a mighty fine place to start.  I see a lot of my personal favorites on here, so good luck to all the nominees!

2012 Thriller Awards Nominees

ITW is proud to announce the finalists for the 2012 Thriller Awards!

Best Hard Cover Novel:

Joseph Finder – BURIED SECRETS (St. Martin’s Press)
Jonathan Hayes – A HARD DEATH (Harper)
Stephen King – 11/22/63 (Scribner)
Michael Koryta – THE RIDGE (Little, Brown and Co.)
Marcus Sakey – THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES (Dutton Adult)

Best Paperback Original:

Jeff Abbott – THE LAST MINUTE (Sphere/LittleBrown UK)
John Gilstrap – THREAT WARNING (Pinnacle)
Helen Grant – THE GLASS DEMON (Delacorte Press)
Steven James – THE QUEEN (Revell)
John Rector – ALREADY GONE (Thomas & Mercer)

Best First Novel:

James Barney – THE GENESIS KEY (Harper)
Melinda Leigh – SHE CAN RUN (Montlake Romance)
Paul McEuen – SPIRAL (The Dial Press)
H.T. Narea – THE FUND (Forge Books)
Leslie Tentler – MIDNIGHT CALLER (Mira)

Best Short Story:

James Scott Bell – “One More Lie” (Compendium Press)
Michael Lewin – “Anything to Win” (Strand Magazine)
Twist Phelan – “Happine$$” (MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA PRESENTS THE RICH AND THE DEAD, Grand Central Publishing)
Tim L. Williams – “Half-Lives” (Dell Magazine)
Dave Zeltserman – “A Hostage Situation” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)

Congratulations to all the finalists!

2012 Thriller Awards Winners to be announced at ThrillerFest VI July 14, 2012, Grand Hyatt, NYC.

Special thanks to:

Allen Wyler, VP Awards
Julie Korzenko, Awards Committee Chair
Liz Wolfe, Awards Coordinator
And the 2012 Thriller Awards Judges