Bouchercon XXXI


is an annual convention of creators and devotees of mystery and detective fiction. It is named in honour of writer, reviewer, and editor Anthony Boucher; also the inspiration for the Anthony Awards, which have been issued at the convention since 1986. This page details Bouchercon XXXI and the 15th Anthony Awards ceremony.

Bouchercon

The convention was held September 7–10, 2000, in Denver. The event was chaired by mystery author Rebecca Bates and Tom Schantz, owner of Rue Morgue Press, publishers of mystery fiction.

Special guests

The following list details the awards distributed at the fifteenth annual Anthony Awards ceremony. The awards this year included celebrating those works which had had the biggest impact during the 20th century as a whole.

Novel award

Winner:
Shortlist:
  • Rennie Airth, River of Darkness
  • Jan Burke, Bones
  • Robert Crais, L.A. Requiem
  • Janet Evanovich, ''High Five''

    First novel award

Winner:
  • Donna Andrews, Murder with Peacocks
Shortlist:
  • Cara Black, Murder in the Marais
  • April Henry, Circles of Confusion
  • Kris Neri, Revenge of the Gypsy Queen
  • Paula Woods, ''Inner City Blues''

    Paperback original award

Winner:
Shortlist:
  • Robin Burcell, Every Move She Makes
  • Tony Dunbar, Lucky Man
  • Jose Latour, The Outcast
  • Caroline Roe, ''An Antidote for Avarice''

    Short story award

Winner:
  • Meg Chittenden, "Noir Lite", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine January 1999
Shortlist:
  • Barry Baldwin, "A Bit of a Treat", from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine September 1999
  • Judy & Bill Crider, "At the Hop", from Till Death Do us Part:...stories of love, marriage, and murder
  • Jeffery Deaver, "Triangle", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine March 1999
  • Laurie R. King, "Paleta Man", from ''Irreconciable Differences''

    Critical / Non-fiction award

Winner:
  • Willetta L. Heising, Detecting Women
Shortlist:
  • Barbara Davey, The Mystery Review
  • George Easter, Deadly Pleasures
  • Tom Nolan, Ross MacDonald: a Biography
  • Daniel Stashower, ''Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle''

    Novel of the century award

Winner:
  • Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Shortlist:
  • Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
  • Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night
  • Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon
  • Agatha Christie, ''The Murder of Roger Ackroyd''

    Series of the century award

Winner:
Shortlist:
Winner:
  • Agatha Christie
Shortlist:
  • Raymond Chandler
  • Dashiell Hammett
  • Dorothy L. Sayers
  • Rex Stout