November 2026
In this issue of The Blood-Letter from Friends of Mystery: November Bloody Thursday guest J.B. Fisher, a new live event location, memorials, award news, and more.
CONTENTS:
- On November 19, 2026, Friends of Mystery Welcomes J.B. Fisher
- In Memoriam: Jeffrey Archer and Mark Pryor
- And the Winners Are…
- Bouchercon
- For Your Viewing Pleasure…
- New and Noteworthy…
- Upcoming Bloody Thursday Events
- Member News
- Membership Renewal
- Submissions Needed
- Friends of Mystery Mailing Address
BLOODY THURSDAY
On November 19, 2026, Friends of Mystery Welcomes J.B. Fisher
Friends of Mystery is pleased to welcome J.B. Fisher as our guest speaker. He is the author of Following Graven’s Trail: Mid-Century Portland Through the Eyes of a Multnomah County Criminal Detective.
In 2012, a chance discovery of 1958 newspapers tucked inside a McMinnville garage set author J.B. Fisher on a decade-long search for the truth behind Oregon’s most famous cold case: the December 1958 disappearance of the Martin family. But unlocking that mystery required opening a forgotten suitcase belonging to Multnomah County Criminal Detective Walter E. Graven—a treasure trove containing 25 brown police notebooks, evidence tags, secret wiretaps, and case files spanning mid-century Portland’s dark underbelly.
In this heavily illustrated visual presentation featuring dozens of rare historical photos, archival evidence, and police files, Fisher peels back the layers of Graven’s career. From first-on-the-scene revelations in the 1945 Vanport murder of Walter Poole and wiretap evidence in the JoAnn Dewey abduction, to high-society car bombings and the recent 2024-2026 river recoveries in the Columbia River Gorge, follow the trail of a hardboiled detective who spent his life fighting institutional walls to give the forgotten a voice in his search for justice.
Please join us, in person, at 7:00 pm.
Our new meeting location is…
Up Up Books
1452 NE 28th Ave.
Portland, OR 97232
upupbooks.com
Up Up Books is an independent bookstore in the Portland Arts & Literary Society (PALS) building, specializing in literary fiction, poetry, essays, memoirs, and zines. We champion local writers, independent presses, and diverse and marginalized voices, with sections dedicated entirely to Portland writers and small presses. We host community events, workshops, readings, and book launches so there’s always something happening. Connected to the shop is Yikes! Gallery, featuring exhibitions that rotate every two months with an emphasis on local artists. We also share the building with Buckman Publishing, a proudly independent press working to inspire more people to read.
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IN MEMORIAM
Jeffrey Archer
April 15, 1940 – October 5, 2026
English author and former politician, Archer’s books have sold over 320 million copies. His most popular books were: The Sins of the Father, Kane & Abel, Cometh the Hour, Be Careful What You Wish For, and Best Kept Secret. His latest book, Adam & Eve, came out the day after his death.
Mark Pryor
May 8, 1967 – October 8, 2026
A British-American mystery novelist and criminal defense attorney, Pryor was the author of nine Hugo Marston mystery novels, three Inspector Henri Lefort novels and two novels in the Paris Bookshop series. He was also the author of two works of non-fiction.
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And the Winners Are…
Macavity Awards
Best Mystery Novel: Crooks, by Lou Berney
Best First Mystery Novel: History Lessons, by Zoe B. Wallbrook
Best Mystery Nonfiction: Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide to New England, by Dawn M. Barclay
Best Mystery Short Story: “Six-Armed Robbery” by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier
Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery: Bye Bye Blackbird, by Elizabeth Crowens
Barry Awards
Best Mystery: King of Ashes, by S.A. Cosby
Best First Mystery: The Vanishing Place, by Zoe Rankin
Best Paperback Original Mystery: The Dentist, by Tim Sullivan
Best Thriller: Midnight Black, by Mark Greaney
Shamus Awards
Best P.I. Novel: The Big Empty, by Robert Crais
Best P.I. Paperback Original: Midnight Streets, by Phil Lecomber
Best First P.I. Novel: Where the Bones Lie, by Nick Kolakowski
Best P.I. Short Story: “The Roosevelt Affair” by Adam Meyer
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Bouchercon
October 21-25, 2026
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
The Guests of Honour at the convention were:
Louise Penny – Lifetime Achievement GOH
Jennifer Hillier – Canadian GOH (unable to attend)
Kathy Reichs – Cross-Border GOH
Abir Mukherjee – International GOH
P.J. Vernon – Toastmaster GOH
Mark Greaney – American GOH
Kevin Sands – Kids’ GOH
Anthony Awards
The Anthony Awards were presented on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Congratulations went to the winners (listed first and in blue in each category) and all the nominees.
Best Mystery Novel
- The Black Wolf, by Louise Penny
- Crooks, by Lou Berney
- King of Ashes, by S.A. Cosby
- Death of an Ex, by Delia Pitts
- All This Could Be Yours, by Hank Phillipi Ryan
Best First Mystery
- Mask of the Deer Woman, by Laurie L. Dove
- Whiskey Business, by Adrian Andover
- The Retirement Plan, by Sue Hincenbergs
- Voices of the Elysian Fields, by Michael Rigg
- History Lessons, by Zoe B. Wallbrook
- Julie Chan Is Dead, by Liann Zhang
Best Paperback Original
- Edge, by Tracy Clark
- Tricks of Fortune, by Lina Chern
- Crimson Thaw, by Bruce Robert Coffin
- River of Lies, by James L’Etoile
- This Violent Heart, by Heather Levy
Best Children’s/YA Novel
- Death in the Cards, by Mia P. Manansala
- Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, by Chris Chan
- Miles in Time, by Lee Matthew Goldberg
- The Scammer, by Tiffany D. Jackson
- Risky Pursuit, by Nancy G. West
Best Short Story
- “AITA for Using My Husband’s Hobby to Teach Him a Lesson”, by Minday Carlson
- “Six-Armed Robbery”, by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier
- “Hollywood Prometheus”, by Christa Faust
- “Brotherly Love”, by Cheryl A. Head
- “Finding Jimmy Baldwin”, by Cheryl A. Head
- “The Skies Are Red”, by Richie Narvaez
Best Critical or Nonfiction Work
- Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide to New England, by Dawn M. Barclay
- L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood, by Anne Soon Choi
- Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, by Caroline Fraser
- The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, by Pagan Kennedy
- Bone Valley: A True Story of Injustice and Redemption in the Heart of Florida, by Gilbert King
Best Anthology or Collection
- On Fire and Under Water: A Climate Change Crime Fiction Anthology, edited by Curtis Ippolito
- Whatever Kills the Pain, by C.W. Blackwell
- Blood On the Bayou: Case Closed, edited by Don Bruns
- Crime Ink: Iconic: An Anthology of Crime Fiction Inspired by Queer Icons, edited by John Copenhaver & Salem West
- Hollywood Kills, edited by Adam Meyer & Alan Orloff
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For Your Viewing Pleasure…
The Chelsea Detective, Season 4, Acorn
DI Max Arnold uncovers deadly secrets hidden behind powerful families and elite institutions.
Cooper and Fry, Season 1, Britbox
Ben Cooper and Diane Fry investigate murders across the Peak District.
Ludwig, Season 2, Britbox
Puzzle setter John “Ludwig” Taylor returns as a crime scene consultant.
Maigret, Season 2, PBS Masterpiece
Chief Inspector Maigret and his team investigate a series of complex crimes under the critical eye of his mentor, Police Dir. Guichard.
Slow Horses, Season 6, Apple TV
Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas star in a quick-witted spy show about a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents.
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New and Noteworthy…
Sleepers in the Snow, by Joanne Harris
Out on the moor, in the snow, a house stands beneath a pylon. It is a house full of memories and old things. And, in the dark, when the pylon sings in the wind, it is a house full of ghosts and fading dreams…
The house, Kirkhill, has a new occupant just moved in, fresh from a bitter divorce, and looking for a new start. The moor is the perfect place for it: isolated, beautiful in the changing seasons, peaceful, and with just enough of the previous owners’ belongings that it’s a perfectly self-contained and cozy home.
Except, as the nights start to draw in and the weather takes a turn, so does the house. The cozy isolation becomes menacing, animals begin acting strangely, and it seems someone could be watching the house. And the diaries of the previous owners begin to reveal a terrible tragedy which befell Kirkhill—one which its new occupant may be unable to escape.
The 10:12, by Anna Maloney
Claire Fitzroy was on the way home to London when her train from Manchester was hijacked by a group of armed men. In one terrifying moment, she faced the starkest of choices: to passively stand aside or act and fight back—knowing that with either choice, she could die.
With nothing to lose, the middle-aged art lecturer gathered and led a squad of passengers who, against all odds, overcame the hijackers and saved hundreds of lives. But what at first looks like heroism may play out very differently in the courts of law and public opinion. Especially when you have the blood of two men on your hands.
Opinions are heated and divided. Was she a selfless and quick-thinking hero? Or an attention-seeking vigilante and unrepentant murderer? Claire has remained silent, until now. She’s finally speaking out about what happened that morning on the 10:12.
But is it the whole story?
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Upcoming Bloody Thursday Events
January: Emiko Jean, Kate Alice Marshall, and Rosiee Thor, moderated by Reyna Pingul
March: Past Spotted Owl Award winners, featuring Mike Lawson and more…
May: Science Fiction/Fantasy mysteries with Erik Groves and Erin M. Evans, moderated by Curtis Chen
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Member News
Share Your Member News
Friends of Mystery is happy to publish news and press releases from our members in our Member News section, with the following considerations:
- The news must be related to mystery or true crime writing, films, and television, as well as non-fiction examinations of the mystery genre.
- Friends of Mystery will not be able to edit announcements, and will publish them as provided.
- Friends of Mystery will include one image with each announcement, if provided.
- Friends of Mystery is not responsible for the content of news announcements, and we reserve the right to not publish any announcements which we feel will reflect poorly on the organization and do not advance the organization’s mission.
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Membership Renewal
It’s never too late to consider renewing your membership to Friends of Mystery! Dues are $20.00 annually. FOM is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Dues and additional donations are deductible to the full extent of the law. Please mail your check, made out to Friends of Mystery, to P.O. Box 332, Sherwood, OR 97140. Your newsletter will be sent electronically unless otherwise requested.
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Submissions Needed
Members and readers are encouraged to submit book or film reviews, comments on authors, and recommendations for books to read or questions about mysteries, crime fiction and fact. If you have suggestions of mysteries worth sharing, please contact the editor at: jlvoss48@gmail.com.
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Friends of Mystery Mailing Address
If you need to contact us by mail, our address is:
Friends of Mystery
P.O. Box 332
Sherwood, Oregon 97140
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Settle into a cozy fall with a great mystery!