Killer Nashville has announced the finalists for their 2025 Silver Falchion Award. Killer Nashville awards the Silver Falchion to discover and honor the best books of the previous year that incorporate the elements of mystery, thriller, suspense, action, and romance, or in the case of nonfiction, books that are applicable to writers. The finalists and winners are determined by their judges. This is a great list to use to find a new author or book to enjoy.
The winners will be announced at the Killer Nashville Awards Dinner on August 23, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 2025 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalists are:
Best Action Adventure
Jericho Burning by T.G. Brown
The General’s Gold by Bruce Robert Coffin and LynDee Walker
Desperate Measures by Ley Esses
Where Love Means Nothing by Howard Gimple
The North Line by Matt Riordan
Best Comedy (Includes comedic P.I. and crime caper)
The Princess Shoppe by Kerry Blaisdell
Swiped by L.M. Chilton
Get Gribnitz by Howard Gimple
Model Ghost by T.K.Sheffield
Sorry, Knot Sorry by Lois Winston
Best Cozy
Beeswax Bewitchment by S.E. Babin
Elizabeth Sails by Kristin Owens
Study Guide for Murder by Lori Robbins
Framed for Murder by Marla White
Wheeling and Dealing by Becki Willis
Best Historical
Empowered by the Dream: A Journey of Resilience by Gladys A. Barrio
The Paris Mistress by Mally Becker
A Killing on the Hill by Robert Dugoni
Find Your Way to My Grave by Chris Keefer
What Once Was Promised by Louis Trubiano
Best Investigator (includes procedural, serious P.I., detective, and Noir)
The Things That Cannot Be Forgotten by Peter W.J. Hayes
Last Dog Out by Candace Irving
Black & White by Justin M. Kiska
Tiger Claw by Michael Allan Mallory
Murder Outside the Box by Saralynn Richard
Best Juvenile / Y.A.
Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper’s Daughter by Valerie Biel
Dead Girl by Kerrie Faye
Stealing Time by Norman Birnbach and Tilia Klebenov Jacobs
Snowed by Twist Phelan
Star Brother by Maxine Rose Schur
Best Literary
She Ruined Our Lives by Chris Chan
An American Tragedy by Dan Flanigan
Best Mainstream / Commercial
Those That Did Not Die by Penny Fletcher
On the Mad River by Lucrecia Guerrero
People Will Talk by Kieran Scott
Between Lies and Revenge by Hannah Sharpe
Blindspot by Maggie Smith
Best Mystery
Drop Dead Sisters by Amelia Diane Coombs
Obey All Laws by Cindy Goyette
At First I Was Afraid by Marty Ludlum
A World of Hurt by Mindy Mejia
Scorched: Burn Me Once… by Cam Torrens
Best Nonfiction
There Is No Ethan by Anna Akbari
Lovers in Auschwitz: A True Story by Keren Blankfeld
Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed by Maureen Callahan
Tilghman: The Legendary Lawman and the Woman Who Inspired Him by Chris Enss
Seeds of Leadership by Wilson Lukang
Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Ocean’s Godori by Elaine Cho
The Canopy Keepers by Veronica G. Henry
Master Version 1.1 by Antanas Marcelionis
House of Fire & Magic by Sherrilynn McQueen
The Building That Wasn’t by Abigail Miles
Best Short Story Collection / Anthology
Never Tell Collection by Kjersti Egerdahl
Day by Patrick Kitson
Deeds of Darkness by William Burton McCormick
6-Lane Highway by Sean Mitchell
Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense by Judy Penz Sheluk
Best Southern Gothic
Pocket Full of Teeth by Aimee Hardy
Kentucky Blood (Book 1 of the Kentucky Blood Series) by Ashley Thomas Sheikh
Best Supernatural
Not Born of Woman by Teel Glenn
A Place for Good and Evil by Stacey Horan
City of Innocent Monsters by Stacey Horan
Dervla Alarms the Nanas by DR Ransdell
Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan
Best Suspense
A Friend in the Dark by Samantha M. Bailey
If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry
The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Lost to Dune Road by Kara Thomas
The Last Party by AR Torre
Best Thriller
Rich Justice by Robert Bailey
The Dredge by Brenden Flaherty
The Mechanics of Memory by Audrey Lee
A Forgotten Kill by Isabella Maldonado
The Ascent by Adam Plantinga
Best Western
Knife River by Baron Birtcher
Sarita by Natalie Musgrave Dossett
The Broken Blood by Dwight Holing
2025 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalists @TimSuddeth @OpeningaMystery, @KillerNashville, #Awards, #Mysteries Share on X
Click here for the 2024 winners.
Click here for the 2024 finalists.
Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite. And as always, happy reading.