2025 Claymore Award Judges’ Top Picks

Every year, Killer Nashville announces the Finalists for our prestigious Claymore Award, recognizing excellence in the best first 50 pages of an unpublished manuscript. Last year, for the first time, our judges introduced something new: the Judges’ Top Picks. These selections highlight manuscripts that our judges wished could have made the Finalists lists, but with limited finalist slots, intricate cuts must always be made. Despite the sheer number of entries this year, our dedicated judges went above and beyond once again. On their initiative, they submitted a list of titles they felt deserved extra recognition: manuscripts they hope to see published and on shelves next year. The Finalists lists are capped at five titles per category, but true to Killer Nashville’s mission of encouraging and uplifting writers, the Judges’ Top Picks honor outstanding stories that moved our judges deeply and left them wanting more. Congratulations to these remarkable writers for winning a spot as the Judges' Top Pick.

2025 CLAYMORE AWARD JUDGES’ TOP PICKS

Best Action Adventure

LEO AND THE CHESS GAME OF ASHOKA
Jaya Agrawal 

TESLA ENIGMA
Christopher Boswell

THE INVISIBLE PREDATOR
Angela Greenman 

THE COUNCIL OF SARAGOSSA
GM Lindgren

ANGELIANS
Dennis Meredith

DIE ALONG THE WAY
GA Rivers 

Best Children's

MUPPIT BOY AND THE ALLERGIES OF EVIL
Michael Bowler

FRANCIE FAYE AIN’T RIGHT
Kimberly Dana 

NIGHT, NIGHT BOOGEYMAN!
Kimberly Dana 

MORSE CODE
Sue Dugan 

WESLEY FINDS HIS WOLF
Jennifer Page Stickney

Best Comedy (includes comedic P.I. and crime caper)

MURDER IN LAKE PLACID
Katie Barron 

GETTING PUBLISHED IS A MURDER
Amy Ivan 

VOID
Phil Latham 

CONFESSIONS OF AN INNOCENT MAN
Roger Toll

Best Cozy 

MAYHEM WITH MOSCATAL
Abby Aalberts

HIGH TIDES AND HOMICIDES
Elise Burke Brown 

LADY BERYL AND THE ELUSIVE BIJOU
Elizabeth Buttimer 

THE BODY IN THE SAUNA
SR Chamberlain 

THE ALPHABET COOKING CLUB
Janet Cobb

MOSCATO AND MURDER
Becky Sue Epstein

WARY IN WEARS VALLEY
Laurie Herlich

THE PSYCHIC DETECTIVE
Linda Kelley 

MURDER AT FARLING CROSSROADS
MP Smith

DON’T LISTEN TO STARR BRIGHT
Elizabeth Wood

Best Historical 

SEA OF CLOUDS
G.S. Arnold 

REBEL IN THE BLOODLINE
Mark Clemens 

SIBERIA FIGHT
Roger Collier 

THE WIDOW MURDERESS
Bill Cusano

DARKNESS IN BERLIN
CB Hicks

A SUITABLE SPY
Arthur Kerns

JACKSON’S WAR
Kirk Landers

THE LOCKED BOX
Tara Mitchel 

NELL: PINKERTON DETECTIVE
John Mullen

LILIAS OF THE VALLEY
Janel Nichols 

ABIGAIL TRENCH, PATRIOT SPY
Randy Overbeck 

THE SECRET OF THE OLD DOCK HAND
Amy Padden 

WOLVES OF THE KAISER’S WAR
Johnathon Parham

THE GATEKEEPER’S WIFE
Cheri Powell

THE BONE CHILD
Laurel Remington 

BURIED
EJ Whisler

BY THEIR RULES
J Morgyn White 

Best Investigator
(includes procedural, serious P.I., detective, and noir)

THE KILLER ARGUMENT
Jack Conlan 

DEAD READ
Alicia Dean

THE DARKER THE NIGHT
Kate Flora 

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR
Marilyn Kay 

BLOOD MOON OVER PHOENIX
Arthur Kerns 

A TIMELY FROST
CJ Kudlacz

BABY BLUE
Avram Lavinsky 

SHOW TIME
John Madinger

STICKS AND STONES
Frederick Reynolds 

INFORMED CONSENT
Matthew Riordan 

Best Juvenile / Y.A.

LEO AND THE CHESS GAME OF ASHOKA
Jaya Agrawal 

GLORIANA RISING
Corrie Bruce 

THE MAGICIAN
Mark Brutche 

THE COMPANY HOUSE
Laura Bryne 

THE SEVEN SPELLS OF SARAFINA FOXKIT
CR Doyle 

THIRSTY
Debbie Freidman

DOPPELGÄNGER JUMPER
Judy Gregg

CREATURE FEATURE
Shelley Kinsman

RUNG THREE
Magda Smith 

THE HOUSE WHERE THE HUMANS LIVE
Christopher Wells 


Best Literary

IN THE SHADOW OF A FALSE SUN
Sarah Berglund 

AFTER CONSTANCE
David Dalessandro 

MY GIVEN NAME
FE Davies

IRIS RISING
Masha Hamilton 

DETROIT SOUTH
John Jeffire 

MUD ANGELS
Kristin Russek 

A STORY FOR SHILOH
B. Michael 

Best Mainstream / Commercial

EARLY ADOPTER
Mark Guerin 

JERICHO LOST
CJ Kudlacz 

THE DEVIL COMES TO KINDLAND
Phil Kushner 

NEW PIRATES OF THE SOUTH SEAS
JF Lavelle 

THE LUPIN GENE
Matthew Minson 

SPIRIT OF THE GAZELLE
Rodney Walther


Best Mystery 

NO FORCIBLE ENTRY
Kate Bergquist and Patricia Thorpe 

TRAPPED
Sandy Clements 

MIMOSA, TEXAS
Lisanne Davidson

TOXIC PERIL
Geri Dreiling 

SINSEMILLA AND THE YEOMAN OF HUMBOLDT
Brian Heit 

THE WOLF WE BURY
Rebecca Jarnes 

COLD SHORES
Sara Johnson 

TWELVE SINNERS
Henry Kaye 

THE CUNNING KILLDEER
Joel Martin

UNITED LINES: A MICK NASSAU MYSTERY
DL Mitchell 

THE FAMILY PLOT
Linda Randall 

PURA VIDA THE HARD WAY
Judy Richter 

THE ANGEL OF REPOSE
Richard Satterlie 

HARLOW’S GOLD
EJ Whisler 

UP TO HER NECK
EM Wolff 

Best Nonfiction 

OUTSIDE BRAVO 

Jacob Moon

MADAM CORONER: SURVIVING DEATH AND POLITICS IN SUBURBIA 

Christina VandePol

Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy 

2090 UNTAMED
Ly Ann 

THE SUBLIME MACHINE
George Angelou 

THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RAINBOW
Bill Bibo 

EVEN HUMAN
EM Dasche 

OBJECT 051
Phillips Dickerson 

THE FERRYMAN
Amelia Dirks 

THE NIAGARA EVENT
KM Freeman 

THE VATRA WITCH
GV Hext 

VANGUARD
Jeanne Hull Godfroy 

OVER THEIR ASHES
Sean McClung 

ANGELIANS
Dennis Meredith 

THE SIREN AND THE PHOENIX
HK Slade 

THE GREATEST DRAGON WRITER
Anne Thyssen 

PROXIMA B
JL Yarrow 

Best Short Story Collection
Anthology

NIGHT DRIVING AND OTHER STORIES
Kate Bergquist (Author)

SHADOWS AND DUST
John Bukowski (Author)

THE FORGOTTEN MONDAY
Mark Connely (Author)

BONEDALE
Patrick Kitson (Author)

Best Southern Gothic

MIND GAME
Venita Bonds 

WODEHOUSE
Elise Burke Brown 

OUR LADY OF THE MILK
Kaylyn Groves 

HUSH LITTLE BIRDIE
Minette Lauren 

BEAUTY SECRETS
Minette Lauren 

BLOOD OF COTTON, BLOOD OF CANE
Irene Smith 

SEDGEWICK REVISITED
John Wells 

Best Supernatural

LULU SHAMAN
Coranna Adams 

HERB, HEX, AND HOURGLASS
Michelle Aumiller

AQUACIDE
Jessica Barone 

THE DUBIOUS CONFESSION OF BRIE UTTERSON
Wes Beckett 

THE BONE CIPHER
Venita Bonds 

THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER
Lydia Gullicksen

BLOOD MOON SHADOWS
Matt Harlow 

WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK
Katrina Holloway 

MISLED
SL Hulen 

GHOST WRITER
Arjay Lewis 

41/43N BY 49/56W
LAK Prendergast 

THE BOOK OF DEMONS
John Ryland 

THE SHADE BEHIND MY HEAD
Shlomik Silbiger 

Best Suspense

RESURRECTION, BOOK 3, EVERYONE BURIES SOMETHING SERIES
Ahni Atkins 

KILL ME IF YOU CAN
R.G. Belsky 

WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE COME
LB Blackburne 

GLORIANA RISING
Corrie Bruce 

THE WEIRD GIRL
Carla Damron 

I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE/ Kati Eisenhuth 

TEMPTED TO KILL
Patricia Galiotos 

FOUR WORTHLESS LIVES
Anne Michelle Harris 

TO REMAIN AFTER DEAD
Gary Harrison 

MISSING WOMAN FOUND
Bonnie Hearn Hill 

HIDDEN AGENDA
Mia Kay 

THE CREOLE ROW
Stacy Renee Lucas 

DEATH IN MINIATURE
Pamela Ruth Meyer 

PRESSURE
Caroline O’Donnell

RUNAWAY GIRLS
Kerry Peresta 

STEEL THE MORUNING HEART
PL Riven 

BLINDSIDED
Chas Shutt

ASHES TO ASHES
Patricia Thorpe 

DIATOMS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
Ronda Wells 

IF I KNOW WHERE HE IS
Bob Williamson 

Best Thriller 

THE THUNDERBOLT CONSPIRACY
RG Belsky 

KILLERS LIKE ME
Elise Burke Brown 

TANGLED WEB
Robert Callahan 

CHECKPOINT
GK Daffu 

FLATLINED
Kati Eisenhuth 

MAUNDER
Bevan Frank 

EVERLASTING TIDES
Richard Hinkemeyer 

MISLED
SL Hulen 

THE INFERNAL TOWER
Adam Karaoguz 

WHAT SHE KNOWS
Renda Knapp 

CRAZY VEST
DB Mallory 

SEAS WILL RISE
Dan McKeon 

ALL THE BURIED SECRETS
Kim Nuesse 

SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN STREET
Michael Rigg 

THE CATALYST
ME Schuman 

A WOMAN IN PIECES
Ruth Knafo Setton 

ZILLICAN BLUES
LM Whittaker 

Best True Crime 

THE COUNTRY WESTER KILLER ON HOLLYWOOD’S WALK OF FAME
Richard Carrico 

MARKED BY THE OUIJI
Scott Wells 

Best Western 

THE OUTLAW’S DAUGHTER
Patricia Thorpe

Has your book made it to the Judges’ list of Top Picks? Promote it on your website and social media using our Killer Nashville Claymore Judges’ Top Picks emblem!