MYSTERY AUTHORS WIN BIG
Three unpublished authors each won the prestigious Leon Burstein Award—and $2,000—for their manuscript mysteries. The award is judged and presented by the New York Chapter of Mystery Writers of America (MWA-NY).
One judge said: Rain in Pittsburgh by John Dziuban “is unlike anything I’ve ever read! This noir work kept me off balance and transported me to a different world! It is wholly original, surreal, and creative.”
Gorgeous by Margaret Ryan is “a very easy read,” said another judge. “It takes a great deal of work to make the writing that smooth and readable! I really enjoyed the voice of this narrator. With relatable characters, and deep internal reflections about the past, it felt immediate, real and engaging.”
Set in the contemporary world of journalism and media, The Hacker Murders by J David Liss impressed the judges with “characters that are unusual and well drawn. The twisty plot gave tech details which were timely and credible. It was fast paced and interesting to the last page.”
Members of the MWA-NY Board of Directors screened more than thirty submissions, which were the first 20 manuscript pages. They then recommended three finalists to a three-judge panel, which assessed the full manuscripts.
The 2024 Leon Burstein Award had been presented to one winner and one runner-up. However, this year the judges felt that all three manuscripts were equally worthy and each author received a $2,000 prize.
The prize is named for the late Leon Burstein, an ardent fan of mystery fiction. His son Dan Burstein said at the awards ceremony November 11 that his father “read one mystery novel every day for decades.” Dan and his family created the award in Leon’s honor.
The financial prize was originally a “scholarship” that helped authors complete their manuscripts. But in 2024 MWA-NY and the Burstein family decided to make it an award to be given to an unpublished author for a completed manuscript deemed worthy of—and ready for—publication.
The competition will be held again in 2026. Contestants must be previously unpublished in the mystery field, and members of Mystery Writers of America’s New York chapter.
For further information, please see www.mwany.org