And the winner is ...?!

The winner of the inaugural John Spray Mystery Award is Y.S. Lee for her young adult mystery novel A Spy in the House.  Here's a blurb about the book from her website:  

Orphan Mary Quinn lives on the edge. Sentenced as a thief at the age of twelve, she’s rescued from the gallows by a woman posing as a prison warden. In her new home, Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls, Mary acquires a singular education, fine manners, and surprising opportunity. The school is a cover for the Agency – an elite, top-secret corps of female investigators with a reputation for results – and at seventeen, Mary’s about to join their ranks. 

Packed with action and suspense, and evoking the gritty world of Victorian London, this first book in the Agency series debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits.

Ying has been my facebook friend for years. Congrats Ying! And congrats to the other nominees! It is an honour to have been nominated! 

The other nominated books received the John Spray Mystery Awards 'nominee' sticker like this one here on my nominated book Dead Bird through the Cat Door.

And just for fun, here's a pic of my demented Halloween decoration! Let the chocolate consumption begin! (in a couple of weeks).