Chasing Deadly Ink’s David

In advance of the Deadly Ink Mystery Conference, which is set to take place in New Brunswick, New Jersey, from August 7 to 9, organizers have released the list of nominees for the 2015 David Award. Convention attendees will choose the recipient of this prize for the best mystery novel of last year. Here are the contenders:

• Blood Rubies, by Jane Cleland (Minotaur)
• The Question of the Missing Head, by E.J. Copperman and
Jeff Cohen (Midnight Ink)
• Circle of Influence, by Annette Dashofy (Henery Press)
• Death and White Diamonds, by Jeff Markowitz (Intrigue)
• The Roar of the Crowd, by Janice MacDonald (Ravenstone)
• The Outsmarting of Criminals, by Steven Rigolosi (Ransom Note)

The David Award is named in memory of David G. Sasher Sr. Unfortunately, the Deadly Ink Web site doesn’t remind us who Sasher was; that seems like something worth explaining, don’t you think?

Anyway, congratulations to all of the nominees!

(Hat tip to Classic Mysteries.)

FOLLOW-UP: Gerald So, editor of the crime-fiction poetry blog The 5-2, wrote to me late last week, saying he’d “found some information about David G. Sasher” that might be of interest. According to a 2010 post on the news Web site NorthJersey.com, “The David [Award] is given in memory of Jefferson Township [New Jersey] resident David G. Sasher, Sr. who passed away in November 2006. He had worked hard on Deadly Ink 2006, helping with mailings and manning the registration desk.” Furthermore, this bare-bones obituary says Sasher was born in October 1940 and died at age 66. Thank you, Gerald, for your assistance in this matter.