Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, is an annual fan convention of creators and devotees of mystery and crime fiction. It is named in honor of writer, reviewer, and editor Anthony Boucher, and pronounced the way he pronounced his name, rhyming with "voucher".Marvin Lachman, The Heirs of Anthony Boucher Poisoned Pen Press (2005), p. 83.
The multi-day convention is held annually (August–October), and hosted in a different city by a different group of volunteers called the Local Organizing Committee.
Each year, attending Bouchercon members nominate and vote for the Anthony Awards for excellence in crime fiction, including: Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Short Story, Best Critical Non-Fiction, and Best Paperback Original.
People who attend are fans, authors, agents, booksellers, publishers and other people who read and enjoy mystery and crime fiction. The first Bouchercon was held in Santa Monica, California in 1970. The guest of honor was Robert Bloch of Psycho fame.
Registered attendees of each Bouchercon are designated as 'members', and vote at the annual business meeting (held during the convention) on necessary business items. Bouchercon's governing body is a volunteer National Board, which changes year to year, consisting of elected Board members, and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) members who have hosted, or will host the convention.
Awards
The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America.
List of Bouchercons NumberYearLocation/NameLifetime Achievement AwardGuest(s) of Honor I 1970 Santa Monica, California no award issued II 1971 Los Angeles, California no award issued III 1972 Los Angeles, California no award issued IV 1973 Boston, Massachusetts no award issued V 1974 Oakland, California no award issued VI 1975 Chicago, Illinois no award issued VII 1976 Culver City, California no award issued VIII 1977 New York, New York no award issued IX 1978 Chicago, Illinois no award issued X 1979 Los Angeles, California no award issued XI 1980 Washington, D.C. no award issued XII 1981 Milwaukee, Wisconsin no award issued XIII 1982 San Francisco, California no award issued XIV 1983 New York, New York no award issued XV 1984 Chicago, Illinois no award issued XVI 1985 San Francisco, California no award issued XVII 1986 Baltimore, Maryland no award issued XVIII 1987 Minneapolis, Minnesota no award issued XIX 1988 San Diego, California no award issued XX 1989 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Dorothy Salisbury Davis XXI 1990 London, England Michael Gilbert XXII 1991 Pasadena, California William Campbell Gault XXIII 1992 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Charlotte MacLeod XXIV 1993 Omaha, Nebraska Hammond Innes and Ralph McInerny XXV 1994 Seattle, Washington Tony Hillerman XXVI 1995 Nottingham, England no award issued XXVII 1996 St. Paul, Minnesota no award issued XXVIII 1997 Monterey, California Donald E. Westlake XXIX 1998 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania no award issued XXX 1999 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Len Moffatt and June Moffatt XXXI 2000 Denver, Colorado Jane Langton XXXII 2001 Washington, D.C. Edward D. Hoch XXXIII 2002 Austin, Texas no award issued XXXIV 2003 Las Vegas, Nevada no award issued XXXV 2004 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Bernard Cornwell XXXVI 2005 Chicago, Illinois Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller XXXVII 2006 Madison, Wisconsin Robert B. Parker XXXVIII 2007 Anchorage, Alaska James Sallis XXXIX 2008 Baltimore, Maryland Lawrence Block XL 2009 Indianapolis, Indiana Allen J. Hubin XLI 2010 San Francisco, California Bouchercon By the Bay Lee Child XLII 2011 St. Louis, Missouri The Girl Who Came to Bouchercon Sara Paretsky XLIII 2012 Cleveland, Ohio You Want to Tell No One Mary Higgins Clark XLIV 2013 Albany, New York A New York State of Crime Sue Grafton XLV 2014 Long Beach, California Murder at the Beach Jeffery Deaver XLVI 2015 Raleigh, North Carolina Murder Under the Oaks Margaret Maron XLVII 2016 New Orleans, Louisiana Blood on the Bayou David Morrell XLVIII 2017 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Passport to Murderno award issued XLIX 2018 St. Petersburg, Florida Sunny Place, Shady People Ian RankinSean Chercover (American) Karin Slaughter (American) Mark Billingham (International) Sara Blaedel (International) Tim Dorsey (Florida) Judy Bobalik (Fan) Ayo Onatade (Fan) John D. MacDonald (Ghost of Honor) Lisa Unger (Toastmaster) L 2019 Dallas, Texas Denim, Diamonds, & Death Peter Lovesey Hank Phillippi Ryan James Patterson Deborah Crombie Felix Francis Harry Hunsicker McKenna Jordan LI 2020 Sacramento, California Where Murder is a Capital Crime Walter Mosley Scott Turow Anne Perry Cara Black (author) Janet A Rudolph Catriona McPherson LII 2021 New Orleans Cancelled due to Covid LIII 2022 Minneapolis, Minnesota Land of 10,000 Thrills Ellen Hart Lou Berney (American) SA Cosby (Rising Star) Attica Locke (American) William Kent Krueger (Local) Jo Nesbo (International) Alexander McCall Smith (International Lifetime Achievement) Jess Lourey (Toastmaster) Lori Rader-Day (Toastmaster) LIV 2023 San Diego, California Murder at the Marina David Baldacci Ann Cleeves (International) Jacqueline Winspear (Regional) Dru Ann Love (Fan) Kate Carlisle (Cozy) C.J. Box (National) Carolyn Keene & Franklin W. Dixon (Ghosts of Honor) Naomi Hirahara (Toastmaster) LV 2024Nashville, Tennessee Murder & Mayhem in Music City Anthony Horowitz V.M. Burns (Cozy) Harlan Coben (Distinguished) J.T. Ellison (Local) Heather Graham (American) Mick Herron (International) Clay Stafford (Fan) Kelli Stanley (Historical) Brad Thor (Thriller) Rachel Howzell Hall (Toastmaster) LVI 2025 New Orleans Blood on the Bayou -Case Closed Craig Johnson Lisa Jewell (British) Michael Connelly (Lifetime Contribution to Genre) Brad Thor (Special) Charles Todd (Special) Jonathan Maberry (YA) Steph Cha (Thriller) Ali Karim (International Fan) Alex Segura (Toastmaster) LVII 2026 Calgary, Alberta, Canada Louise Penny Kathy Reichs (Cross-Border) Abir Mukherjee (International) Mark Greaney (novelist) (American) Jennifer Hillier (Canadian) Vicki Delany (Cozy) Kevin Sands (Kids) PJ Vernon (Toastmaster) Steele Curry (Fan Posthumously) LVIII 2027 Washington, DC Murder Most Monumental Laura Lippman S.A. Cosby (National) Martin Edwards (International) Laura Joh Rowland (National) George Pelecanos (Local)Barbara Neely (In Memoriam)Art Taylor (Toastmaster) 2028Indianapolis, IN Secrets & Suspense in Speed City2029Miami, FL Vice City Verdicts
References