Novelist with Local Ties Nominated for Award

Novelist Brad Parks may have moved to Virginia, but we will never let him forget that he lived in Maplewood for nine years—particularly if he continues to become more famous and starts piling up the literay hardware in terms of awards.

Parks, who visited Maplewood's Words bookstore for a signing event in December, has just been named among three finalists for the prestigious Nero Award for his novel "Faces of the Gone." The Nero Awards, by the way, celebrate literary excellence in the mystery genre.

A former Star-Ledger reporter, Parks parlayed his days on the city desk in Newark covering homicides into his first novel. The effort garnered some nice reviews, including a glowing testimonial from Harlan Coben and a thumbs-up from Patch. Recent past winners of the Nero Award include Michael Connelly, Laura Lippman and Lee Child.

"The list of Nero Award-winners reads like a who's-who in the whodunit business," Parks said. "It's a great honor to be nominated."

The award borrows its name from Nero Wolfe, the protagonist in 72 mysteries by legendary mystery author Rex Stout.  It is given annually at the Black Orchid Banquet in New York City by the Wolfe Pack, a literary society that celebrates all things Nero Wolfe.

The Library Journal hailed the book as "the most hilariously funny and deadly serious mystery debut since Janet Evanovich." Yes, it's funny and bloody—what we like to call "yucks and yuck."

The other nominees for the 2010 award are "The Fleet Street Murders" by Charles Finch and "Crack in the Lens" by Steve Hockensmith. The winner will be announced in December 2010.