New Zealand author Jacqueline Bublitz won the Best Novel and Best First Novel categories at the 2022 Ngaio Marsh Awards, for her debut Before I know my name (TO).
The judges said Bublitz’s novel, which is the first to win both categories of the award, was “beautifully heartbreaking, stylishly written and boldly pushing the boundaries of detective fiction”.
‘Bublitz delivers a seductive tale with great characterization: Alice and Ruby are wonderful. This is a tragic yet heartwarming crime novel that gives victims agency and a voice.
“It’s a remarkable achievement by Jacqueline,” Ngaio Marsh Awards founder Craig Sisterson said of Bublitz’s double win, “especially given the strength of the Best Novel category this year, which included former Ngaios laureates in [Paul] Cleave and RWR McDonald, four-time runner-up in Ben Sanders, twice on the Ockhams’ long list in Kirsten McDougall and multiple times New York Times Nalini Singh’s bestseller. Our judges really loved so many different books, it was a tough decision.
Bublitz, whose book was chosen from the shortlists announced earlier this month, received the awards at a special event at the Christchurch Word Writers’ Festival on September 15. Before I know my name also won General Fiction Book of the Year at the ABIA Awards, Debut Crime and Readers’ Choice Awards at the Davitt Awards and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger United Kingdom.
Category: Awards Local News
