Short and Sweet

Since 1998, the Short Mystery Fiction Society has awarded the annual Derringers—named after the popular pocket pistol—to outstanding published stories and people who've greatly advanced or supported the form. The 2023 finalists were announced this weekend, with winners to be voted on by the SMFS membership and announced on May 1. Congrats to all!

Best Flash (Up to 1,000 words)

Catch and Release, by April Kelly
Acknowledgments, by Karen Harrington
Easter Spam, by John Weagly
The Final Chapter, by James Blakey
Where Palms Sway and the Surf Pounds, by Curtis Ippolito

Best Short (1,001 to 4,000)

Double Trouble, by John Bowie
Hiding Out in Cedar Key, by Sharon Marchisello
The Shape of Australia, by Christine Poulson
My Two-Legs, by Melissa Yuan-Innes
Digging In, by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Best Long (4,001 to 8,000)

The Vigil, by Toni Goodyear
Tethered, by Marcelle Dubé
The White Calf and the Wind, by Mike Adamson
The Donovan Gang, by John M. Floyd
Negative Tilt, by Bobby Mathews
Something Blue, by G.M. Malliet

Best Novelette (8,001 to 20,000)

The Wraith of Bunker Hill, by Paul D. Marks
Two Shrimp Tacos and a .22 Ruger, by Adam Meyer
Dead Men Tell No Tales, by Liz Filleul
The Refusal Camp, by James Benn
Ripen, by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier

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