Monday morning trivia!  Which author is widely considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre?  Some clues: he was born in Boston in 1809, is one of the first American authors to earn a living as a writer, his most famous poem is the title of a current movie with John Cusack, and even his death is somewhat of a mystery as he was found delirious and distressed in Baltimore wearing another man’s clothes.  All medical records were lost but it is said his final words were “Lord help my poor soul.”  Who was this tortured man?  Why, Edgar Allan Poe, of course.

So isn’t it fitting that the most prestigious awards in the mystery genre are known as the Edgars®?  We’re excited to share the news that one of our very own, Matthew J. Kirby, is the most recent recipient of this honor.  His novel, Icefall, won for Best Juvenile.  The story takes you on the adventure of Sloveig, a princess who is forced to spend her winter hiding from her father’s enemies.  With her siblings and father’s trusted soldiers, she must find out who is the traitor among them before it is too late and her kingdom is lost.  So as the weather gets warmer, and you may need to cool off, pick up this book!

I’ve been reading mysteries since Nancy Drew so it is awesome to know that more and more brilliant novels in the genre are still coming for readers of all ages.  Congrats, Matthew!

Matthew is one of the authors working on Infinity Ring, and we also had the pleasure of his company last year, when he stopped by to be interviewed in our 5 Questions video. Check ‘em out!