As a result of winning the Private Eye Writers of America 2022 Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel, I was invited to be a judge (along with two other individuals) for this year's competition for Best Original Paperback PI Novel. Of course, I didn't know what to expect, but eventually 35 novels arrived in my mailbox during February and March. Holy smokes! Now I have a sense of what publishers face every single week, as manuscripts from aspiring authors show up in their real or virtual mailboxes. In any event, being a part of this year's competition has been an interesting experience, in that I have gotten to read a LOT of good books, but in the end my fellow judges and I will have to pick five finalists, which will be announced at the end of May, and a winner, whose entry will be announced later this summer. I can't wait to see whose book comes out on top (and yes, I have my own favorite)!