Lynn Slaughter wins NYC Big Book Award for 'Death in the End Zone'

Lynn Slaughter’s mystery novel Death in the End Zone won the 2026 NYC Big Book Award in the Mystery category. The honor adds to her growing award record and comes ahead of a slate of book events in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Why it matters: - The NYC Big Book Award is an international prize that can widen a book’s visibility with readers, booksellers, and publishers. - Slaughter’s win reinforces her profile as a mystery writer with repeat recognition from the same competition. - The award can also help drive attention to her upcoming appearances at author events this fall.

What happened: - Lynn Slaughter’s novel Death in the End Zone won the Mystery category in the 2026 NYC Big Book Award. - The announcement was made Sept. 23, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky. - Slaughter said recognition from the panel of industry professionals was “an absolute honor” and that readers and judges connected with Death in the End Zone.

The details: - The NYC Big Book Award is judged by publishers, writers, editors, booksellers, librarians, and copywriters. - The award field included international entries from authors and publishers across multiple countries and cities. - This year’s entries came from the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. - Cities represented included Auckland, Baltimore, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hollywood, Johannesburg, Manhattan Beach, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Sydney, and West Palm Beach. - Participating publishers included Melange Books, Beacon Press, Berrett-Koehler, Casemate, Edinburgh University Press, Forbes Books, Kiplinger Books, NYU Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Rizzoli, Routledge, The White House Historical Association, University of California Press, University of Nebraska Press, Weaving Influence Press, and Wiley. - Awards sponsor Gabby Olczak said the organization had “an amazing list of authors” and was excited to share the books with a worldwide readership. - Slaughter previously won two other NYC Big Book Awards. - In 2024, Missed Cue won top prize in the competition, and the book’s winner page is available here. - In 2023, Deadly Setup also won in the competition, with its winner page available here.

Between the lines: - The repeat wins suggest Slaughter has built durable recognition inside a competition that draws major publishers and first-time indie authors alike. - The broad international entry list shows the award’s value as a signaling platform, not just a trophy. - Slaughter’s background in dance, adolescent-focused teaching, and young adult writing helps explain the character-driven focus behind her fiction, even though those details come from her own biography rather than the award itself.

What's next: - Slaughter is scheduled to appear at SCBWI’s Midwest Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sept. 26-27, 2026. - She will join a Writing for Young Readers panel on Oct. 24, 2026, sponsored by the U of L Women’s Center in partnership with the Louisville Book Festival. - She is also set for the Bards & Friends Area Authors Book Sale on Nov. 7, 2026, at Hardin County Public Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Another appearance is set for Nov. 14, 2026, at Autumn Among the Authors at Crume Haven Winery in Mt. Washington, Kentucky, from 12-3 p.m. - The NYC Big Book Award says winners are announced each fall, with an awards dinner planned for April 10, 2027, during BookCAMP on April 9-10, 2027.

The bottom line: - Death in the End Zone gives Lynn Slaughter another major credential in a competition she has now won three times.