The nominees for the Edgar Awards were announced, as is traditional, on Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, which is, of course, today. (Side note: Will you be bringing roses and cognac to his grave?) Twin Cities (and World) author Neil Gaiman found out this morning on Twitter that his short story, "A Study in Sherlock," has been nominated for best short story. He Tweeted his gratitude: "Best thing to learn from Twitter on waking. I've never had a story nominated for an Edgar, and I am thrilled. Thank you world & Mr Holmes."

If he wins, he can just put that Edgar up on the shelf next to all of his Newberys and Hugos and what-have-you.

Other nominees include Ace Atkins for "The Ranger," Mo Hayder for "Gone," Lori Roy for "Bent Road," Candice Millard for "Destiny of the Republic," a nonfiction account of the death of President James A. Garfield, and a whole host of others. The full list can be found here, and winners will be announced April 26.

(Our reviews of "The Ranger," and "Bent Road" can be found here.)

The Raven Award for best bookstore will go to M is for Mystery in San Mateo, Calif. It's a great bookstore (I heard Martha Grimes read there some years back) but our hearts here are with last year's winners, of course, the folks at Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis.