I am absolutely stoked to report that The Hound of Justice is a finalist for the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards, for Best Lesbian Mystery. (Pause for lots of excited squeaking) As you may recall, the first book in the series (A Study in Honor) won the award last year, so I am extra pleased that this second entry made the list.
You can find the complete list of finalists here.
2019 marks the first year where I’ve had two novels released in a single year. Both books are available in both electronic and print form. If you’re reading for awards and need a copy, please let me know.
The Hound of Justice (Harper Voyager, July 2019) is the second book in The Janet Watson Chronicles, set in a near future US divided by a second civil war. The first entry in the series, A Study in Honor, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery. In Hound of Justice, a drone kills fifty people and injures hundreds more, and people speculate on a potential presidential assassination. Holmes and Watson are reunited to unravel a plot that has been concocted by one of the greatest enemies they have ever faced.
“O’Dell movingly portrays a proud woman struggling to regain her professional skills in a country still plagued by racism. Readers will hope this inventive series has a long run.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A Jewel Bright Sea (Rebel Base Books, September 2019) is the first book in Mage and Empire, an epic fantasy series set in the same world as the award-winning River of Souls trilogy. It was her talent for tracking magic that got Anna Zhdanov sent to catch a thief. A scholar’s daughter sold as a bonded servant, she has no desire to recover the Emperor’s jewel for herself. But a chance to earn her freedom has driven her to the untamed Eddalyon province, awash with warm breezes, lapping waves, and more danger than she could possibly guess.
“This is a fast-paced sword-and-sorcery pirate adventure filled with magic and double-dealing and high stakes for the characters, and I enjoyed it a lot.”
—Martha Wells, New York Times bestselling author
I am utterly stoked to report that A Study in Honor is a finalist in the 31st Lambda Literary Awards. See the full list of finalists here.
A Study in Honor came out in July 2018 from Harper Voyager. It’s a feminist re-imagining of Watson and Holmes, set in a near future US divided by a second civil war, and I think it’s the best book I’ve written so far. Here’s what others are saying:
“In this intriguing and fresh twist on the Sherlock Holmes mythos, O’Dell brings a heady mix of dystopian sf and strong female protagonists in the first of a new series.” — Library Journal
“O’Dell has crafted an adventure for the 21st century, a raw, wounded time that requires a main character as torn asunder as the environment around her.” — Barnes & Nobles Favorite Sci-Fi Fantasy of 2018
“If you like dystopian future narratives, queer romance, and Sherlock Holmes, you’ll adore A Study in Honor.” — LitHub
“This is a real treat for fans of Conan Doyle and SF mysteries.” — Publishers Weekly
“A Study in Honor turns out to be one of those books I find impossible to put down. I want the sequel immediately.” — Tor.com
So, if you’re nominating or voting for the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, or other awards, please remember A Study in Honor and consider putting it on your ballot.
Many thanks.
