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Eli Cranor



Eli Cranor played quarterback at every level: peewee to professional, and then coached high school football for five years. These days, he's traded in the pigskin for a laptop, writing from Arkansas where he lives with his wife and kids.
Over the course of his career, Eli's fiction has garnered multiple awards (2018-The Missouri Review; 2017-Greensboro Review). Along with fiction, Eli writes a nationally-syndicated sports column, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly over at Crime Reads. Eli is currently at work on his next novel. Visit elicranor.com for more information.

 

Awards: Edgar (2023)  see all

Genres: Mystery
 
New and upcoming books
Novels
   Don't Know Tough (2022)
   Ozark Dogs (2023)
   Broiler (2024)
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Awards
2023 Edgar Award for Best First Novel : Don't Know Tough

Award nominations
2024 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (shortlist) : Ozark Dogs
2024 Barry Award for Best Novel (nominee) : Ozark Dogs
2023 Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery Novel (nominee) : Don't Know Tough
2023 Barry Award for Best First Novel (nominee) : Don't Know Tough
2023 Anthony Award for Best First Novel (nominee) : Don't Know Tough


Eli Cranor recommends
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The Slip (2025)
Lucas Schaefer
"Lucas Schaefer's debut, The Slip, is a crime novel in the same way it's a boxing novel, a coming-of-age novel, a black comedy, a Greek tragedy, a full-on, Texas-sized haymaker that swings for the tallest American fences and still knocks the ball out of the park. I'm mixing metaphors now, but that's what reading The Slip does to you; it removes all boundaries."
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Bloodfeud: Raising Cain (2025)
(Lee Cain, book 1)
Martin Rooney
"Martin Rooney can flat out write. Razor-sharp prose, electrifying pacing, and a deep knowledge of what it takes to survive make BloodFeud a truly memorable read. I can't wait to see what Mr. Rooney does next."
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Saint of the Narrows Street (2025)
William Boyle
"Saint of the Narrows Street is a hundred-proof shot of tragic love. Nobody writes like William Boyle. Every character has a huge thumping heart. You can smell the skeevy bars and taste the home-cooked lasagna. Boyle deals in details, but this is a big, epic novel, and it's his best yet."

More recommendations 


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