The Australian Crime Writers Association has announced the shortlists for the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards, and Fiona Hardy’s Unbury the Dead (Affirm Press) has been nominated in the Best Crime Fiction category!

The Ned Kelly Awards are Australia’s oldest and most prestigious recognition honouring published crime fiction and true crime writing, for books published in the 12 months prior to 1 March each year. The Awards began in 1995 after a group of crime writers, academics, publishers and journalists hatched the plan over a long lunch. Among those present were Peter Milne from Abbey’s bookshop, academic Noel King, crime novelist John Dale and Stuart Coupe, journalist and co founder/co editor of Mean Streets crime magazine. The first awards were given in 1996.

Fiona Hardy’s Unbury the Dead is a superbly fresh and pacey high-stakes drama with two irresistible heroines, Teddy & Alice. It is Fiona’s debut adult fiction novel, having been a long-time reviewer of crime fiction for her employer Readings Bookstore, and having previously published middle-grade contemporary books for children, also with Affirm Press.

It was recently revealed that Affirm Press (now an imprint of Simon & Schuster) have acquired more books in the Teddy & Alice series, with Books 2 and 3 due 2026 and 2027. Fiona said of her characters now being part of an ongoing series; ‘I am really thrilled to be back in Teddy and Alice’s morally grey world and sending them into many more fights and shenanigans. To keep me going I’m remembering all the nice things people have said about Unbury (“tour de force”, “criminally good”, “masterful”, “why did you kill [redacted]”, “a lot of swearing”).’

The Ned Kelly Award winners are typically announced in September.

Heartiest of congratulations to Fiona!