El Dorado Hills bookstore receives award from Mystery Writers of America

What do Angela Lansbury, Alfred Hitchcock and El Dorado Hills bookstore owner Tina Ferguson have in common? They are all recipients of the Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Mystery Writers of America is the premier organization for mystery and crime writers and professionals allied to the crime-writing field. In addition to providing support and resources for its members, it is the granting organization for the prestigious Edgar and Raven Awards. The 2025 winners were announced Jan. 15. "I am utterly shocked, humbled and delighted to hear the news that Face in a Book is receiving the Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America," said owner Tina Ferguson. "We work hard to create an atmosphere of partnership with the mystery writers in our community but never expected to be honored in this way." The Raven Award recognizes outstanding achievement by non-writers and institutions deemed to have made a significant contribution to the mystery genre. Awarded since 1953, it is not bestowed every year. Previous recipients include artists like Hitchcock and Tom Lehrer and organizations including Left Coast Crime, the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress and Sisters in Crime. A handful of bookstores have received the recognition, too. Ferguson states, "All of us at Face in a Book are thrilled to be included in the ranks with outstanding bookstores like The Mystery Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego, Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis and The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since opening our doors in 2012, our goal has been to create a vibrant, welcoming space for both mystery writers and readers." Face in a Book is a hub for fans of the genre, playing host to well-established writers' meetings and successful author events. Ferguson's love for the genre is apparent in the carefully curated selection of books represented in her mystery section. "I grew up wanting to be Nancy Drew!" she said. "But I'm forever grateful that I grew up to be a bookstore owner in a community abounding with writers and readers who love a good whodunit." "Independent bookstores are the backbone of the mystery community," says Mystery Writers of America board member James L'Etoile. "On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we were thrilled to select Face in a Book as this year's Raven Award recipient. Tina Ferguson, Janis Herbert and the staff go above and beyond to support the writing community. Face in a Book is so much more than a bookstore – it's become a place of learning, engaging and celebrating all things mystery. We couldn't be happier with this year's recognition of Face in a Book." The awards ceremony will be May 1 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square New York, where Ferguson will receive the Raven Award alongside the 2025 Grand Masters Laura Lippman and John Sandford.