April 24, 2009, Ottawa. Nadine Doolittle, author of Iced Under (Bayeux Arts / Gondolier) and John C. Goodman, Talking to Wendigo (Turnstone) have both been nominated for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel for the year 2008.

In a press release issued yesterday by the Crime Writers of Canada - organizers of the Arthur Ellis Awards, the full list of nominees for the 26th edition of the annual prize were announced. The prizes honour the best Canadian crime and mystery writing for the year.

The winners will be announced on June 4, 2009 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

The awards are named after Arthur Ellis, the psuedonym of Canada's former official hangman. The award is a wooden model of a hanged man, with moveable arms and legs.