Gramercy Book Club February Selection is THE AWARD by Matthew Pearl!

Gramercy Book Club’s February pick is , an irreverent and propulsive story about a young writer trying to make his way through a cutthroat literary scene that turns deadly. Crime novelist Andrew Welsh-Huggins will facilitate the group discussion and interview author Matthew Pearl who will join via Zoom in the latter portion of the evening.

A ticket to this program includes a copy of THE AWARD. It is strongly encouraged that registrants read the book prior to the program.

BUCKEYE CRIME WRITERS is Gramercy’s Community Partner for this program.

The author of Save Our Souls and The Dante Club, Matthew Pearl, makes his eagerly awaited return to fiction with this irreverent and propulsive novel about a young writer trying to make his way through a cutthroat literary scene that turns deadly.

David Trent is an aspiring novelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, trying to navigate his ambitions in a place that has writers around every corner.

He lives in an apartment above a Very Famous Author named Silas Hale who, beneath his celebrated image, is a bombastic, vindictive monster who refuses to allow his new neighbor even to make eye contact with him.

Until young David wins a prestigious award for his new book.

Suddenly Silas is interested—if intensely spiteful.

But soon, the administrator of the award comes to David with alarming news, forcing the writer into a desperate set of choices.

Fate intervenes—with shocking consequences. . ..

With the wit and psychological wisdom of The Plot and The Winner, The Award is a timely, razor-sharp, and unputdownable novel about writing groups, publishing, ambition, human foibles, and the dangerous things we will do to get ahead.

Matthew Pearl’s books have been international and New York Times bestsellers and have been translated into more than thirty languages. His nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and Slate, and he edits Truly*Adventurous magazine. He has been chosen as Best Author in Boston magazine's “Best of Boston” issue and received the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction. He lived in the Boston area for many years and now lives in Florida.

Crime writer Andrew Welsh-Huggins is the author of more than a dozen novels, including the critically acclaimed thriller, The Mailman, and the Shamus Award-nominated Andy Hayes private eye series. Andrew also edited the anthology Columbus Noir, and his short stories have appeared in multiple magazines and anthologies, including The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021, 2024, and 2025. His nonfiction title, No Winners Here Tonight, is the definitive history of the death penalty in Ohio.

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