
Welcome to Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention
The David Thompson Special Service Award
The David Thompson Special Service Award is given by the Bouchercon Board to honor the memory and contributions to the crime fiction community of David Thompson, a much beloved Houston bookseller who passed away in 2010. Past winners selected by the Bouchercon National Board of Directors for their “extraordinary efforts to develop and promote the crime fiction field” are:
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2025 - Lucinda Surber and Stan Ulrich
2024 - Crime Writers of Color
2023 - Sara Paretsky
2022 - Les and Leslie Blatt
2021 – Janet Rudolph
2020 – Al Abramson
2019 – Don and Jenn Longmuir
2018 – Lesa Holstine
2017 – George Easter
2016 – Otto Penzler
2015 – Bill and Toby Gottfried
2014 – Judy Bobalik
2013 – Marv Lachman
2012 – Len and June Moffatt
2011 – Ali Karim
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The award is given out each year during the Bouchercon Convention.
David Thompson


Lucinda Surber and Stan Ulrich
2025

Crime Writers of Color
Kellye Garrett, Walter Mosley, Gigi Pandian

Sara Paretsky
2023
2024

Les and Leslie Blatt
(Photo courtesy of John Bychowski)

Janet Rudolph
2021

Al Abramson
2020
2022

Jenn and Don Longmuir
(Photo Courtesy of Brody Longmuir)

Lesa Holstine
(Photo courtesy of Chris Aldrich)
George Easter
(Photo courtesy of John Bychowski)

2019
2018
2017

Bill and Toby Gottfried
(Photo courtesy of John Bychowski)
2015
Otto Penzler
(Photo courtesy of John Bychowski)
2016


Judy Bobalik
with Board Chair Dave Magayna
2014

Marv Lachman
2013

Len and June Moffatt
(Photo courtesy by Art Scott)
2012

Ali Karim