The Drood Review and Crimespree Magazine announce that nominations are now open for this year's Ross Thomas Prize, given annually to the best first line in a thriller or mystery novel. This year's contest will include a significantly expanded panel of judges, and is expected to attract over a thousand entries.

Nominations must be made at http://www.themysterycompany.com/firstline/firstline.htm by July 1, 2006. The first lines of all novels published in the English language in the calendar year 2005 are eligible, including hard covers, paperbacks, and electronic novels released by commercial presses or self-published. Nominations can be made by readers, publishers, publicists, agents, and authors. Authors are encouraged to nominate their own work.

A short list of finalists will be announced August 1, and the winner will be announced September 28, 2006, at Bouchercon in Madison, Wisconsin. Judges this year include librarians, critics, booksellers, authors and industry experts. Among those serving are Lee Child, Laura Lippman, Bleak House Books' Ben Leroy, Raymond Kearney, Cara Black, Sarah Weinman, Maggie Griffin, and David Montgomery, plus many others.

Last year's winner was Jennifer Apodaca of Los Angeles for the first line of Ninja Soccer Moms: "The thing about revenge is it takes a woman who is well and truly pissed to get it right."

The Ross Thomas Prize is given with permission of Ross Thomas's widow, Rosalie.