Decker Savage hit some nerves (more likely, some hearts). His story, RISKY PURSUIT, is a 2026 Agatha Award nominee for novels written through the eyes of young people. Young people tell adults a lot about themselves, and even hint at ideas for growth. Lots of adults read YA literature.

Sarah Barley, senior editor at a new division of Macmillan, was recently hired to publish “YA books for young adults and a crossover audience,” that is, books that also appeal to adults.  Macmillan acknowledges that the line between young adult and adult books has blurred.

Penguin recently launched a young-adult-to adult imprint, Berkley XO.

Fox Entertainment Studios and HarperCollins’s just launched Avon A, which they say is “genre-spanning fiction for readers of all ages.”

Good fiction has spanned ages for a long time. When we think of books like To Kill a Mockingbird, Ordinary Grace, Little Fires Everywhere, it’s clear that certain books appeal to all-age readers. 

So while RISKY PURSUIT is written from a teen’s perspective and classified as a young-adult book, when varsity baseball player Decker Savage stumbles upon a crime and is threatened, hunted, and attacked for what he knows, his new-found knowledge affects a lot of adults. Can he stop the attacker and save those he loves while dealing with grief, fear, and loyalty? It is mystery/suspense for all age readers –  athletes, fans, parents, teachers, and coaches.

Being nominated for an Agatha Award is a real honor, and Nancy is thrilled. She’s already thinking about what Decker will face next.

Meanwhile, she’s half through a second Aggie Mundeen Lake Mystery — who hoo!  The first lake mystery, THE PLUNGE, tells how Aggie and Sam were thrust into the Guadalupe River during the 500-year flood!  

So stay tuned. I’m still in Nancy’s head. I’ll just have to learn to share space with Decker Savage. 

Resigned,

Aggie