Cold Water Burning was one of five nominees for the Shamus Award for best private investigator novel of 2001.

John Straley's The Woman Who Married a Bear won the Shamus award in 1993 for best first private investigator novel.

The Shamus Award is given by the Private Eye Writers of America to honor excellent work in the Private Eye genre.The award was created by Robert J. Randisi in 1981. Committee members of PWA select nominees and winners, much in the same way as the Edgars are chosen. Past Shamus Award winners and nominees include Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais, Earl Emerson, Dick Francis, and Sue Grafton.