Justice campaigner Carol Shuman has been nominated for an award for her book about the unsolved Rebecca Middleton murder case.Dr Shuman spent years researching ‘Kill Me Once…Kill Me Twice: Murder on the Queen’s Playground’.She has now found out that the book, which was independently published, has been nominated in the ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards.The awards list represents more than 350 independent publishers and the 593 finalists were selected from 1,400 entries in 56 categories.According to a press statement from ForeWord Reviews: “These books are examples of independent publishing at its finest.”‘Kill Me Once...Kill Me Twice’ features information from around 180 people including senior police, justice and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on the investigation into the rape and murder of the 17-year-old tourist from Belleville, Ontario in 1996.It contains transcripts of court and commission hearings that have never been detailed publicly before. It also analyses what, in Dr Shuman’s view, were racist and sexist aspects to the decision not to charge either of the two suspects with rape.The murder has been the focus of lengthy judicial proceedings, including appeals to the British Privy Council, but no one has ever been convicted.Dr Shuman, along with justice campaigner Rick Meens, is now in the process of appealing to the European Court of Human Rights. They are hopeful it will review the case during the course of this year.Dr Shuman’s book is one of eight books that made the final cut in the True Crime category of the awards. Winners will be determined by a panel of librarians and booksellers and will be announced in June. The winners of the two Editor’s Choice Prizes will be awarded $1,500 each and ForeWord’s Independent Publisher of the Year will also be announced.In a letter of congratulations to Dr Shuman, Rebecca Middleton’s mother, Cindy Bennett, wrote: “That is wonderful news...you have worked so hard and independently that I am sure you will get the award. I know it has been a long old haul, so the accolades are justly deserving.”Dr Shuman said of the news: “Winning, for me, doesn’t matter. I truly am a very non-competitive person, but to be a finalist is important to getting Becky’s story recognised. I only wanted to be up to the challenge in a way that she and her family deserve, and I’m very serious about that.”She said she has “no idea” how many copies the book has sold since it was published late last year.“It’s selling in England, Canada, the US and here in Bermuda,” she explained.The book can also be purchased online via www.authorhouse.com and also at www.rebeccamiddleton.org. Details of the awards are available at www.bookoftheyearawards.com.