The coveted Lovey Award, a block of marble inscribed with Love is Murder, which is awarded to the best of show at the Love is Murder conference, the largest Writers-Readers mystery, suspense, romance, horror, science fiction, and thriller conference in Chicago was won by Robert for Best Historical Novel of 2007.

The win is for SHADOWS IN THE WHITE CITY, the center piece of the Inspector Alastair Ransom series begun with CITY FOR RANSOM and prequel to CITY OF THE ABSENT.  The trilogy itself has had high praise from the Chicago Tribune which says, " Walker combines Mark Twain's wit, Charles Dickens' social consciousness, and Edgar Allen Poe's ghoulish atmosphere."  High praise for the series has also come from three Chicago historians and award-winning authors.

Rob also won the Lovey Award several years ago for UNNATURAL INSTINCT in the thriller category.