Shamus Awards
The premier award for private eye fiction, honoring the best in PI and detective stories as selected by the Private Eye Writers of America.
About the Shamus Awards
The Shamus Awards honor excellence in private eye fiction and are presented annually by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA). Named after the slang term for private detective, the awards recognize the best in a genre that traces its roots to iconic figures like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe.
Founded in 1982, the PWA brings together writers, readers, and fans of private eye fiction. The Shamus Awards celebrate both the hardboiled tradition and contemporary interpretations of the private investigator story.
Categories
- Best Hardcover Novel - PI novel in hardcover format
- Best Original Paperback - PI novel first published as paperback
- Best First PI Novel - Debut private eye novel
- Best PI Short Story - Short fiction featuring a PI
- Hammer Award - Lifetime achievement in PI fiction
Eligibility Requirements
Works must feature a private investigator as the central character. The PI may be professional or amateur but must be functioning in an investigative capacity. Works must be published in the United States during the eligibility year. PWA members nominate and vote for winners.
Recent Shamus Award Winners - Best Hardcover Novel
| Year | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | The Lost and the Dead | Rob Hart |
| 2023 | Down the Hatch | M.C. Beaton |
| 2022 | Clark and Division | Naomi Hirahara |
| 2021 | Trouble Is What I Do | Walter Mosley |
| 2020 | The Bitterroots | C.J. Box |
| 2019 | The Wrong Side of Goodbye | Michael Connelly |
| 2018 | Old Bones | Trudy Nan Boyce |
| 2017 | The Wrong Side of Goodbye | Michael Connelly |
| 2016 | The Promise | Robert Crais |
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies as "private eye fiction"?
The protagonist must be a private investigator, either professional or amateur, who takes on cases and conducts investigations. The character should be functioning primarily as a detective, not just incidentally solving a crime.
Must the author be a PWA member?
No, the author does not need to be a PWA member for their work to be eligible. However, PWA members nominate and vote for the awards.
What is the Hammer Award?
The Hammer Award (named after Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer character) is the PWA's lifetime achievement award, honoring an author's body of work in the private eye genre.
Are amateur detective novels eligible?
Yes, as long as the amateur is functioning as an investigator in the story. The distinction from "cozy" mysteries is that PI fiction typically has a grittier, more hardboiled tone.