Mystery & Crime Fiction Awards
The definitive guide to awards for mystery writers. From cozy mysteries to hardboiled crime fiction, find competitions for your detective novels and thrillers.
About Mystery Book Awards
Mystery and crime fiction has one of the most established award systems in genre fiction. The Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Awards, named after Edgar Allan Poe, are considered the genre's highest honor. Other major awards include the Agatha Awards (for traditional mysteries), Anthony Awards (fan-voted), and Shamus Awards (for private eye fiction).
These awards cover all subgenres: cozy mysteries, police procedurals, hardboiled detective fiction, psychological thrillers, legal thrillers, and more.
Major Mystery Awards
Edgar Awards
The most prestigious mystery award, presented by Mystery Writers of America. Multiple categories including Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Paperback Original.
Agatha Awards
Named after Agatha Christie, honoring traditional mysteries (no explicit sex or violence). Presented at Malice Domestic conference.
Anthony Awards
Fan-voted awards presented at Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. Named after Anthony Boucher.
Shamus Awards
Presented by Private Eye Writers of America for fiction featuring a private eye as the protagonist.
Macavity Awards
Named after the mystery cat in T.S. Eliot's poems. Voted on by members of Mystery Readers International.
UK & International Mystery Awards
CWA Gold Dagger
Presented by the Crime Writers' Association for the best crime novel of the year. UK's premier crime fiction award.
Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year
Popular UK crime fiction award presented at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival.
Ned Kelly Awards
Australian crime fiction awards named after the famous outlaw.
Thriller & Suspense Awards
First Mystery Novel Awards
Mystery Awards FAQ
What is the most prestigious mystery award?
The Edgar Awards, presented by the Mystery Writers of America, are widely considered the most prestigious mystery awards. The CWA Gold Dagger is the UK equivalent.
What's the difference between Edgar and Agatha Awards?
Edgar Awards cover all mystery subgenres, while Agatha Awards specifically honor traditional mysteries without explicit sex or violence (often called "cozy mysteries").
Can self-published mysteries win major awards?
Most major mystery awards now accept self-published works. The Edgar Awards, for example, accept books from any publishing path that meets their distribution requirements.
When are mystery award submission deadlines?
Most mystery awards have submission deadlines in late fall for books published during the calendar year. Edgar submissions typically close November 30, Agatha submissions in January.