MAJOR MYSTERY PRIZES AND AWARDS
The brief descriptions of the major mystery prizes provided below illustrate the breadth and richness of the genre.
Agatha: Awarded by Malice Domestic conference for “traditional” mysteries.
American Mystery Award: Awarded by Mystery Scene magazine.
Anthony: Awarded by annual world mystery convention (Bouchercon).
Barry Award: Awarded by Deadly Pleasures magazine in honor of late fan reviewer Barry Gardner.
The Dagger Award: Awarded by the British Crime Writers’ Association, the Daggers have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over fifty years.
Derringer: Sponsored by the Short Mystery Fiction Society. Includes Best Short Story and Best Novella categories.
Edgar: Awarded by Mystery Writers of America (MWA) since 1946, it is the most famous and prestigious award in the mystery field.
Ellery Queen Award: Established by MWA in 1983 “to honor outstanding writing teams and outstanding people in the mystery-publishing industry.”
Arthur Ellis: Awarded by the Crime Writers Association of Canada.
EQMM Contest: Annual EQMM contests 1946-57 and 1962. In their time, they were considered the most prestigious awards for the mystery short story.
EQMM-CWA Contest: Contests sponsored by EQMM in 1967, 1968, and 1970—open to members of the Crime Writers Association (CWA) of England.
EQMM-MWA Contest: Contest sponsored by EQMM in 1968—open to members of MWA.
EQMM Readers Award: Annual, since 1985, selection by readers of EQMM of their favorite stories.
Robert L. Fish Award: Sponsored by the estate of the late writer (and administered by MWA), it honors the best first short story by an American author.
Macavity: Awarded by Mystery Readers International.
Derrick Murdoch Award: “A discretionary award given to outstanding contributions to the genre in Canada” by the Crime Writers Association of Canada.
Ellen Nehr Award: Sponsored by the American Crime Writers League and given for excellence in reviewing.
Outstanding Western Story: Awarded by the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center.
Oxford University Press Short Story Contest: In connection with their 1991 anthology The Oxford Book of English Detective Stories.
Raven: Awarded by MWA for “outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside of the realm of creative writing.”
Semana Negra: Awarded by annual crime workshop in Gijon, Spain.
Shamus: Awarded by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA).