Thriller Awards

2025

Best Standalone Thriller
*	The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak [review]
°	The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle [review]
°	The Chamber by Will Dean
°	Worst Case Senario by T.J. Newman
°	The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline

Best Standalone Mystery
*	Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett [review]
°	Negative Girl by Libby Cudmore
°	The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave [review]
°	The Life and Death of Rose Doucette by Harry Hunsicker
°	What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
°	Lake County by Lori Roy

Best Series Novel
*	To Die For by David Baldacci
°	The Last Few Miles of Road by Eric Beetner
°	The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves
°	Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner
°	Flashback by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen
°	A Forgotten Kill by Isabella Maldonado

Best First Novel
*	Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney [review]
°	Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody
°	After Image by Jaime deBlanc [review]
°	The Astrology House by Carinn Jade [review]
°	Blood in the Cut by Alejandro Nodarse [review]

Best Audiobook
*	No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall, narrated by Karissa Vacker
°	Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth, narrated by Jessica Clarke
°	Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom, narrated by Jon Lindstrom
°	Beyond All Doubt by Hilton Reed, narrated by George Newbern
°	Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, narrated by January LaVoy & Will Damron

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Darkley by Marisha Pessl
°	Influencer by Adam Cesare
°	The Other Lola by Ripley Jones
°	49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards
°	Girls Like Her by Melanie Sumrow

Best Short Story
*	“Jackrabbit Skin” by Ivy Pochoda
°	“Not a Dinner Party Person” by Stefanie Leder
°	“Double Parked” by Twist Phelan
°	“The Doll's House” by Lisa Unger
°	“And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome” by Joseph S. Walker

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2024

Best Novel
*	All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby [review]
°	Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni [review]
°	It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison
°	The Secret Hours by Mick Herron [review]
°	Fixit by Joe Ide
°	The Drift by C.J. Tudor

Best First Novel
*	The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry [review]
°	The Golden Gate by Amy Chua [review]
°	Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy [review]
°	Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne
°	Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas
°	Hide by Tracy Clark [review]
°	TThe Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
°	To Die For by Lisa Gray
°	Cave 13 by Jonathan Maberry
°	Call the Dark by J. Todd Scott

Best Short Story
*	“Unknown Caller” by Lisa Unger
°	“Slot Machine Fever Dreams” by Chris Bohjalian
°	“These Cold Strangers” by J.T. Ellison
°	“An Honorable Choice” by Smita Harish Jain
°	“Rush Hour” by Richard Santos
°	“One Night in 1965” by Stacy Woodson

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
°	Red as Blood by Sorboni Banerjee & Dominique Richardson
°	Where He Can’t Find You by Darcy Coates
°	Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
°	Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah

Best eBook Original Novel
*	The Killing Room by Robert Swartwood
°	The Vulture Fund by Jeff Buick
°	The Bigamist by Rona Halsall
°	A Good Rush of Blood by Matt Phillips
°	Close Her Eyes by Lisa Regan
°	The In-Laws by Laura Wolfe

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2023

Best Novel
*	Sundial by Catriona Ward
°	The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson
°	Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier
°	The Fervor by Alma Katsu
°	The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon [review]
°	Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone [review]

Best First Novel
*	The Resemblance by Lauren Nossett [review]
°	Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild [review]
°	Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor [review]
°	A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
°	The Fields by Erin Young [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
°	The Lies I Told by Mary Burton
°	No Place to Run by Mark Edwards
°	Unmissing by Minka Kent
°	Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris [review]
°	The Couple Upstairs by Holly Wainwright
°	The Patient’s Secret by Loreth Anne White

Best Short Story
*	“Stockholm” by Catherine Steadman Amazon Original Stories
°	“Russian for Beginners” by Dominique Bibeau Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2022
°	“The Gift” by Barb Goffman Land of 10,000 Thrills
°	“Publish or Perish” by Smita Harish Jain Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2022
°	“33 Clues Into the Disappearance of My Sister” by Joyce Carol Oates Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2022
°	“Schrödinger, Cat” by Anna Scotti Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2022

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Daughter by Kate McLaughlin
°	Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
°	Sugaring Off by Gillian French
°	What’s Coming to Me by Francesca Padilla
°	I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers

Best eBook Original Novel
*	The Couple at Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey
°	Evasive Species by Bill Byrnes
°	The Seven Truths of Hannah Baxter by Grant McKenzie
°	The Hollow Place by Rick Mofina
°	Fatal Rounds by Carrie Rubin

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2022

Best Novel
*	Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby [review]
°	The Turnout by Megan Abbott [review]
°	Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney [review]
°	These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall [review]
°	Red Widow by Alma Katsu [review]
°	I Am Not Who You Think I Am by Eric Rickstad

Best First Novel
*	My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa [review]
°	Girl A by Abigail Dean [review]
°	Repentance by Eloísa Díaz
°	Damascus Station by David McCloskey [review]
°	Bones of Hilo by Eric Redman

Best Paperback Original
*	Bloodline by Jess Lourey
°	Flight Risk by Joy Castro
°	Under Color of Law by Aaron Philip Clark
°	The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke [review]
°	My Mistress’ Eyes Are Raven Black by Terry Roberts

Best Short Story
*	“The Lemonade Stand” by Scott Loring Sanders Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Not My Cross to Bear” by S.A. Cosby Down & Out Books
°	“Demon in the Depths” by William Burton McCormick Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“The Interpreter and the Killer” by Jeff Soloway Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Bad Chemistry” by John Wimer Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Best Young Adult Novel
*	The Project by Courtney Summers
°	The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
°	Calculated by Nova McBee
°	Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain
°	House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Best eBook Original Novel
*	Blood Parish by E.J. Findorff
°	The Dark Side: Alex Hunter 9 by Greig Beck
°	Where the Wicked Tread by John Connell
°	Little Girl Taken by Wendy Dranfield
°	Mother May I by S.E. Green
°	Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan
°	Last One Alive by Karin Nordin

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2021

Best Novel
*	Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby [review]
°	Hi Five by Joe Ide
°	The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman [review]
°	These Women by Ivy Pochoda [review]
°	Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger [review]

Best First Novel
*	Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden [review]
°	The Opium Prince by Jasmine Aimaq [review]
°	Without Sanction by Don Bentley [review]
°	The Bluffs by Kyle Perry
°	Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
°	When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole [review]
°	Unknown 9: Genesis by Layton Green
°	The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne
°	Either Side of Midnight by Benjamin Stevenson

Best Short Story
*	“Rent Due” by Alan Orloff Down & Out Books
°	“The Death and Carnage Boy” by Steve Hockensmith Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Slow Burner” by Laura Lippman Amazon Original Stories
°	“Dog Eat Dog” by Elaine Viets Untreed Reads
°	“The Mailman” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins Down & Out Books

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos
°	Last Girls by Demetra Brodsky
°	I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
°	Teen Killers Club by Lily Sparks
°	The Distant Dead by Heather Young [review]

Best eBook Original Novel
*	A Killing Game by Jeff Buick
°	Avenue of Thieves by Sean Black
°	Full Metal Jack by Diane Capri
°	Monkok Station by Jake Needham
°	No Hesitation by Kirk Russell

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2020

Best Novel
*	The Chain by Adrian McKinty [review]
°	One Good Deed by David Baldacci
°	Rag and Bone by Joe Clifford
°	Recursion by Blake Crouch
°	They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall
°	Conviction by Denise Mina

Best First Novel
*	Miracle Creek by Angie Kim [review]
°	My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing [review]
°	The Good Detective by John McMahon [review]
°	The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides [review]
°	American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan [review]
°	Girl Most Likely by Max Allan Collins
°	Never Look Back by Alison Gaylin
°	Jihadi Bride by Alastair Luft
°	The Bird Boys by Lisa Sandlin [review]
°	Such a Perfect Wife by Kate White

Best Short Story
*	“The Long-Term Tenant” by Tara Laskowski Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Turistas” by Hector Acosta Down & Out Books
°	“Call Me Chuckles” by Michael Cowgill Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Snow Job” by Lia Matera Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Fathers-in-Law” by Twist Phelan Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan
°	Seven Ways to Get Rid of Harry by Jen Conley
°	Catfishing on Catnet by Naomi Kritzer [review]
°	We Speak in Storms by Natalie Lund
°	Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

Best eBook Original Novel
*	Close to You by Kerry Wilkinson
°	Night Man by Brett Battles
°	The Deep Abiding by Sean Black
°	Murder Board by Brian Shea
°	Leave No Stone by LynDee Walker

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2019

Best Novel
*	Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier [review]
°	November Road by Lou Berney [review]
°	Paper Ghosts by Julia Heaberlin [review]
°	Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
°	The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Best First Novel
*	The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor [review]
°	The Terminal List by Jack Carr
°	Need To Know by Karen Cleveland [review]
°	Caged by Ellison Cooper
°	Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	The Lost Man by Jane Harper [review]
°	The Good Samaritan by John Marrs
°	The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne
°	Gone Dark by Kirk Russell
°	Mister Tender’s Girl by Carter Wilson

Best Short Story
*	“Nana” by Helen Smith Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #2
°	“The Victims’ Club” by Jeffery Deaver Amazon Original Stories
°	“10,432 Serial Killers (In Hell)” by Emily Devenport Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
°	“Window to the Soul” by Scott Loring Sanders Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Tough Guy Ballet” by Duane Swierczynski For the Sake of the Game: Stories Inspired by the Sherlock Holmes Canon

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black
°	The Lies They Tell by Gillian French
°	Warcross by Marie Lu
°	People Like Us by Dana Mele
°	The Perfect Candidate by Peter Stone

Best eBook Original Novel
*	Pray for the Innocent by Alan Orloff
°	Murder on the Marshes by Clare Chase
°	Executive Force by Gary Grossman
°	The Reunion by Samantha Hayes
°	The Memory Detective by T.S. Nichols

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2018

Best Novel
*	Final Girls by Riley Sager
°	Ill Will by Dan Chaon
°	The Long Drop by Denise Mina
°	The Breakdown by B.A. Paris [review]
°	Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips [review]

Best First Novel
*	The Freedom Broker by K.J. Howe [review]
°	Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb
°	Ragdoll by Daniel Cole [review]
°	The Red Line by Walt Gragg
°	The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	Grievance by Christine Bell
°	Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
°	The Resurrector by Layton Green
°	Police at the Station and They Don’t Look Friendly by Adrian McKinty
°	The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day

Best Short Story
*	“Charcoal and Cherry” by Zoë Z. Dean Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Too Much Time” by Lee Child No Middle Name: The Complete Collected Jack Reacher Short Stories
°	“What Could Possibly Go Boing?” by Mat Coward Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“The Kill Switch” by Willy Vlautin
°	“Test Drive” by Ben H. Winters

Best Young Adult Novel
*	The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz
°	The Boy She Left Behind by Gregg Olsen
°	To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough
°	The Delphi Effect by Rysa Walker
°	Proof of Lies by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Best eBook Original Novel
*	Second Chance by Sean Black
°	Ressurection America by Jeff Gunhus
°	Trojan by Alan McDermott
°	Witness by Caroline Mitchell
°	A Fragile Thing by Kevin Wignall

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2017

Best Novel
*	Before the Fall by Noah Hawley [review]
°	You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott [review]
°	Where It Hurts by Reed Farrel Coleman [review]
°	Arrowood by Laura McHugh [review]
°	Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters [review]

Best First Novel
*	The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie [review]
°	Deadly Kiss by Bob Bickford
°	Type & Cross by J.L. Delozier
°	Recall by David McCaleb
°	Palindrome by E.Z. Rinsky

Best Paperback Original
*	The Body Reader by Anne Frasier
°	In the Clearing by Robert Dugoni
°	The Minoan Cipher by Paul Kemprecos
°	Kill Switch by Jonathan Maberry
°	Salvage by Stephen Maher

Best Short Story
*	“Big Momma” by Joyce Carol Oates Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“The Business of Death” by Eric Beetner Unloaded: Crime Writers Writing Without Guns
°	“The Peter Rabbit Killers” by Laura Benedict Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“The Man from Away” by Brendan DuBois Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Parallel Play” by Art Taylor Chesapeake Crimes: Storm Warning

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Steeplejack by A.J. Hartley [review]
°	Morning Star by Pierce Brown
°	Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano
°	Thieving Weasels by Billy Taylor
°	The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

Best eBook Original Novel
*	Romeo’s Way by James Scott Bell
°	The Edge of Alone by Sean Black
°	Untouchable by Sibel Hodge
°	Destroyer of Worlds by J.F. Penn
°	Breaker by Richard Thomas

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2016

Best Novel
*	The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell
°	Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen [review]
°	The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins [review]
°	Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell [review]
°	Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Best First Novel
*	Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich [review]
°	Little Black Lies by Sandra Block [review]
°	The Drowning Game by LS Hawker
°	What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan [review]
°	The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	Against All Enemies by John Gilstrap
°	Day Zero by Marc Cameron
°	Name of the Devil by Andrew Mayne
°	The Angel of Eden by D.J. McIntosh
°	Pockets of Darkness by Jean Rabe

Best Short Story
*	“Gun Accident: An Investigation” by Joyce Carol Oates Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Feeding the Crocodile” by Reed Farrel Coleman Jewish Noir
°	“Repressed” by Jeffrey Deaver
°	“The Water Was Rising” by Sharon Hunt Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“El Cambalache” by Terrence McCauley Thuglit, Issue 17

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Pretending to Be Erica by Michelle Painchaud [review]
°	Code of Honor by Alan Gratz
°	The Forgetting by Nicole Maggi
°	Half In Love With Death by Emily Ross
°	The Dogs by Allan Stratton [review]

Best eBook Original
*	The Prisoner’s Gold by Chris Kuzneski
°	Jack and Joe by Diane Capri
°	Deadly Lullaby by Robert McClure
°	Ivory Ghosts by Caitlin O’Connell
°	Lie in Wait by Eric Rickstad

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2015

Best Novel
*	The Fever by Megan Abbott
°	Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes
°	Suspicion by Joseph Finder
°	Natchez Burning by Greg Iles
°	That Night by Chevy Stevens

Best First Novel
*	The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh [review]
°	The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin [review]
°	Invisible City by Julia Dahl [review]
°	The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens [review]
°	The Martian by Andy Weir

Best Paperback Original
*	Moonlight Weeps by Vincent Zandri
°	The Buried by Shelley Coriell
°	My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni [review]
°	Shadow Maker by James R. Hannibal
°	Whirlwind by Rick Mofina

Best Short Story
*	“The Last Wrestling Bear in West Kentucky” by Tim L. Williams Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2014
°	“Busting Red Heads” by Richard Helms Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March 2014
°	“Pussycat, Pussycat” by Stephen Ross Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2014
°	“Show Stopper” by Gigi Vernon Mystery Writers of America Presents Ice Cold: Tales of Intrigue from the Cold War
°	“The Honey Trap” by Bev Vincent Mystery Writers of America Presents Ice Cold: Tales of Intrigue from the Cold War

Best Young Adult Novel
*	Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano
°	Tabula Rasa by Kristen Lippert-Martin
°	The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle
°	The Unbound by Victoria Schwab
°	Wicked Little Secrets by Kara Taylor

Best E-book Original Novel
*	Hard Fall by C.J. Lyons
°	Post by Sean Black
°	The Metaxy Project by Layton Green
°	Wannabes by Michael Logan
°	13 Hollywood Apes by Gil Reavill

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2014

Best Novel
*	The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper
°	Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo
°	Never Go Back by Lee Child
°	Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner
°	Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
°	Criminal Enterprise by Owen Laukkanen [review]
°	White Fire by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Best First Novel
*	Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews [review]
°	Montana by Gwen Florio [review]
°	Resolve by J.J. Hensley
°	Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman [review]
°	The Edge of Normal by Carla Norton [review]
°	Out of Range by Hank Steinberg
°	The Intercept by Dick Wolf

Best Paperback Original
*	The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon [review]
°	Cold Snap by Allison Brennan
°	Buried by Kendra Elliot
°	His Majesty’s Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal
°	Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus [review]
°	Deadly Harvest by Michael Stanley

Best Short Story
*	“Footprints in the Water” by Twist Phelan Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Baggage of Eternal Night” by Eric Guignard JournalStone
°	“Waco 1982” by Laura Lippman Grand Central
°	“The Gallows Bird” by Kevin Mims Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Doloroso” by Stephen Vessels Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Best Young Adult Novel
*	All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
°	The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston
°	Scorched by Mari Mancusi
°	Escape from Eden by Elisa Nader
°	Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

Best e-Book Original Novel
*	The World Beneath by Rebecca Cantrell
°	The Burning Time by J.G. Faherty
°	Terminus by Joshua Graham
°	No Dawn for Men by James Lepore & Carlos Davis
°	Out of Exile by Luke Preston

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2013

Best Novel
*	Spilled Blood by Brian Freeman
°	Trinity Game by Sean Chercover
°	Catch Me by Lisa Gardner
°	The Survivor by Gregg Hurwitz
°	Defending Jacob by William Landay [review]

Best First Novel
*	The 500 by Matthew Quirk [review]
°	Don’t Ever Get Old by Daniel Friedman [review]
°	The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen [review]
°	The Expats by Chris Pavone [review]
°	Black Fridays by Michael Sears [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	Lake Country by Sean Doolittle
°	Pines by Blake Crouch [review]
°	And She Was by Alison Gaylin [review]
°	The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood
°	Night Blind by Michael W. Sherer

Best Short Story
*	“Lost Things” by John Rector Thomas & Mercer
°	“The Devil to Pay” by David Edgerley Gates Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
°	“The Street Ends at the Cemetery” by Clark Howard Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“The Consumers” by Dennis Lehane Mulholland Books
°	“The History Lesson” by Gordon McEachern Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Best Young Adult Novel
*	False Memory by Dan Krokos
°	Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
°	If We Survive by Andrew Klavan
°	Crusher by Niall Leonard
°	Dark Eyes by William Richter

Best E-Book Original Novel
*	Blind Faith by CJ Lyons
°	Pandora’s Temple by Jon Land
°	Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff
°	Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler
°	Dead Wrong by Allen Wyler

Top | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2012

Best Novel
*	11/22/63 by Stephen King
°	Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder
°	A Hard Death by Jonathan Hayes
°	The Ridge by Michael Koryta [review]
°	The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey [review]

Best Paperback Original
*	The Last Minute by Jeff Abbott
°	Threat Warning by John Gilstrap
°	The Glass Demon by Helen Grant
°	The Queen by Steven James
°	Already Gone by John Rector

Best First Novel
*	Spiral by Paul McEuen [review]
°	The Genesis Key by James Barney
°	She Can Run by Melinda Leigh
°	The Fund by H.T. Narea
°	Midnight Caller by Leslie Tentler

Best Short Story
*	“Half-Lives” by Tim L. Williams Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“One More Lie” by James Scott Bell Compendium Press
°	“Anything to Win” by Michael Lewin The Strand Magazine
°	“Happine$$” by Twist Phelan Mystery Writers of America Presents The Rich and the Dead
°	“A Hostage Situation” by Dave Zeltserman Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

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2011

Best Novel
*	Bad Blood by John Sandford
°	The Reversal by Michael Connelly
°	Edge by Jeffery Deaver
°	The Burying Place by Brian Freeman
°	Skin by Mo Hayder

Best Paperback Original
*	The Cold Room by J.T. Ellison
°	Down Among the Dead Men by Robert Gregory Browne
°	You Can’t Stop Me by Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens
°	Torn Apart by Shane Gericke
°	The Venice Conspiracy by Jon Trace

Best First Novel
*	Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
°	The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley
°	The Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron [review]
°	The Insider by Reece Hirsch
°	Drink the Tea by Thomas Kaufman [review]

Best Short Story
*	“The Gods for Vengeance Cry” by Richard Helms Dell Magazine
°	“Second Wind” by Mike Carey The New Dead
°	“Blue on Black” by Michael Connelly The Strand Magazine
°	“Madeeda” by Harley Jane Kozak Crimes by Moonlight: Mysteries from the Dark Side
°	“Chasing the Dragon” by Nicholas Kaufmann ChiZine Publications
°	“Long Time Dead” by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins The Strand Magazine

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2010

Best Novel
*	The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
°	Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay
°	Long Lost by Harlan Coben
°	Vanished by Joseph Finder
°	The Renegades by T. Jefferson Parker

Best Paperback Original
*	The Coldest Mile by Tom Piccirilli
°	No Mercy by John Gilstrap
°	Urge To Kill by John Lutz
°	Vengeance Road by Rick Mofina
°	Shadow Season by Tom Piccirilli

Best First Novel
*	Running from the Devil by Jamie Freveletti [review]
°	Fragment by Warren Fahy
°	Dead Men’s Dust by Matt Hilton
°	Collision of Evil by John J. Le Beau
°	Dracula: The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker & Ian Holt

Best Short Story
*	“A Stab In The Heart” by Twist Phelan
°	“Iced” by Harry Hunsicker
°	“Backup” by Rick Mofina
°	“Boldt’s Broken Angel” by Ridley Pearson
°	“The Desert Here And The Desert Far Away” by Marcus Sakey

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2009

Best Novel
*	The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver
°	Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
°	The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
°	The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross
°	The Last Patriot by Brad Thor

Best First Novel
*	Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
°	Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton
°	The Killer’s Wife by Bill Floyd
°	Calumet City by Charlie Newton [review]
°	Criminal Paradise by Steven Thomas

Best Short Story
*	“The Edge of Seventeen” by Alexandra Sokoloff The Darker Mask
°	“Last Island South” by John C. Boland Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“Time of the Green” by Ken Bruen Killer Year Anthology
°	“Between the Dark and the Daylight” by Tom Piccirilli Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
°	“The Point Guard” by Jason Pinter Killer Year Anthology

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2008

Best Novel
*	The Ghost (The Ghost Writer) by Robert Harris
°	No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay
°	The Watchman by Robert Crais
°	The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz
°	Trouble by Jesse Kellerman

Best Paperback Original
*	The Midnight Road by Tom Piccirilli
°	Shattered by Jay Bonansinga
°	The Last Nightingale by Anthony Flacco
°	The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon
°	A Thousand Bones by P.J. Parrish

Best First Novel
*	Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
°	Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell
°	Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover
°	From the Depths by Gerry Doyle
°	Volk’s Game by Brent Ghelfi

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2007

Best Novel
*	Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder
°	False Impression by Jeffrey Archer
°	Cold Kill by Stephen Leather
°	The Messenger by Daniel Silva
°	Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

Best Paperback Original
*	An Unquiet Grave by P.J. Parrish
°	Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler with Jack DuBrul
°	The Deep Blue Alibi by Paul Levine
°	Headstone City by Tom Piccirilli
°	Mortal Faults by Michael Prescott

Best First Novel
*	Mr. Clarinet by Nick Stone
°	Shadow of Death by Patricia Gussin
°	Switchback by Matthew Klein
°	A Thousand Suns by Alex Scarrow
°	18 Seconds by George D. Shuman

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2006

Best Novel
*	The Patriots Club by Christopher Reich
°	Panic by Jeff Abbott
°	Consent To Kill by Vince Flynn
°	Velocity by Dean Koontz
°	Citizen Vince by Jess Walter

Best Paperback Original
*	Pride Runs Deep by R. Cameron Cooke
°	Sleeper Cell by Jeffrey Anderson
°	Upside Down by John Ramsey Miller
°	The Dying Hour by Rick Mofina
°	Exit Strategy by Michael Wiecek

Best First Novel
*	Improbable by Adam Fawer
°	The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez
°	Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
°	Pain Killer by Will Staeger
°	Beneath a Panamanian Moon by David Terrenoire

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