Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best Novel explained

The Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best Novel is an annual literary award, presented as part of the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence program to honour books judged as the best crime novel published by a Canadian crime writer in the previous year.

1980s

Year	Writer	Novel	Ref
1984
	Eric Wright	The Night the Gods Smiled	^[1]
	William Deverell	Mecca	^[2]
	Ted Wood	Dead in the Water
1985
	Howard Engel	Murder Sees the Light	^[3]
	William Deverell	The Dance of Shiva
	Douglas Glover	Precious
	John Reeves	Murder Before Matins
	Eric Wright	Smoke Detector
1986
	Eric Wright	Death in the Old Country	^[4]
	Maurice Gagnon	The Inner Ring
	Anthony Hyde	The Red Fox
	John Reeves	Murder with Muskets
	L. R. Wright	The Suspect
1987
	Edward O. Phillips	Buried on Sunday	^[5]
	Timothy Findley	The Telling of Lies
	Alexander Law	To an Easy Grave
	Ted Wood	Fool's Gold
	Eric Wright	A Single Death
1988
	Carol Shields	Swann	^[6]
	Joseph Louis	Madelaine
	Anna Porter	Mortal Sins
	Eric Wright	A Body Surrounded by Water
1989
	Chris Scott	Jack	^[7]
	William Deverell	Platinum Blues
	Laurence Gough	Death on a #8 Hook (Silent Knives)
	Peter Robinson	A Dedicated Man

1990s

Year	Writer	Novel	Ref
1990
	Laurence Gough	Hot Shots	^[8]
	Jack Batten	Straight No Chaser
	John Brady	Unholy Ground
	William Deverell	Mindfield
	Peter Robinson	The Hanging Valley
1991
	L. R. Wright	A Chill Rain in January	^[9]
	John Brady	Kaddish in Dublin
	Laurence Gough	Serious Crimes
	Brian Moore	Lies of Silence
	John Lawrence Reynolds	And Leave Her Lay Dying
	Peter Robinson	Caedmon's Song
1992
	Peter Robinson	Past Reason Hated	^[10]
	Laurence Gough	Accidental Deaths
	L. R. Wright	Fall from Grace
1993
	Carsten Stroud	Lizardskin	^[11]
	Gail Bowen	The Wandering Soul Murders
	Laurence Gough	Fall Down Easy
	Peter Robinson	Wednesday's Child
	Medora Sale	Pursued by Shadows
1994
	John Lawrence Reynolds	Gypsy Sins	^[12]
	John Brady	All Souls
	Howard Engel	There Was an Old Woman
	William Gibson	Virtual Light
	Gregory Ward	Water Damage
	L. R. Wright	Prized Possessions
1995
	Gail Bowen	A Colder Kind of Death	^[13]
	Peter Abrahams	Lights Out
	John Brady	The Good Life
	John Lawrence Reynolds	Solitary Dancer
	L. R. Wright	A Touch of Panic
1996
	L. R. Wright	Mother Love	^[14]
	William Deverell	Street Legal
	Alison Gordon	Striking Out
	Laurence Gough	Heartbreaker
	Peter Robinson	No Cure for Love
1997
	Peter Robinson	Innocent Graves	^[15]
	Margaret Atwood	Alias Grace
	Martin S. Cohen	Light from Dead Stars
	Sparkle Hayter	Nice Girls Finish Last
	Frank Smith	Fatal Flaw
1998
	William Deverell	Trial of Passion	^[16]
	Rosemary Aubert	Free Reign
	C. C. Benison	Death at Sandringham House
	John Spencer Hill	Ghirlandaio's Daughter
	Peter Robinson	Dead Right (Blood at the Root)
	Robert J. Sawyer	Illegal Alien
1999
	Nora Kelly	Old Wounds	^[17]
	Gail Bowen	Verdict in Blood
	Scott Mackay	Cold Comfort
	Caroline Roe	Remedy for Treason
	Jean Ruryk	Next Week Will Be Better
	Michelle Spring	Standing in the Shadows

2000s

Year	Writer	Novel	Ref
2000
	Rosemary Aubert	The Feast of Stephen	^[18]
	Lisa Appignanesi	The Dead of Winter
	William Deverell	Slander
	John Farrow	City of Ice
	Peter Robinson	In a Dry Season
2001
	Peter Robinson	Cold is the Grave	^[19]
	Giles Blunt	Forty Words for Sorrow
	Brad Smith	One Eyed Jacks
	Eric Wright	The Kidnapping of Rosie Dawn
	L. R. Wright	Kidnap
2002
	Michelle Spring	In the Midnight Hour	^[20]
	William Deverell	The Laughing Falcon
	John Farrow	Ice Lake
	Rick Mofina	Cold Fear
	Peter Robinson	Aftermath
2003
	Rick Mofina	Blood of Others	^[21]
	Lou Allin	Blackflies Are Murder
	Barbara Fradkin	Once Upon a Time
	Nora Kelly	Hot Pursuit
	Kathy Reichs	Grave Secrets
2004
	Giles Blunt	The Delicate Storm	^[22]
	Mary Jane Maffini	Lament for a Lounge Lizard
	Kim Moritsugu	The Glenwood Treasure
	David Rotenberg	The Hua Shan Hospital Murders
	Peter Robinson	The Summer That Never Was (Close to Home)
2005
	Barbara Fradkin	Fifth Son	^[23]
	Gail Bowen	The Last Good Day
	Lyn Hamilton	The Magyar Venus
	Peter Robinson	Playing with Fire
	Mark Zuehlke	Sweep Lotus
2006
	William Deverell	April Fool	^[24]
	Rick Blechta	Cemetery of the Nameless
	Giles Blunt	Black Fly Season
	Alex Brett	Cold Dark Matter
	Peter Robinson	Strange Affair
2007
	Barbara Fradkin	Honour Among Men	^[25]
	Linwood Barclay	Lone Wolf
	Emma Cole	Every Secret Thing
	Kathy Reichs	Break No Bones
	Peter Robinson	Piece of My Heart
2008
	Jon Redfern	Trumpets Sound No More	^[26]
	Linwood Barclay	No Time for Goodbye	^[27]
	Terry Carroll	Snow Candy
	Maureen Jennings	A Journeyman to Grief
	Louise Penny	The Cruellest Month
2009
	Linwood Barclay	Too Close to Home	^[28]
	Maureen Jennings	The K Handshape	^[29]
	James W. Nichol	Transgression
	Louise Penny	The Murder Stone
	Michael E. Rose	The Tsunami File

2010s

Year	Writer	Novel	Ref
2010
	Howard Shrier	High Chicago	^[30]
	Anthony Bidulka	Aloha, Candy Hearts	^[31]
	R.J. Harlick	Arctic Blue Death
	Lee Lamothe	Finger's Twist
	James W. Nichol	Death Spiral
2011
	Louise Penny	Bury Your Dead	^[32]
	C.B. Forrest	Slow Recoil	^[33]
	Mike Knowles	In Plain Sight
	Jeffrey Moore	The Extinction Club
	Michael Van Rooy	A Criminal to Remember
2012
	Peter Robinson	Before the Poison	^[34]
	Alan Bradley	I Am Half-Sick of Shadows	^[35]
	William Deverell	I'll See You in My Dreams
	Louise Penny	A Trick of the Light
	Robert Rotenberg	The Guilty Plea
2013
	Giles Blunt	Until the Night	^[36]
	Linwood Barclay	Trust Your Eyes	^[37]
	Sean Chercover	The Trinity Game
	Stephen Miller	The Messenger
	Carsten Stroud	Niceville
2014
	Seán Haldane	The Devil's Making	^[38]
	John Brooke	Walls of a Mind	^[39]
	Lee Lamothe	Presto Variations
	Howard Shrier	Miss Montreal
	Simone St. James	An Inquiry into Love and Death
2015
	C. C. Humphreys	Plague: Murder Has a New Friend	^[40]
	Brenda Chapman	Cold Mourning	^[41]
	Barbara Fradkin	None So Blind
	Maureen Jennings	No Known Grave
	Alen Mattich	Killing Pilgrim
2016
	Peter Kirby	Open Season	^[42]
	Peggy Blair	Hungry Ghosts	^[43]
	John Farrow	The Storm Murders
	Andrew Hunt	A Killing in Zion
	Inger Ash Wolfe	The Night Bell
2017
	Donna Morrissey	The Fortunate Brother	^[44]
	Kelley Armstrong	City of the Lost	^[45]
	Michael Helm	After James
	Maureen Jennings	Dead Ground in Between
	Janet Kellough	Wishful Seeing
2018
	Peter Robinson	Sleeping in the Ground	^[46]
	Gail Bowen	The Winners' Circle	^[47]
	John MacLachlan Gray	The White Angel
	Robyn Harding	The Party
	Rio Youers	The Forgotten Girl
2019
	Anne Emery	Though the Heavens Fall	^[48]
	Ron Corbett	Cape Diamond	^[49]
	Lisa Gabriele	The Winters
	Louise Penny	Kingdom of the Blind
	Loreth Anne White	The Girl in the Moss

2020s

Year	Writer	Novel	Ref
2020
	Michael Christie	Greenwood	^[50]
	Ian Hamilton	Fate	^[51]
	Nicole Lundrigan	Hideaway
	Melissa Stapley	The Last Resort
	Loreth Anne White	In the Dark
2021
	Will Ferguson	The Finder	^[52]
	Marjorie Celona	How a Woman Becomes a Lake	^[53]
	Cecilia Ekbäck	The Historians
	Thomas King	Obsidian
	Roz Nay	Hurry Home
2022
	Dietrich Kalteis	Under an Outlaw Moon	^[54]
	Linwood Barclay	Find You First	^[55]
	Daniel Kalla	Lost Immunity
	Shari Lapena	Not a Happy Family
	Roz Nay	The Hunted
2023
	Anthony Bidulka	Going to Beautiful	^[56]
	Linwood Barclay	Take Your Breath Away	^[57]
	Nicole Lundrigan	An Unthinkable Thing
	Catherine McKenzie	Please Join Us
	Shelly Sanders	Daughters of the Occupation

Notes and References

1. "Crime Writers of Canada honors Murdoch, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 1984.
2. Roger M. Sobin, The Essential Mystery Lists: For Readers, Collectors, and Librarians. Poisoned Pen Press, 2011. . pp. 191-194.
3. Donna Coates, "Howard Engel". The Canadian Encyclopedia, April 2, 2008.
4. "Crime writers honor two authors". Toronto Star, May 7, 1986.
5. "Montreal novelist Phillips wins crime writers' prize". Montreal Gazette, May 26, 1987.
6. "Crime writers honor their own". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1988.
7. "Crime writer's prize slips from his grasp". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1989.
8. "B.C. author wins prize for best crime novel". Vancouver Sun, May 25, 1990.
9. "'Chilling' novel captures top crime writers award". Waterloo Region Record, May 27, 1991.
10. "Crime writers get just deserts". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 1992.
11. "Sometimes, crime pays". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1993.
12. New, William H. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada. University of Toronto Press, 2002. . p. 65.
13. "Bowen wins Ellis prize for latest novel: Fourth in Kilbourn mystery series brings Prairie crime writer $500 and trophy". The Globe and Mail, June 1, 1995.
14. "Wright wins book award". The Globe and Mail, May 30, 1996.
15. "Toronto writer gets award for mystery". Waterloo Region Record, May 29, 1997.
16. "Deverell wins top crime-writing prize for Trial of Passion". The Globe and Mail, May 22, 1998.
17. "Crime does pay for novelists". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 1999.
18. Egle Procuta, "Novel about former judge wins crime prize". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2000.
19. "Arthur Ellis Awards to Robinson, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2001.
20. "Crime and mystery writers get Ellis awards". Guelph Mercury, June 14, 2002.
21. "James Nichol wins Arthur Ellis award for first crime novel: 20th anniversary of awards for crime novels". Moose Jaw Times-Herald, June 5, 2003.
22. "Book on Hells Angels takes prize". Brantford Expositor, June 12, 2004.
23. "Ottawa psychologist wins award for best Canadian crime novel". Alberni Valley Times, June 10, 2005.
24. Vanessa Farquharson, "Author William Deverell's April Fool wins prize for best Canadian crime novel". National Post, June 9, 2006.
25. Brianna Goldberg, "Cheesy mystery wins novel prize. Calgary Herald, June 8, 2007.
26. "Jon Redfern wins second Arthur Ellis Award for historical crime novel". Prince George Citizen, June 7, 2008.
27. "Arthur Ellis crime-writing nominations announced". The Globe and Mail, May 1, 2008.
28. "Canada's crime writers announce winners of 2009 Arthur Ellis Awards". Canadian Press, June 5, 2009
29. "Writers nominated". Windsor Star, April 24, 2009.
30. "Shrier wins Ellis Award for crime, mystery writing". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 2010.
31. "Ottawa authors contenders for hangman's prize". Ottawa Citizen, May 2, 2010.
32. "Penny, Cameron win Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2011.
33. "Bury Your Dead shortlisted for Arthur Ellis Award". Waterloo Region Record, May 7, 2011.
34. Mark Medley, "Arthur Ellis Awards practically criminal". National Post, June 1, 2012.
35. "Finalists announced for Arthur Ellis Awards". Alberni Valley Times, April 25, 2012.
36. "Giles Blunt, Steve Lillebuen take home Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". Canadian Press, May 31, 2013.
37. "Finalists unveiled for crime-writing awards". Kamloops Daily News, April 22, 2013.
38. "Bronte author wins crime writing award". Hamilton Spectator, June 14, 2014.
39. Courtney Harper, "Howard Engel wins inaugural Master Award from Crime Writers of Canada; Arthur Ellis finalists revealed". Quill & Quire, April 24, 2014.
40. Becky Robertson, "Margaret Atwood, C.C. Humphreys among 2015 Arthur Ellis Award winners". Quill & Quire, May 29, 2015.
41. Sarah Kester, "Arthur Ellis Awards finalists announced for best Canadian crime writing". Quill & Quire, April 24, 2015.
42. Erin Knoll, "Peter Kirby, Ausma Zehanat Khan win Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". CBC Books, July 17, 2016.
43. Sue Carter, "Awards: Arthur Ellis nominees revealed". Quill & Quire, April 25, 2016.
44. https://quillandquire.com/awards/2017/05/29/elle-wild-donna-morrissey-and-gordon-korman-highlight-2017-arthur-ellis-awards-winners/ "Elle Wild, Donna Morrissey and Gordon Korman highlight 2017 Arthur Ellis Awards winners"
45. Mark Medley, "Finalists announced for Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, April 22, 2017.
46. Deborah Dundas, "Robinson and Barclay snag coveted crime-writing awards: The Arthur Ellis Awards include bragging rights and a macabre statue". Toronto Star, May 27, 2018.
47. Oline Cogdill, "2018 Arthur Ellis nominees". Mystery Scene, April 2018.
48. News: Jane van Koeverden . Anne Emery wins best crime novel award for Though the Heavens Fall . August 10, 2019 . . May 24, 2019.
49. Ryan Porter, "Crime writers Louise Penny, Sam Wiebe, Sarah Weinman among finalists for 2019 Arthur Ellis Awards". Quill & Quire, April 18, 2019.
50. Debra Yeo, "Climate change novel ‘Greenwood’ wins Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel". Toronto Star, May 25, 2020.
51. Ryan Porter, "Arthur Ellis Awards announce 2020 shortlist of the best Canadian crime writing". Quill & Quire, April 22, 2020.
52. Cassandra Drudi, "Will Ferguson, Katrina Onstad among Crime Writers of Canada award winners". Quill & Quire, May 27, 2021.
53. https://www.cbc.ca/books/sheena-kamal-justin-ling-will-ferguson-and-thomas-king-among-finalists-for-canadian-crime-writing-awards-1.5999698 "Sheena Kamal, Justin Ling, Will Ferguson and Thomas King among finalists for Canadian crime writing awards"
54. https://www.cbc.ca/books/toronto-author-ashley-audrain-among-the-winners-of-2022-crime-writers-of-canada-awards-1.6466694 "Toronto author Ashley Audrain among the winners of 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards"
55. Attila Berki, "2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards shortlists announced". Quill & Quire, April 21, 2022.
56. https://quillandquire.com/omni/anthony-bidulka-thomas-king-and-sam-shelstad-among-2023-crime-writers-of-canada-award-winners/ "Anthony Bidulka, Thomas King, and Sam Shelstad among 2023 Crime Writers of Canada award winners"
57. Bridget Raymundo, "Thomas King, Linwood Barclay, Iona Whishaw, H.N. Khan shortlisted for crime writing awards". CBC Books, April 25, 2023.