Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence explained

The Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, formerly known as the Arthur Ellis Awards, are a group of Canadian literary awards, presented annually by the Crime Writers of Canada for the best Canadian crime and mystery writing published in the previous year. The award is presented during May in the year following publication.

Originally, the awards were named for Arthur Ellis, the pseudonym of several of Canada's official hangmen, the first and most famous being Arthur B. English. The award statuette was designed by actor and theatre designer Peter Blais.[1]

In 2021 the Crime Writers of Canada announced that they were retiring Arthur Ellis's name from the awards, renaming them to their current name.[2]

Best Novel

See main article: Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best Novel.

Best Novel Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
1984[3]
1985Murder Sees the Light[4]
1986Death in the Old Country[5]
1987Buried on Sunday[6]
1988Swann[7]
1989Jack[8]
1990Hot Shots[9]
1991[10]
1992Past Reason Hated[11]
1993Lizardskin[12]
1994Gypsy Sins[13]
1995[14]
1996Mother Love[15]
1997Innocent Graves[16]
1998Trial of Passion[17]
1999Old Wounds[18]
2000[19]
2001Cold is the Grave[20]
2002In the Midnight Hour[21]
2003Blood of Others[22]
2004[23]
2005Fifth Son[24]
2006April Fool[25]
2007Honour Among Men[26]
2008Trumpets Sound No More[27]
2009Too Close to Home[28]
2010High Chicago[29]
2011Bury Your Dead[30]
2012Before the Poison[31]
2013Until the Night[32]
2014[33]
2015Plague: Murder Has a New Friend[34]
2016Open Season[35]
2017[36]
2018Sleeping in the Ground[37]
2019Though the Heavens Fall[38]
2020Greenwood[39]
2021
2022Under an Outlaw Moon[40]

Best First Novel

Best First Novel Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
1987Murder on the Run
1988
1989
1990
1991Sniper's Moon
1992Flesh Wound
1993Passion Play
1994Memory Trace[41]
1995What's A Girl Gotta Do?
1996
Moonlit Days and Nights
1997Death At Buckingham Palace[42]
1998Déja Dead
1999Sudden Blow
2000Lost Girls
2001Hands Like Clouds
2002
2003Midnight Cab
2004Just Murder
2005Dark Places
2006Still Life
2007Sign of the Cross
2008Garcia's Heart
2009Buffalo Jump
2010
2011
2012Water Rat of Wanchai
2013
2014Bait
2015
2016Unquiet Dead
2017Strange Things Done
2018Full Curl
2019Cobra Clutch
2020Nobody Move
2021
2022

Best Novella

Best Novella Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
2013Contingency Plan
2014
2015
2016Black Canyon
2017Rundown
2018How Lon Pruitt Was Found Murdered in an Open Field with No Footprints Around
2019Murder Among the Pines
2020
2021Never Going Back
2022Letters from Johnny

Best Crime Book in French

Best Crime Book in French Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
2000Louna
2001Le roman policier en Amérique française
2002Fleur invitait au troisième
2003Le rouge ideal
2004On finit toujours par payer
2005Les douze pierres
2006Motel Riviera
2007No award presented
2008Tsiganes
2009Le Chemin des brumes
2010Le mort du chemin des Arsene
2011Dans le quartier des agités
2012La chorale du diable
2013La Nuit des albinos: Sur les traces de Max O'Brien
2014L’enfant promis
2015Bondrée
2016L'Affaire Myosotis
2017Red Light: Adieu, Mignonne
2018Les Tricoteuses
2019Adolphus - Une enquête de Joseph Laflamme
2020Tempêtes
2021La mariée de corail
2022Flots

Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book

Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
1994Abalone Summer
1995Torn Away
1996Mistaken Identity
1997How Can a Frozen Detective Stay Hot on the Trail?
1998
1999Sins of the Father
2000How Can a Brilliant Detective Shine in the Dark?
2001
2002Scared to Death
2003Break and Enter
2004Acceleration
2005
2006Quid Pro Quo
2007Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates
2008Eye of the Crow
2009War Brothers
2010Haunted
2011
2012Blink & Caution
2013Becoming Holmes
2014Bones Never Lie
2015Dead Man's Switch
2016Trouble Is a Friend of Mine
2017Masterminds
2018Chase: Get Ready to Run
2019Escape
2020Keep This to Yourself
2021Red Fox Road
2022
2023Jo TreggiariHeartbreak Homes[43]
2024Cherie DimalineFuneral Songs for Dying Girls[44]

Best Crime Nonfiction

Best Crime Nonfiction Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
1985
1986
1987Hunting Humans
1988Stung
1989Conspiracy of Brothers
1990Conspiracy of Silence
1991
1992Arms and the Man
1993Redrum the Innocent
1994With Malice Aforethought
1995
1996
1997[45]
1998When She Was Bad
1999No Claim to Mercy
2000Cowboys and Indians
2001
2002 and Harvey Cashore
2002Saboteurs
2003Covert Entry
2004 and William Marsden
2005
2006Under the Bridge
2007High
2008One Child at a Time
2009 and Craig SilvermanMafiaboy
2010Murder Without Borders
2011On the Farm
2012Hot Art
2013
2014No award presented
2015
2016Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation
2017
2018
2019
2020Murdered Midas: A Millionaire, His Gold Mine, and a Strange Death on an Island Paradise
2021Missing from the Village
2022

Best Crime Short Story

Best Crime Short Story Award winners!Year!Author!Story!Publication!Ref.
1988Looking for an Honest Man Cold Blood: Murder in Canada
1989Killer in the House Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1988
1990Humbug
1991Innocence Cold Blood III
1992Two in the Bush Christmas Stalkings
1993Mantrap Murder, Mayhem, and the Macabre
1994Just Like Old Times On Spec, Summer 1993
1995The Midnight Boat to Palermo Cold Blood IV
1996Cotton Armour Ladies Killing Circle
1997Dead Run Story Teller, Winter 1996-97
1998Widow's Weeds Cottage Country Killers
1999Last Inning Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1998
2000One More Kill Blue Murder Magazine, December 1999
2001Murder in Utopia Crime Through Time III
2002Sign of the Times Fit to Die
2003Bottom Walker Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 2002
2004Dead Wood Hard Boiled Love
2005Crocodile Tears Revenge: A Noir Anthology
2006Lightning Rider Murder in Vegas
2007Fuzzy Wuzzy Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August 2006
2008Turners Kingston Whig-Standard, July 7, 2007
2009Filmsong Toronto Noir
2010Prisoner in Paradise Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
2011So Much in Common Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
2012What Kelly Did
2013Spring-blade Knife Floating Like The Dead
2014Footprints in Water
2015Stone Mattress
2016Black Canyon
2017A Death at the Parsonage
2018The Outlier
2019Terminal City
2020Closing Doors
2021Cold Wave, Sisters in Crime
2022Number 10 Marlborough Place

Best Unpublished First Novel - "Unhanged Arthur"

First awarded in 2007 as part of the CWC mandate to recognize and promote the careers of promising new crime writers.

Best Unpublished First Novel Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
2007Margarita Nights
2008
2009Louder
2010
2011Better Off Dead
2012Last of the Independents
2013Sins Revisited
2014Cold Girl
2015Strange Things Done
2016When the Flood Falls
2017
2018Destruction in Paradise
2019
2020
2021
2022Elmington

Howard Engel Award

Howard Engel Award winners!Year!Author!Title!Ref.
2007Stay Where I Can See You
2008Beneath Her Skin

Derrick Murdoch Award

This is a special achievement award for contributions to the genre of crime and mystery writing, awarded at the discretion of the president of the Crime Writers of Canada. When first presented in 1984, it was known as the Chairman's Award; it was later renamed in honour of its first recipient, Derrick Murdoch. Since 2013, it has only been presented in years when the new biennial Grand Master Award, listed below, is not presented.

Grand Master Award

The Grand Master Award is presented every two years as a lifetime achievement award, to a crime writer with a distinguished and successful national and international career.

Best Genre Criticism/Reference

The award for Best Genre Criticism or Reference has only been presented twice.

Best Play

The award for Best Play has only been presented once.

External links

Notes and References

  1. "Crime Writers of Canada honors Murdoch, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 1984.
  2. Web site: Qiao . Vicky . 2021-05-28 . Will Ferguson among the winners of 2021 Crime Writers of Canada Awards . 2023-05-20 . CBC Books.
  3. "Crime Writers of Canada honors Murdoch, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 1984.
  4. Web site: Coates . Donna . McIntosh . Andrew . 2020-01-15 . Howard Engel . 2023-05-20 . The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  5. "Crime writers honor two authors". Toronto Star, May 7, 1986.
  6. "Montreal novelist Phillips wins crime writers' prize". Montreal Gazette, May 26, 1987.
  7. "Crime writers honor their own". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1988.
  8. "Crime writer's prize slips from his grasp". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1989.
  9. "B.C. author wins prize for best crime novel". Vancouver Sun, May 25, 1990.
  10. "'Chilling' novel captures top crime writers award". Waterloo Region Record, May 27, 1991.
  11. "Crime writers get just deserts". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 1992.
  12. "Sometimes, crime pays". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1993.
  13. Book: New, William Herbert . Encyclopedia of literature in Canada . 2002 . University of Toronto press . 978-0-8020-0761-2 . Toronto (Ont.) Buffalo (N.Y.) London.
  14. "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.
  15. "Wright wins book award". The Globe and Mail, May 30, 1996.
  16. "Toronto writer gets award for mystery". Waterloo Region Record, May 29, 1997.
  17. "Deverell wins top crime-writing prize for Trial of Passion". The Globe and Mail, May 22, 1998.
  18. "Crime does pay for novelists". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 1999.
  19. Procuta, Egle. "Novel about former judge wins crime prize". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2000.
  20. "Arthur Ellis Awards to Robinson, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2001.
  21. "Crime and mystery writers get Ellis awards". Guelph Mercury, June 14, 2002.
  22. "James Nichol wins Arthur Ellis award for first crime novel: 20th anniversary of awards for crime novels". Moose Jaw Times-Herald, June 5, 2003.
  23. "Book on Hells Angels takes prize". Brantford Expositor, June 12, 2004.
  24. "Ottawa psychologist wins award for best Canadian crime novel". Alberni Valley Times, June 10, 2005.
  25. News: Farquharson . Vanessa . 2006-06-09 . Author William Deverell's April Fool wins prize for best Canadian crime novel . National Post.
  26. Goldberg, Brianna. "Cheesy mystery wins novel prize. Calgary Herald, June 8, 2007.
  27. "Jon Redfern wins second Arthur Ellis Award for historical crime novel". Prince George Citizen, June 7, 2008.
  28. "Canada's crime writers announce winners of 2009 Arthur Ellis Awards". Canadian Press, June 5, 2009
  29. "Shrier wins Ellis Award for crime, mystery writing". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 2010.
  30. "Penny, Cameron win Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2011.
  31. News: Medley . Mark . 2012-06-01 . Arthur Ellis Awards practically criminal . National Post.
  32. "Giles Blunt, Steve Lillebuen take home Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". Canadian Press, May 31, 2013.
  33. "Bronte author wins crime writing award". Hamilton Spectator, June 14, 2014.
  34. Web site: Robertson . Becky . 2015-05-29 . Margaret Atwood, C.C. Humphreys among 2015 Arthur Ellis Award winners . 2023-05-20 . . en.
  35. News: Knoll . Erin . July 17, 2017 . Peter Kirby, Ausma Zehanat Khan win Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing . . 2023-05-20.
  36. Web site: 2017-05-29 . Elle Wild, Donna Morrissey and Gordon Korman highlight 2017 Arthur Ellis Awards winners . 2023-05-20 . . en.
  37. News: Dundas . Deborah . 2018-05-27 . Robinson and Barclay snag coveted crime-writing awards: The Arthur Ellis Awards include bragging rights and a macabre statue . Toronto Star.
  38. News: van Koeverden . Jane . May 24, 2019 . Anne Emery wins best crime novel award for Though the Heavens Fall . . August 10, 2019.
  39. Web site: Yeo . Debra . 2020-05-25 . Climate change novel ‘Greenwood’ wins Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel . 2023-05-20 . . en.
  40. News: May 26, 2022 . Toronto author Ashley Audrain among the winners of 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards . CBC Books . March 3, 2023.
  41. Val Ross, "Atwood, Findley win literary awards". The Globe and Mail, June 2, 1994.
  42. Morley Walker, "The art of crime". Winnipeg Free Press, January 13, 2007.
  43. Web site: Raymundo . Bridget . May 31, 2023 . Thomas King among winners of 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Awards . June 6, 2024 . CBC Books.
  44. Web site: Crime Writers of Canada Announces the 2024 Awards of Excellence Winners Crime Writers of Canada Events & Announcements . 2024-06-06 . crimewriterscanada.com . en.
  45. "Montrealer wins Arthur Ellis prize for crime-writing". Montreal Gazette, May 31, 1997.
  46. http://crimewriterscanada.com/awards/derrick-murdoch-award/past-winners Arthur Ellis Award - Derrick Murdoch Award
  47. Mark Medley, "Arthur Ellis Awards practically criminal". National Post, June 1, 2012.
  48. Mark Medley, "Finalists announced for Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, April 21, 2017.
  49. 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.
  50. Deborah Dundas, "Sarah Weinman, Anne Emery, Linwood Barclay among winners of coveted Arthur Ellis Awards". Toronto Star, May 24, 2019.
  51. Erin Knoll, "Peter Kirby, Ausma Zehanat Khan win Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". CBC Books, July 17, 2016.
  52. "Best murder mystery". Financial Post, June 8, 1992.