Prix du Polar Européen explained

The Prix du Polar Européen (English: European Crime Fiction Prize) is a French literary prize awarded each year for the best crime or thriller novel by a European author in French or a French translation. The award was launched by the weekly magazine Le Point in 2003.

The jury is composed of police officers, publishing professionals and journalists. The prize was originally delivered to the winning author at the opening of the Nice Book Festival but, since 2007, it has been awarded at the Quais du Polar in Lyon.

Juries

The President of the first jury was Charles Diaz, the former Inspector-General of the IGPN ("Inspection Générale de la Police Nationale" or General Inspectorate of the National Police). The President of the tenth jury, in 2012, was the French politician Jean-Louis Debré.

Winners

Year Author Translator(s) Author's nationality Title (original publication year)
2003Laura GrimaldiGeneviève Leibrich ItalyLa Colpa (1990)
2004Bill JamesDanièle & Pierre Bondil United KingdomProtection (1988)
2005Laura WilsonMarie-Lise Marlière United KingdomThe Lover (2004)
2006Giancarlo De CataldoCatherine Siné & Serge Quadruppani ItalyRomanzo Criminale (2002)
2007John HarveyJean-Paul Gratias United KingdomAsh and Bone (2005)
2008Arnaldur IndriðasonÉric Boury IcelandKleifarvatn (2004)
2009Philip KerrJohan-Frédérik Hel-Guedj United KingdomThe One From the Other (2006)
2010David Moitetas listed by Editions Pocket FranceSuicide Cellulaire
2011Declan HughesAurélie Tronchet IrelandThe Wrong Kind of Blood (2006)
2012Víctor del ÁrbolClaude Bleton SpainThe Sadness of the Samurai (2011)
2013Petros MarkarisMichel Volkovitch GreeceLiquidations à la grecque (2012)
2014Hervé Le Correas listed by Editions Rivages FranceAprès la guerre (2014)
2015Sascha ArangoDominique Autrand GermanyDie Wahrheit und andere Lügen (2014)
2016Olivier Norek FranceSurtensions
2017Hannelore Cayre FranceLa Daronne
2018Malin Persson Giolito SwedenQuicksand (2016)