The Shamus Award is awarded by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) for the best detective fiction

Detective fiction

Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...

 genre novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

s and short stories

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

 of the year.

The Prize is given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The Shamus Awards were announced at Bouchercon World Mystery Convention while the PWA Awards Banquet .

Categories

Title	awarded since
Best P. I. Hardcover Novel	1982
Best First P. I. Novel	1985
Best P. I. Paperback Original	1982
THE EYE – Lifetime Achievement Award	1982
Best P. I. Short Story	1983
St. Martins’ Press/ PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest	1986
Friends of PWA	2002
Best P. I. Series/Characters – The Hammer	2007

Best P. I. Hardcover Novel

Year	Winner	Title
1982	Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini is an American writer of detective fiction. He is also an active anthologist, having compiled more than 100 collections, most of which focus on mystery, western, and science fiction short stories....	Hoodwink St. Martin’s Press, New York 1981
1983	Lawrence Block Lawrence Block Lawrence Block is an acclaimed contemporary American crime writer best known for two long-running New York–set series, about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, respectively...	Eight Million Ways to Die Arbor House, New York 1982
1984	Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...	True Detective St. Martin’s Press, New York 1983
1985	Loren D. Estleman Loren D. Estleman Loren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter....	Sugartown Hougthon Mifflin, Boston1984
1986	Sue Grafton Sue Grafton Sue Taylor Grafton is a contemporary American author of detective novels. She is best known as the author of the 'alphabet series' featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. The daughter of detective novelist C. W...	"B" Is for Burglar Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York 1986
1987	Jeremiah Healy	The Staked Goat Harper & Row, New York 1986
1988	Benjamin Schutz	A Tax in Blood Tom Doherty, New York 1987
1989	John Lutz John Lutz John Lutz is an American writer who mainly writes mystery novels. He has received an Edgar Award and the Shamus Award twice, and his novel Single White Female was the basis for the 1992 film starring Bridget Fonda...	Kiss Henry Holt, New York 1988
1990	Jonathan Valin Jonathan Valin Jonathan Valin is an American mystery author of the Harry Stoner detective series. He won the Shamus Award for best mystery novel of 1989.-Works:*The Lime Pit *Final Notice...	Extenuating Circumstances Delacorte Press, New York 1989
1991	Sue Grafton Sue Grafton Sue Taylor Grafton is a contemporary American author of detective novels. She is best known as the author of the 'alphabet series' featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. The daughter of detective novelist C. W...	"G" Is for Gumshoe Henry Holt, New York 1990
1992	Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...	Stolen Away Bantam Books, New York 1991
1993	Harold Adams Harold Adams Harold Adams is a prominent tenor saxophonist from the Baltimore jazz scene. He is the leader of the Harold Adams Quartet, and a member of the group Moon August.-References:...	The Man Who was Taller Than God Walker & Co., New York 1992
1994	Lawrence Block Lawrence Block Lawrence Block is an acclaimed contemporary American crime writer best known for two long-running New York–set series, about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, respectively...	The Devil Knows You’re Dead William Morrow, New York 1993
1995	Sue Grafton Sue Grafton Sue Taylor Grafton is a contemporary American author of detective novels. She is best known as the author of the 'alphabet series' featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. The daughter of detective novelist C. W...	"K" Is for Killer Henry Holt, New York 1994
1996	S. J. Rozan S. J. Rozan S J Rozan is the pen name for Shira Judith Rosan, an award winning mystery writer. Her books are set in New York and most feature the private investigators 'Lydia Chin' and 'Bill Smith'....	Concourse St. Martin’s Press, New York 1995
1997	Robert Crais Robert Crais Robert Crais is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, Quincy, Miami Vice and L.A. Law. He lists amongst his literary influences the authors Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ernest...	Sunset Express Hyperion, New York 1996
1998	Terrance Faherty	Come Back Dead Simon & Schuster, New York 1997
1999	Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini is an American writer of detective fiction. He is also an active anthologist, having compiled more than 100 collections, most of which focus on mystery, western, and science fiction short stories....	Boobytrap Carroll & Graf, New York 1998
2000	Don Winslow Don Winslow Don Winslow is an American author most recognized for his crime and mystery novels. Many of his books are set in California. He has published a series of five novels that have a private investigator named Neal Carey as their main character...	California Fire and Life Alfred A. Knopf, New York 1999
2001	Carolina Garcia-Aguilera Carolina Garcia-Aguilera Carolina Garcia-Aguilera is a Cuban-born American writer. She has written a series of mystery stories, and two novels.She was born in Havana, Cuba in July 1949. In 1960, she emigrated to the United States, living in Palm Beach, Florida, and then New York City...	Havana Heat William Morrow, New York 2000
2002	S. J. Rozan S. J. Rozan S J Rozan is the pen name for Shira Judith Rosan, an award winning mystery writer. Her books are set in New York and most feature the private investigators 'Lydia Chin' and 'Bill Smith'....	Reflecting the Sky St. Martin’s Minotaur, New York 2001
2003	James W. Hall	Blackwater Sound St. Martin’s Press, New York 2002
2004	Ken Bruen Ken Bruen Ken Bruen is an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction.He was born in Galway, and educated at Gormanston College, County Meath and later at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a Ph.D. in metaphysics. He spent twenty-five years as an English teacher in Africa, Japan, S.E. Asia and...	The Guards Brandon, Dingle Co. Kerry /Ireland 2001
2005	Ed Wright	While I Disappear Putnam’s, New York 2004
2006	Michael Connelly Michael Connelly Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. His books, which have been translated into 36 languages, have garnered him many awards...	The Lincoln Lawyer The Lincoln Lawyer The Lincoln Lawyer is a 2005 novel, and it is the 16th novel written by American crime writer Michael Connelly. It is the first featuring Los Angeles attorney Mickey Haller, half-brother of Connelly's mainstay detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch.... Little, Brown, Boston 2005
2007	Ken Bruen Ken Bruen Ken Bruen is an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction.He was born in Galway, and educated at Gormanston College, County Meath and later at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a Ph.D. in metaphysics. He spent twenty-five years as an English teacher in Africa, Japan, S.E. Asia and...	The Dramatist Brandon, Dingle Co. Kerry/Ireland 2004
2008	Reed Farrel Coleman	Soul Patch Bleak House Books, Madison/WI 2007
2009	Reed Farrel Coleman	Empty Ever After Bleak House Books, Madison/WI 2008
2010	Marcia Muller Marcia Muller Marcia Muller is an American author of fictional mystery and thriller novels.Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point, won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel...	Locked In

Best First P. I. Novel

Year	Winner	Title
1985	Jack Early	A Creative Kind of Killer Watts Publishing, New York 1984
1986	Wayne Warga	Hardcover Arbor House, New York 1985
1987	J. W. Rider	Jersey Tomatoes Arbor House, New York 1986
1988	Michael Allegretto	Death on the Rocks Scribner’s, New York 1987
1989	Gar Anthony Haywood	Fear of the Dark St. Martin’s Press, New York 1988
1990	Karen Kijewski Karen Kijewski Karen Kijewski is a writer of mystery novels, known for her Kat Colorado series. She was born in Berkeley, California, the daughter of a University of California, Berkeley professor Clarence Glacken, and received B.A. and M.A. degrees from UC-Berkeley. She was a high school English teacher in...	Katwalk St. Martin’s Press, New York 1989
1991	Walter Mosley Walter Mosley Walter Ellis Mosley is an American novelist, most widely recognized for his crime fiction. He has written a series of best-selling historical mysteries featuring the hard-boiled detective Easy Rawlins, a black private investigator and World War II veteran living in the Watts neighborhood of Los...	Devil in a Blue Dress W.W. Norton, New York 1990
1992	Thomas Davis Thomas Davis -Politicians:*Thomas Davis , Irish-American member of United States House of Representatives*Thomas Aspinwall Davis , American Mayor of Boston in 1845*Thomas Beall Davis , U.S. Representative from West Virginia...	Suffer Little Children Walker & Co., New York 1991
1993	John Straley John Straley John Straley is a poet and author of detective fiction. He currently resides in Sitka, Alaska.-Biography:John Straley was born in Redwood City, California. He grew up in the Seattle area and attended high school in New York City. Straley trained, with encouragement from his parents, to be a...	The Woman Who Married a Bear Soho Press, New York 1992
1994	Lynn Hightower	Satan’s Lambs Walker & Co., New York 1993
1995	Dennis Lehane Dennis Lehane Dennis Lehane is an American author. He has written several award-winning novels, including A Drink Before the War and the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award-winning film. Another novel, Gone, Baby, Gone, was also adapted into an Academy...	A Drink Before the War A Drink Before the War A Drink Before the War is the Shamus Award-winning debut novel by Dennis Lehane and was published in 1994. It is the first book in a series focusing on private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro.-Plot introduction:... Harcourt Brace, New York 1994
1996	Richard Barre	The Innocents Walker & Co., New York 1995
1997	Carol Lea Benjamin	This Dog for Hire Walker & Co., New York 1996
1998	Rick Riordan Rick Riordan Richard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr. is an American author best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He also wrote the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults and helped to edit Demigods and Monsters, a collection of essays on the topic of his Percy Jackson series...	Big Red Tequila Big Red Tequila Big Red Tequila is the first novel in Rick Riordan's prizewinning Tres Navarre series. It is a fast-paced crime story about an unusually talented and flawed hero, Jackson "Tres" Navarre, a third generation Texan... Bantam Books, New York 1997
1999	Steve Hamilton Steve Hamilton Steven Absher Hamilton was a Major League Baseball and NBA player....	A Cold Day in Paradise St. Martin’s Press, New York 1998
2000	John Connolly John Connolly (author) John Connolly is an Irish writer who is best known for his series of novels starring private detective Charlie Parker.-Life and works:...	Every Dead Thing Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1999
2001	Bob Truluck	Street Level Thomas Dunne Books, New York 2000
2002	David Fulmer David Fulmer David Fulmer is an American writer, journalist and filmmaker.-Biography:Born Thurston David Fulmer, to Thurston and Flora Fulmer in Pennsylvania. He worked as a reporter and photographer at local newspapers during and after high school. He was drafted into the U.S...	Chasing the Devil’s Tail Poisoned Pen Press, Scottsdale/Arizona 2001
2003	Eddie Muller Eddie Muller Eddie Muller is a writer based in San Francisco. He is known for writing books about movies, particularly film noir. Founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation, he is considered a noir expert and is called on to write and talk about the film genre, notably on wry commentary tracks for Fox's...	The Distance Scribner’s, New York 2002
2004	Peter Spiegelman	Black Maps Alfred A. Knopf, New York 2003
2005	Ingrid Black	The Dead Headline, London 2003
2006	Louise Ure	Forcing Amaryllis Mysterious Press, New York 2005
2007	Declan Hughes Declan Hughes (writer) Declan Hughes is an Irish novelist, playwright and screenwriter. His most widely known crime novels center around the Irish-American detective Ed Loy. Loy is a homage to the character Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon as a loy is a traditional Irish spade...	The Wrong Kind of Blood William Morrow, New York 2006
2008	Sean Chercover	Big City, Bad Blood William Morow, New York 2007
2009	Ian Vasquez Ian Vásquez Ian Vásquez is director of the Cato Institute's . He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations...	In the Heat St. Martin's Minotaur, New York 2008
2010	Brad Parks	Faces of the Gone

Best P. I. Paperback Original

Year	Winner	Title
1982	Max Byrd	California Thriller Bantam Books, New York 1981
1983	William Campbell Gault William Campbell Gault William Campbell Gault was an American writer. He wrote under his own name, and as Roney Scott and Will Duke, among other pseudonyms....	The Cana Diversion Worldwide, New York/ Toronto 1982
1984	Paul Engleman	Dead in Centerfield Ballantine Books, New York 1983
1985	Warren Murphy Warren Murphy Warren Murphy is an American author, most famous as the co-creator of The Destroyer series, the basis for the film Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He worked as a reporter and editor and after service during the Korean War, he drifted into politics.Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal...	Ceiling of Hell Fawcett Crest, New York 1984
1986	Earl Emerson Earl Emerson Earl Emerson is an American mystery novelist and author.Emerson is the author of two series of mystery novels, the Mac Fontana series and the Thomas Black detective series, as well as several thrillers...	Poverty Bay Avon Books, New York 1985
1987	Rob Kantner	The Back Door Man Bantam Books, New York 1986
1988	L.J. Washburn	Wild Night Tom Doherty, New York 1987
1989	Rob Kantner	Dirty Work Bantam Books, New York 1988
1990	Rob Kantner	Hell’s Only Half Full Bantam Books, New York 1989
1991	W. Glenn Duncan	Rafferty: Fatal Sisters Fawcett Books, Greenwich/CT. 1990
1992	Paul Kemprecos Paul Kemprecos Paul Kemprecos is an American writer of mysteries and adventure stories. He is a Shamus Award-winning author of six underwater detective thrillers, and has been co-writing with Clive Cussler the "NUMA Files" novels, which focus on Kurt Austin, head of NUMA's Special Assignments Team and his...	Cool Blue Tomb Batam Books, New York 1991
1993	Marele Day	The Last Tango of Dolores Delgado Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards/Australia 1992
1994	Rodman Philbrick Rodman Philbrick Rodman Philbrick is an author of novels for adults and children. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1951, and currently lives in Maine and Florida. Since 1980 he has been married to Lynn Harnett, who sometimes co-writes with him. They have no children. He has also written using the pen names...	Brothers and Sinners Penguin Books CND, Toronto 1993
1995	Ed Goldberg	Served Cold West Coast Crime, Portland/Oregon 1994
1996	William Jaspersohn	Native Angels Bantam Books, New York 1995
1997	Harlan Coben Harlan Coben Harlan Coben is an American author of mystery novels and thrillers. The plots of his novels often involve the resurfacing of unresolved or misinterpreted events in the past and often have multiple plot twists...	Fade Away Dell, New York 1996
1998	Laura Lippman Laura Lippman Laura Lippman is an American author of detective fiction.-Biography:Lippmann was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the daughter of Theo Lippman Jr., a well known and respected writer at the Baltimore Sun, and Madeline Lippman, a retired school librarian for the...	Charm City Avon Books, New York 1997
1999	Steven Womack	Murder Manual Ballantine Books, New York 1998
2000	Laura Lippman Laura Lippman Laura Lippman is an American author of detective fiction.-Biography:Lippmann was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the daughter of Theo Lippman Jr., a well known and respected writer at the Baltimore Sun, and Madeline Lippman, a retired school librarian for the...	In Big Trouble Avon Books, New York 1999
2001	Thomas Lipinski	Death in the Steel City Avon Twilight, New York 2000
2002	Lyda Morehouse Lyda Morehouse Lyda Morehouse is a science fiction and fantasy author. Her first four books, the LINK Angel series , blend cyberpunk technology with unconventional religious themes. She is the winner of multiple national awards, including the Philip K...	Archangel Protocol New American Library, New York 2001
2003	D. Daniel Judson	The Poisoned Rose Bantam Books, New York 2002
2004	Andy Straka Andy Straka Andy Straka is a Shamus Award winning American crime novelist. Born and raised in upstate New York and a graduate of Williams College, he worked in publishing and medical sales for nearly fifteen years before turning to writing in the late 1990s. His debut private eye novel, A Witness Above,...	Cold Quarry Signet, New York 2003
2005	Max Phillips	Fade to Blonde Dorchester Publishing, New York 2004
2006	Reed Farrell Coleman	The James Deans Plume, New York 2005
2007	P. J. Parrish	An Unquiet Grave Kensington Books, New York 2006
2008	Richard Aleas	Songs of Innocence Hard Case Crime, New York 2007
2009	Lori Armstrong	Snow Blind Medaillon Press, St Charles/IL 2008
2010	Ira Berkowitz Ira Berkowitz Ira Berkowitz is an American writer of crime fiction. His Jackson Steeg Mystery Series novels are set in Hell’s Kitchen....	Sinner's Ball

– THE EYE – Lifetime Achievement Award

(Not awarded in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2005)

Year	Winner	Year	Winner	Year	Winner	Year	Winner
1982	Ross Macdonald Ross Macdonald Not to be confused with John D. MacDonaldRoss Macdonald is the pseudonym of the American-Canadian writer of crime fiction Kenneth Millar...	1983	Mickey Spillane Mickey Spillane Frank Morrison Spillane , better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American author of crime novels, many featuring his signature detective character, Mike Hammer. More than 225 million copies of his books have sold internationally...	1984	William Campbell Gault William Campbell Gault William Campbell Gault was an American writer. He wrote under his own name, and as Roney Scott and Will Duke, among other pseudonyms....	1985	Howard Browne Howard Browne Howard Browne was a science fiction editor and mystery writer. He also wrote for several television series and films...
1986	Richard S. Prather Richard S. Prather Richard Scott Prather was an American mystery novelist, best known for creating the "Shell Scott" series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms David Knight and Douglas Ring.- Early life and career :...	1987	Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini is an American writer of detective fiction. He is also an active anthologist, having compiled more than 100 collections, most of which focus on mystery, western, and science fiction short stories....	1988	Dennis Lynds and Wade Miller Wade Miller Wade Thomas Miller is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Houston Astros from through the Boston Red Sox in and the Chicago Cubs in and . He bats and throws right-handed...	1991	Roy Huggins Roy Huggins Roy Huggins was an American novelist and an influential writer/creator and producer of character-driven television series, including Maverick, The Fugitive, and The Rockford Files....
1992	Joseph Hansen Joseph Hansen (writer) Joseph Hansen was an American crime writer and poet, best known for a series of novels starring his most iconic creation, private eye Dave Brandstetter.-Life and works:...	1993	Marcia Muller Marcia Muller Marcia Muller is an American author of fictional mystery and thriller novels.Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point, won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel...	1994	Stephen J. Cannell Stephen J. Cannell Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...	1995	John Lutz John Lutz John Lutz is an American writer who mainly writes mystery novels. He has received an Edgar Award and the Shamus Award twice, and his novel Single White Female was the basis for the 1992 film starring Bridget Fonda...  and Robert B. Parker Robert B. Parker Robert Brown Parker was an American crime writer. His most famous works were the novels about the private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the late 1980s; a series of TV movies based on the character were also...
1997	Stephen Marlowe Stephen Marlowe Stephen Marlowe was an American author of science fiction, mystery novels, and fictional autobiographies of Christopher Columbus, Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, and Edgar Allan Poe...	1999	Maxine O'Callaghan	2000	Edward D. Hoch Edward D. Hoch Edward Dentinger Hoch was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories.-Biography:...	2002	Lawrence Block Lawrence Block Lawrence Block is an acclaimed contemporary American crime writer best known for two long-running New York–set series, about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, respectively...
2004	Donald Westlake	2006	Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...	2007	Stuart M. Kaminsky Stuart M. Kaminsky Stuart M. Kaminsky was an American mystery writer and film professor. He is known for three long-running series of mystery novels featuring the protagonists Toby Peters, a private detective in 1940s Hollywood; Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, a Moscow police inspector; and veteran Chicago...	2008	Joe Gores Joe Gores Joe Gores was an American mystery writer...
2009	Robert J. Randisi	2010	Robert Crais Robert Crais Robert Crais is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, Quincy, Miami Vice and L.A. Law. He lists amongst his literary influences the authors Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ernest...

Best P. I. Series Character – The Hammer

Jahr	Series/Characters	Author
2007	Shell Scott Shell Scott Shell Scott was the best-known creation of fiction writer Richard S. Prather. A Southern California private eye, 6-foot-2 ex-marine, he was featured in three dozen novels published over a span of nearly 40 years...	Richard S. Prather Richard S. Prather Richard Scott Prather was an American mystery novelist, best known for creating the "Shell Scott" series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms David Knight and Douglas Ring.- Early life and career :...
2008	The Nameless Detective Nameless Detective Nameless Detective is the protagonist in a long-running mystery series by Bill Pronzini set in the San Francisco area. The first novel, The Snatch, was published in 1971...	Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini Bill Pronzini is an American writer of detective fiction. He is also an active anthologist, having compiled more than 100 collections, most of which focus on mystery, western, and science fiction short stories....
2009	Matt Scudder	Lawrence Block Lawrence Block Lawrence Block is an acclaimed contemporary American crime writer best known for two long-running New York–set series, about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, respectively...
2010	Sharon McCone	Marcia Muller Marcia Muller Marcia Muller is an American author of fictional mystery and thriller novels.Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point, won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel...