SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2025: Private Eye Writers of America

The Private Eye Writers of America announced the nominees for the coveted Shamus Awards. Winners will be announced at the 2025 Bouchercon Opening Ceremonies, Thursday, September 4 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

BEST PI HARDCOVER

• Kingpin by Mike Lawson 

• The Hollow Tree by Phillip Miller

• Farewell, Amethystine by Walter Mosley

• Trouble in Queenstown by Delia Pitts 

• Death and Glory by Will Thomas 

BEST ORGINAL PAPERBACK P.I. NOVEL

• Geisha Confidential by Mark Coggins 

• Quarry’s Return by Max Allan Collins 

• Not Born of Woman by Teel James Glenn

• Bless Our Sleep by Neil S. Plakcy 

• Call of the Void by J.T. Siemens 

• The Big Lie by Gabriel Valjan 

BEST FIRST P.I. NOVEL

• Twice the Trouble by Ash Clifton 

• The Devil’s Daughter by Gordon Greisman 

• Fog City by Claire M. Johnson

• The Road to Heaven by Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson

• Holy City by Henry Wise 

BEST P.I. SHORT STORY

• “Deadhead” by Tom Andes (Fall 2024, Cowboy Jamboree Magazine)

• “Alibi in Ice” by Libby Cudmore (July/August 2024, AHMM)

• “Drop Dead Gorgeous” by M.E. Proctor (Janie’s Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith)

• “Under Hard Rock” by Ed Teja (October 2024, Black Cat Weekly #164)

• “The Five Cent Detective” by S.B. Watson (November 2024, Crimeucopia)

HT: Kevin Burton Smith, Thrilling Detective 

SHAMUS AWARD WINNERS 2022

The Private Eye Writers of America announced the Shamus Award Winners 2022. The Shamus Awards are for private eye novels and short stories first published in the United States in 2021. PWA’s (Private Eye Writers of America) definition of a Private Eye: a person paid to investigate crimes who is not employed by a government agency. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

Best P.I. Hardcover:

• Family Business, by S.J. Rozan (Pegasus)

Best Original P.I. Paperback:

• Every City Is Every Other City, by John McFetridge (ECW Press)

Best First P.I. Novel:

• Lost Little Girl, by Gregory Stout (Level Best)

Best P.I. Short Story:

• “Sweeps Week,” by Richard Helms (EQMM, July/August)

NOMINEES

SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2022: Private Eye Writers of America

The Private Eye Writers of America announced the Shamus Award Nominees 2022. Congratulations to all!

Best P.I. Hardcover:
• Runner, by Tracy Clark (Kensington)
• Last Redemption, by Matt Coyle (Oceanview)
• Pay or Play, by Howard Michael Gould (Severn House)
• Family Business, by S.J. Rozan (Pegasus)
• Head Case, by Michael Wiley (Severn House)

Best Original P.I. Paperback:
• Every City Is Every Other City, by John McFetridge (ECW Press)
• The Burden of Innocence, by John Nardizzi (Weathertop Media)
• Angels in the Wind, by Manuel Ramos (Arte Público Press)
• Frog in a Bucket, by Clive Rosengren (Coffeetown Press)
• An Empty Grave, by Andrew Welsh-Huggins (Swallow Press)

Best First P.I. Novel:
• Porno Valley, by Phillip Elliot (Into the Void)
• Dead Man’s Eyes, by Lori Duffy Foster (Level Best)
• Suburban Dicks, by Fabian Nicieza (Putnam)
• The Arrangement, by M. Ravenel (Chikara Press)
• Lost Little Girl, by Gregory Stout (Level Best)

Best P.I. Short Story:
• “Disposable Women,” by Michael Bracken (Tough)
• “Sixteen Lies,” by Matt Goldman (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], September/October)
• “Sweeps Week,” by Richard Helms (EQMM, July/August)
• “Oro de Tontos (Fool’s Gold),” by Tom Larsen (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, November/December)
• “The Hidden Places,” by Linda Stansberry (EQMM, May/June)

Winners will be announced in August.

 

 

Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award Winners 2021

The Private Eye Writers of America announced the Shamus Award Winners for 2021. (For works published in 2020). Congratulations to all!

Best Original Private Eye Paperback

Brittle Karma by Richard Helms / Black Arch Books

Best Private Eye Short Story 

“Mustang Sally” by John M. Floyd in Black Cat Mystery Magazine

 Best Private Eye Novel

Blind Vigil by Matt Coyle / Oceanview

Best First Private Eye Novel

The Missing American by Kwei Quartey / Soho

The Eye, the PWA Life Achievement Award, was given to Michael Z. Lewin

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2020

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2020 for works published in 2019. (The lists below are in alphabetical order by author.) Congratulations for all!

Best Original Private Eye Paperback 

The Skin Game by JD Allen / Midnight Ink

Behind the Wall of Sleep by James DF Hannah / author

Paid in Spades by Richard Helms / Clay Stafford Books

Ration of Lies by M. Ruth Myers / author

The Bird Boys by Lisa Sandlin / Cinco Puntos Press

Best Private Eye Short Story 

“The Smoking Bandit of Lakeside Terrace” by Chad Baker in EQMM May/June

“Sac-A-Lait Man” by O’Neil De Noux in EQMM Sept/Oct
“The Dunes of Saulkrasti” by William Burton McCormick in EQMM Sept/Oct
“The Fourteenth Floor” by Adam Meyer in Crime Travel anthology from Wildside Press

“Weathering the Storm” by Michael Pool in The Eyes of Texas anthology from Down & Out Books

 Best Private Eye Novel 

The Tower of Songs by Casey Barrett / Kensington

Lost Tomorrows by Matt Coyle / Oceanview

The Shallows by Matt Goldman / Forge

Below the Line by Michael Gould / Dutton

The Cold Way Home by Julia Keller / Minotaur

PWA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2019

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2019 for works published in 2018. (The lists below are in alphabetical order by author.) The winners will be announced at the PWA Banquet at Bouchercon. 

Best Original Private Eye Paperback 

She Talks to Angels by James D. F. Hannah (Hannah)                                                                        

No Quarter by John Jantunen (ECW Press)                                                                              

Shark Bait by Paul Kemprecos (Suspense Publishing)                                                             

Second Story Man by Charles Salzberg (Down & Out Books)                                                             

The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone (Redhook Books)

Best First Private Eye Novel

The Best Bad Things by Katrina Carrasco (MCD Farrar, Straus, Giroux)

Broken Places by Tracy Clark (Kensington)

Last Looks by Howard Michael Gould (Dutton)

What Doesn't Kill You by Aimee Hix (Midnight Ink)

Only to Sleep by Lawrence Osborne (Hogarth)

Best Private Eye Short Story 

"Fear of the Secular," by Mitch Alderman, AHMM

"Three-Star Sushi," by Barry Lancet, Down & Out

“The Big Creep,” by Elizabeth McKenzie, Santa Cruz Noir

"Game," by Twist Phelan, EQMM

"Chin Yong-Yun Helps a Fool," by S.J. Rozan, EQMM

 Best Private Eye Novel 

Wrong Light by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing)

What You Want to See by Kristen Lepionka (Minotaur Books)
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey (Soho C rime)
Baby’s First Felony by John Straley (Soho Crime)

Cut You Down by Sam Wiebe (Quercus)

PWA Shamus Award Nominees

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2017 for works published in 2016. (The lists below are in alphabetical order by author.) The winners will be announced at the PWA Banquet at Bouchercon in Toronto, Canada.

Best Original Private Eye Paperback
Michael Craven, The Detective and the Chinese High-Fin. Harper Collins
O'Neil De Noux,  Hold Me, Babe. Big Kiss Publications
Erle Stanley Gardner,  The Knife Slipped. Hard Case Crime
Vaseem Khan, The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown. Red Hook Books  
Manuel Ramos, My Bad. Arte Publico Press

Best First Private Eye Novel
Tim Baker, Fever City. Europa Editions
Joe Ide, IQ.  Little, Brown
D. P. Lyle, Deep Six.  Oceanview Publishing
David Swinson, The Second Girl. Little, Brown
Richard Vine, Soho Sins. Hard Case Crime

Best Private Eye Short Story
Lawrence Block, “Keller’s Fedora” (e-publication)
Brendan DuBois, “A Battlefield Reunion” in AHMM, June
Ake Edwardson, “Stairway From Heaven” in Stockholm Noir, Akashic
Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, “A Dangerous Cat” in The Strand. Feb-May
Dave Zeltserman, “Archie On Loan” in EQMM, Sept.-Oct.

Best Private Eye Novel
Reed Farrel Coleman, Where It Hurts. Putnam
Lindsey Davis, The Graveyard of the Hesperides. Minotaur
Timothy Hallinan, Fields Where They Lay. Soho Crime
Al Lamanda, With 6 You Get Wally. Gale Cengage
Robert S. Levinson, The Stardom Affair.  Five Star

Shamus Award Winners

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2016
for works published in 2015.

The winners were announced at the PWA Banquet at Bouchercon in New Orleans.

Best Original Private Eye Paperback 
CIRCLING THE RUNWAY by J.L. Abramo. Down & Out Books

Best First Private Eye Novel:
THE DO-RIGHT by Lisa Sandlin. Cinco Puntos Press

Best Private Eye Short Story
“The Dead Client” by Parnell Hall in  Dark City Lights: New York Stories (edited by Lawrence Block)

Best Hardcover Private Eye Novel
BRUTALITY by Ingrid Thoft. G.P. Putnam's Sons

The Eye: Lifetime Achievement Award
S.J. Rozan

Shamus Award Nominees: Private Eye Writers of America

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES 2016
for works published in 2015.

The winners will be announced at the PWA Banquet at Bouchercon in New Orleans.

Best Original Private Eye Paperback 
CIRCLING THE RUNWAY by J.L. Abramo. Down & Out Books
THE LONG COLD by O'Neil De Noux. Big Kiss Productions
SPLIT TO SPLINTERS by Max Everhart. Camel Press
THE MAN IN THE WINDOW by Dana King. Independent
RED DESERT, Clive Rosengren by Moonshine Cove Publishing

Best First Private Eye Novel:
THE RED STORM by Grant Bywaters. St. Martins/Minotaur
NIGHT TREMORS by Matt Coyle. Oceanview Publishing
TROUBLE IN ROOSTER PARADISE by T.W. Emory. Coffeetown Press
DEPTH by Lev Ac Rosen. Regan Arts
THE DO-RIGHT by Lisa Sandlin. Cinco Puntos Press

Best Private Eye Short Story
“The Runaway Girl from Portland, Oregon” by C.B. Forrest in  Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, October 2015
 “The Sleep of Death” by David Edgerley Gates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, December 2015
“The Dead Client” by Parnell Hall in  Dark City Lights: New York Stories (edited by Lawrence Block)
“The Dead Detective” by Robert S. Levinson in Coast to Coast: Murder from Sea to Shining Sea (edited by Andrew McAleer & Paul D. Marks)
“The Continental Opposite” by Evan Lewis in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, May 2015

Best Private Eye Novel
THE PROMISE by Robert Crais. G.P. Putnam's Sons
DANCE OF THE BONES by J.A. Jance.  William Morris
GUMSHOE by Robert Leininger. Oceanview Publishing
BRUSH BACK by Sara Paretsky. G.P. Putnam's Sons
BRUTALITY by Ingrid Thoft. G.P. Putnam's Sons

2014 Shamus Award Nominees

The Private Eye Writers of America announced the finalists for its 2014 Shamus Awards. Winners will be named during a banquet at Bouchercon in Long Beach, California, on Friday, November 14.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel:
• Little Elvises, by Timothy Hallinan (Soho Crime)
• The Mojito Coast, by Richard Helms (Five Star)
• W Is for Wasted, by Sue Grafton (Marian Wood/Putnam)
• The Good Cop, by Brad Parks (Minotaur)
• Nemesis, by Bill Pronzini (Forge)

Best First P.I. Novel:
• A Good Death, by Christopher R. Cox (Minotaur)
• Montana, by Gwen Florio (Permanent Press)
• Blood Orange, by Karen Keskinen (Minotaur)
• Bear Is Broken, by Lachlan Smith (Mysterious Press)
• Loyalty, by Ingrid Thoft (Putnam)

Best Original Paperback P.I. Novel:
• Seduction of the Innocent, by Max Allan Collins (Hard Case Crime)
• Into the Dark, by Alison Gaylin (HarperCollins)
• Purgatory Key, by Darrell James (Midnight Ink)
• Heart of Ice, by P.J. Parrish (Pocket)
• The Honky Tonk Big Hoss Boogie, by Robert J. Randisi (Perfect Crime)

Best P.I. Short Story:
• “So Long, Chief,” by Max Allan Collins and Mickey Spillane (The Strand Magazine, February-May 2013)
• “The Ace I,” by Jack Fredrickson (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], June 2013)
• “What We Do,” by Mick Herron (EQMM, September-October 2013)
• “Extra Fries,” by Michael Z. Lewin (EQMM, May 2013)
• “The Lethal Leeteg,” by Hayford Peirce (EQMM, August 2013)

Best Indie P.I. Novel:
• Murder Take Three, by April Kelly and Marsha Lyons (Flight Risk)
• A Small Sacrifice, by Dana King (Amazon Digital)
• No Pat Hands, by J.J. Lamb (Two Black Sheep)
• State vs. Lassiter, by Paul Levine (CreateSpace)
• Don’t Dare a Dame, by M. Ruth Myers (Tuesday House)

  

HT: The Rap Sheet

Private Eye Writers New Award

Ed Gorman reports from Robert J. Randisi that PWA is Taking a step forward. PWA has instituted a new Shamus Award for works published in 2012. It is the Best Indie P.I. Novel. This is for novels that have been published by the authors themselves. Entries must bear a 2012 copyright.

President  Steve Hamilton, Vice-President DeNoux O'Neil, and Founder/Director Robert J. Randisi have decided it's time to open the organization to self-published works as the category now includes many established authors who, for one reason or another, have decided to publish their own work. The same professional standards used to judge our other categories will be used here. This category will include e-books. However, this is an experiment and does not effect any of the other categories. 

Hat Tip: Bill Crider

SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES

The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) is proud to announce the nominees for the 31st annual Shamus Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The awards will be presented at the PWA banquet, to be held Friday evening October 5, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention.

2012 Shamus Awards Nominees

BEST HARDCOVER PI NOVEL

Bye Bye, Baby by Max Allan Collins / Tom Doherty
1222 by Anne Holt / Scribner
When the Thrill is Gone by Walter Mosley / Riverhead Books
A Bad Night's Sleep by Michael Wiley / Minotaur
The Highly Effective Detective Crosses the Line by Richard Yancey / Minotaur

BEST FIRST PI NOVEL

The Plot Against Hip Hop by Nelson George / Akashic
Claire Dewitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran / Houghton Mifflin
The Ocean Forest by Troy D. Nooe / Ingalls
The Shortcut Man by P.G. Sturges / Scribner
The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams / Bantam

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL PI NOVEL

Quarry's Ex by Max Allan Collins / Hard Case Crime
Threat Warning by John Gilstrap / Kensington
Serial by John Lutz / Kensington
Long Pig by James L. Ross / Perfect Crime Books
Fun & Games by Duane Swiercyzinski / Mulholland

BEST PI SHORT STORY
"A Bullet From Yesterday" by Terence Faherty in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Jan.)
"Mr. Monk & The Sunday Paper" by Lee Goldberg in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (July)
"Who I Am" by Michael Z. Lewin in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Dec.)
"Vampire Slayer Murdered in Key West" by Michael West in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Sept. / Oct.)
"Dancer in a Storm" by L. A. Wilson in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (Jan. / Feb.)

PWA was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Randisi to recognize the private eye genre and its writers.