2024 DAVITT AWARD SHORTLISTS: Sisters in Crime Australia

Sisters in Crime Australia has announced its shortlist for its 24th Davitt Awards for the best crime and mystery books. Congratulations to all. Winners will be announced on August 31.

2024 DAVITT SHORTLISTS

Adult Novels 

Bronwyn Hall, The Chasm (HQ Fiction)
Amanda Hampson, The Tea Ladies (Penguin Random House)
Christine Keighery, The Half Brother (Ultimo Press) Debut
Suzie Miller, Prima Facie (Pan Macmillan Australia) Debut
Marija Pericic, Exquisite Corpse (Ultimo Press)
Darcy Tindale, The Fall Between (Penguin Random House) Debut
Monica Vuu, When One of Us Hurts (Pan Macmillan Australia) Debut

Non-Fiction 

Ahona Guha, Reclaim: Understanding complex trauma and those who abuse (Scribe Publications) Debut
Rebecca Hazel, The Schoolgirl, her Teacher and his Wife (Penguin Random House)
Christine Kenneally, Ghosts of the Orphanage (Hachette Australia)
Nicole Madigan, Obsession (Pantera Press) Debut

Young Adult Novels

Amy Doak, Eleanor Jones Is Not a Murderer (Penguin Random House) Debut
Ellie Marney, Some Shall Break (Allen & Unwin)

Children’s Novels 

Lucinda Gifford, The Wolves of Greycoat Hall (Walker Books)
Kelli Anne Hawkins, Copycat (HarperCollins Australia)
Alison Tait, The First Summer of Callie McGee (Scholastic Australia)
Anna Zobel, This Camp Is Doomed: A Dennith Grange misadventure (Penguin Random House)

2020 DAVITT AWARDS: Sisters in Crime Australia

Sisters in Crime Australia announced the winners of the Davitt Awards, named for Ellen Davitt (1812-1879), Australia’s first crime novelist, who wrote Australia's first mystery novel, Force and Fraud (1865).

Best Adult Crime Novel
The Trespassers, Meg Mundell (University of Queensland Press) 

Best Young Adult Crime Novel
Four Dead Queens, Astrid Scholte (Allen & Unwin)

Best Children’s Crime Novel
The Girl in the Mirror, Jenny Blackford (Eagle Books, an imprint of Christmas Press)

Best Non-fiction Crime Book
Banking Bad: Whistleblowers. Corporate cover-ups. One journalist’s fight for the truth, Adele Ferguson
(ABC Books, a HarperCollins Australia imprint)

Best Debut Crime Book
Eight Lives, Susan Hurley (Affirm Press)

Readers' Choice Awards: 

Emma Viskic for Darkness for Light (Echo Publishing) and Dervla McTiernan for The Scholar (HarperCollins Publishers Australia) are joint winners of the Readers’ Choice Award, as judged by the 500+ members of Sisters in Crime. 

 HT: The Rap Sheet

DAVITT AWARDS SHORTLISTS: Sisters in Crime Australia

Sisters in Crime Australia announced the shortlist for the Davitt Awards, named for Ellen Davitt (1812-1879), Australia’s first crime novelist, who wrote Australia's first mystery novel, Force and Fraud (1865).

Adult Crime Novels
Bruny, Heather Rose (Allen & Unwin)
Eight Lives, Susan Hurley (Affirm Press) Debut
Life Before, Carmel Reilly (Allen & Unwin) Debut
Present Tense, Natalie Conyer (Clan Destine Press) Debut
The Scholar, Dervla McTiernan (HarperCollins Australia)
Six Minutes, Petronella McGovern (Allen & Unwin) Debut
The Trespassers, Meg Mundell (University of Queensland Press) Debut

Young Adult Crime Novels
All That Impossible Space, Anna Morgan (Lothian Children’s Books, a Hachette Australia imprint) Debut
Four Dead Queens, Astrid Scholte (Allen & Unwin) Debut
When the Ground is Hard, Malla Nunn (Allen & Unwin)

Children’s Crime Novels
The Girl in the Mirror, Jenny Blackford (Eagle Books, an imprint of Christmas Press) Debut
The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Lucerne, Katrina Nannestad (The Girl, the Dog and the Writer #3, ABC Books, a HarperCollins Australia imprint)
Jinxed!: The curious curse of Cora Bell, Rebecca McRitchie (Jinxed #1, HarperCollins Australia)
Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery, Renée Treml (Allen & Unwin) Debut

Non-fiction Crime Books
Banking Bad: Whistleblowers. Corporate cover-ups. One journalist’s fight for the truth, Adele Ferguson
(ABC Books, ABC Books, a HarperCollins Australia imprint) Debut
Fallen: The inside story of the secret trial and conviction of Cardinal George Pell, Lucie Morris-Marr (Allen & Unwin) Debut
Fixed It: Violence and the representation of women in the media, Jane Gilmore (Viking, an imprint
of Penguin Random House Australia)
See What You Made Me Do: Power, control and domestic abuse, Jess Hill (Black Inc.) Debut
Troll Hunting: Inside the world of online hate and its human fallout, Ginger Gorman (Hardie Grant
Books) Debut

Debut crime books
Banking Bad: Whistleblowers. Corporate cover-ups. One journalist’s fight for the truth, Adele Ferguson (ABC Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Australia)
Bee and the Orange Tree, The, Melissa Ashley (Affirm Press)
Drover’s Wife, The, Leah Purcell (Hamish Hamilton, an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia)
Eight Lives, Susan Hurley (Affirm Press)
Four Dead Queens, Astrid Scholte (Allen & Unwin)
Life Before, Carmel Reilly (Allen & Unwin)
Present Tense, Natalie Conyer (Clan Destine Press)
Six Minutes, Petronella McGovern (Allen & Unwin)
Troll Hunting: Inside the world of online hate and its human fallout, Ginger Gorman (Hardie Grant Books)

The Davitt Award ceremony will be conducted by Zoom this year. A new trophy is being designed to mark the 20^th anniversary of the awards.

 HT: The Rap Sheet

SCARLET STILETTO AWARDS: Sisters in Crime Australia

Sisters in Crime Australia handed out its 26th annual Scarlet Stiletto Awards for short fiction “written by Australian women and featuring a strong female protagonist.”

Swinburne University Award 1st Prize: “At Length I Would Be Avenged,” by Blanche Clark

Simon & Schuster Award 2nd Prize: “Dead End,” 
by Philomena Horsley

The Sun Bookshop/Wild Dingo Press Award 3rd Prize: “The Fossil Hunters,” by Bridgette Cummings

Melbourne Athenaeum Library Award for Best “Body in the Library” Story: Winner—“At Length I Would Be Avenged,” by Blanche Clark. Runner-up—“Death in the Catacombs,” by Kelly Gardiner

International Association of Forensic Linguists Award for Best Forensic Linguistics Story: “Marie’s Voice,” by Jaimee Sharrett

Kerry Greenwood Award for Best Malice Domestic Story: 
“Screwed,” by Caroline de Costa

Every Cloud Productions Award for Best Mystery with History Story: “Loose Lips,” by Eugenie Pusenjak

Writers Victoria Crime and Punishment Award for the Story with the Most Satisfying Retribution: “Plenty More Fish,” by Kristin Murdock

HQ Fiction Award for Best Romantic Suspense Story: “Sweet Baby Dies,” by Sandi Wallace

Clan Destine Press Award for Best Cross-genre Story: 
“Manny,” by Natalie Conyer

Terror Australis Readers and Writers Festival Award for Best Bushranger Story: “The Emerald Lady,” by Missy Jane Birch

Liz Navratil Award for Best Story with a Disabled Protagonist: “Dead End,” by Philomena Horsley

Scriptworks Award for a Great Film Idea: “Lifeboat,” by Janette Ellis

Elephant Tree Publishing Award for Best Young Writer: “Death by Couch,” by Lyra Philp

HT: TheRapSheet

DAVITT AWARDS: SISTERS IN CRIME AUSTRALIA

Sisters in Crime Australia announced the winners of the 2019 Davitt Awards, named for Ellen Davitt (1812-1879), Australia’s first crime novelist, who wrote Australia's first mystery novel, Force and Fraud (1865).

Best Adult Crime Novel:
The Ruin, by Dervla McTiernan (HarperCollins Australia)
Best Young Adult Crime Novel:
Small Spaces, by Sarah Epstein (Walker Books)
Best Children’s Crime Novel:
Wakestone Hall, by Judith Rossell (ABC Books)
Best Non-fiction Crime Book:
The Arsonist, by Chloe Hooper (Penguin Random House)
Best Debut Novel:
Eggshell Skull, by Bri Lee (Allen & Unwin)
Readers’ Choice:
The Lost Man, by Jane Harper (Pan Macmillan Australia)

HT: The Gumshoe Site & The Rap Sheet

2018 DAVITT AWARDS SHORT LIST: Sisters in Crime Australia

Sisters in Crime Australia announced the shortlist for its 2018 Davitt Awards, celebrating “the best crime books by Australian women.” Winners will be announced during a ceremony at Swinburne University on August 11.

2018 Davitt Award Short List

Adult crime novels
Sarah Bailey, The Dark Lake (Allen & Unwin) Debut
Sara Foster, The Hidden Hours (Simon & Schuster)
Candice Fox, Crimson Lake (Penguin Random House)
Sulari Gentill, Crossing the Lines (Pantera Press)
Jane Harper, Force of Nature (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Emma Viskic, And Fire Came Down (Bonnier Publishing Australia)

Young Adult crime novels
Ellie Marney, No Limits (Bearded Lady Press)
Sophie Masson, Jack of Spades (Eagle Books)
Vikki Wakefield, Ballad for a Mad Girl (Text Publishing)

Children’s crime novel
Rebecca Johnson, Welcome to Willowvale (Vet Cadets #1) (Penguin Random House)
Rebecca McRitchie, Whimsy and Woe (HarperCollins Australia)
Allison Rushby, The Turnkey (Walker Books Australia)
Ailsa Wild, Squishy Taylor and the Silver Suitcase (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Non-fiction books
Carol Baxter, The Fabulous Flying Mrs Miller: An Australian’s true story of adventure, danger, romance and murder (Allen & Unwin)
Gabriella Coslovich, Whiteley on Trial (Melbourne University Press)
Sarah Krasnostein, The Trauma Cleaner: One woman’s extraordinary life in death, decay and disaster (Text Publishing)
Louise Milligan, Cardinal: The rise and fall of George Pell (Melbourne University Press)

Debut
Sarah Bailey, The Dark Lake (Allen & Unwin)
Gabriella Coslovich, Whiteley on Trial (Melbourne University Press)
Megan Goldin, The Girl from Keller’s Way (Penguin Random House)
Rebecca Johnson, Welcome to Willowvale (Vet Cadets #1) (Penguin Random House)
Sarah Krasnostein, The Trauma Cleaner: One woman’s extraordinary life in death, decay and disaster (Text Publishing)  
Rebecca McRitchie, Whimsy and Woe (HarperCollins Australia)
Louise Milligan, Cardinal: The rise and fall of George Pell (Melbourne University Press)  
Sarah Schmidt, See What I Have Done (Hachette Australia)  
Pip Smith, Half Wild (Allen & Unwin)
Vikki Wakefield, Ballad for a Mad Girl (Text Publishing) 

HT: BV Lawson's In Reference to Murder via The Rap Sheet

Davitt Award Winners: Sisters in Crime Australia

DAVITT AWARDS, given by Sisters in Crime Australia

Best Adult Novel: Resurrection Bay, by Emma Viskic (Echo)

Other nominees: Medea’s Curse: Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist, by Anne Buist (Text); Fall, by Candice Fox (Penguin Random House); Give the Devil His Due, by Sulari Gentill (Pantera Press); Storm Clouds, by Bronwyn Parry (Hachette Australia); and Time to Run, by J.M. Peace, (Pan Macmillan Australia)

Best Young Adult Novel: Risk, by Fleur Ferris (Penguin Random House)

Other Nominees: In the Skin of a Monster, by Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin); Every Move, by Ellie Marney (Allen & Unwin); and Stay with Me, by Maureen McCarthy (Allen & Unwin)

Best Children’s Novel: Friday Barnes 2: Under Suspicion, by R.A. Spratt (Penguin Random House)

Other Nominees: Verity Sparks and the Scarlet Hand, by Susan Green (Walker Press); and Theophilus Grey and the Demon Thief, by Catherine Jinks (Allen & Unwin)

Best Non-fiction: Wild Man, by Alecia Simmonds (Affirm Press)

Other Nominees: Black Widow, by Carol Baxter (Allen & Unwin); Why Did They Do It?, by Cheryl Critchley and Helen McGrath (Pan Macmillan Australia); The Sting, by Kate Kyriacou (Echo); Behind Closed Doors, by Sue Smetherst (Simon & Schuster); and You’re Just Too Good to Be True, by Sofija Stefanovic (Penguin Random House)

Best Debut: Resurrection Bay, by Emma Viskic (Echo)

Other nominees: In the Skin of a Monster, by Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin); Medea’s Curse: Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist, by Anne Buist (Text); Please Don’t Leave Me Here, by Tania Chandler (Scribe); Double Madness, by Caroline de Costa (Margaret River Press); Risk, by Fleur Ferris (Penguin Random House); Good Money, by J.M. Green (Scribe); Time to Run, by J.M. Peace (Pan Macmillan Australia); and The Lost Swimmer, by Ann Turner (Simon & Schuster)

HT: TheRapSheet

DAVITT AWARD NOMINEES 2014

Sisters in Crime Australia announced the nominees for the 2014 Davitt Awards, named for Ellen Davitt, the author of Australia’s first mystery novel, Force and Fraud (1865), that honor the best in Down Under crime/mystery fiction by women.

Best Adult Novel:
• Dark Horse, by Honey Brown (Penguin Books Australia)
• Nefarious Doings, by Ilsa Evans (Momentum Press)
• A Bitter Taste, by Annie Hauxwell (Penguin Books Australia)
• Web of Deceit, by Katherine Howell (Pan Macmillan Australia)
• Burial Rites, by Hannah Kent (Picador Books)
• The Dying Beach, by Angela Savage (Text)

Best Young Adult Novel:
• The Midnight Dress, by Karen Foxlee (UQP)
• Girl Defective, by Simmone Howell (Pan Macmillan Australia)
• Cry Blue Murder, by Kim Kane and Marion Roberts (UQP)
• Every Breath, by Ellie Marney (Allen & Unwin)
• A Ring Through Time, by Felicity Pulman (Harper Collins)

Best Children’s Novel:
• The Perplexing Pineapple: The Cryptic Casebook of Coco Carlomagno (and Alberta), Book 1, by Ursula Dubosarsky (Allen & Unwin)
• The Looming Lamplight: The Cryptic Casebook of Coco Carlomagno (and Alberta), Book 2, by Ursula Dubosarsky (Allen & Unwin)
• Verity Sparks: Lost and Found, by Susan Green (Walker Books)
• Truly Tan: Jinxed!, by Jen Storer (Harper Collins)
• Truly Tan: Spooked!, by Jen Storer (Harper Collins)

Best True Crime Book:
• Night Games: Sex, Power and Sport, by Anna Krien (Black Inc)
• Deadly Australian Women, by Kay Saunders (ABC Books)

Best Debut Book (any category):
• A Trifle Dead, by Livia Day (Twelfth Planet Press)
• The Midnight Dress, by Karen Foxlee (UQP)
• Girl Defective, by Simmone Howell (Pan Macmillan Australia)
• Burial Rites, by Hannah Kent (Picador Books)
• Every Breath, by Ellie Marney (Allen & Unwin)

In addition, 660 members of Sisters in Crime Australia will cast votes for their Readers’ Choice award recipient of the year.

The winners in all six categories will be announced on August 30.

HT: The Rap Sheet