The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. Among the most prestigious awards in the world of mystery writers, the Anthony Awards have helped boost the careers of many recipients.
Awards are voted for by members attending the annual event and are given in the following categories:
Best NovelBest First novelBest Paperback originalBest Short storyBest Critical / Non-fiction workSpecial Service awardThe ceremony may also include a number of "wild card" awards.
Best Novel award - Chris Holm, The Killing KindBest First Novel award - Glen Erik Hamilton, Past CrimesBest Paperback Original award - Lou Berney, The Long and Faraway GoneBest Critical / Non-fiction work - Val McDermid, Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About CrimeBest Short Story award - Megan Abbott, "The Little Men"Best Young Adult Novel - Joelle Charbonneau, NeedBest Anthology or Collection - Art Taylor, editor, Murder Under the Oaks Best Novel award - Laura Lippman, After I'm GoneBest First Novel award - Lori Rader-Day, The Black HourBest Paperback Original award - Catriona McPherson, The Day She DiedBest Short Story award - Art Taylor, "The Odds Are Against Us"Best Critical / Non-fiction work - Hank Phillippi Ryan, ed., Writes of Passage: Adventures on the Writer's JourneyBest Novel award - William Kent Krueger, Ordinary GraceBest First Novel award - Matt Coyle, Yesterday's EchoBest Paperback Original award - Catriona McPherson As She Left ItBest Short Story award - John Connolly, "The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository"Best Critical / Non-fiction work - Daniel Stashower, The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot To Murder Lincoln Before the Civil WarBest Novel award - Louise Penny, The Beautiful MysteryBest First novel award - Chris Pavone, The ExpatsBest Paperback original award - Johnny Shaw, Big MariaBest Short story award - Dana Cameron, "Mischief in Mesopotamia" from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, November 2012Best Critical / Non-fiction work - John Connolly and Declan Burke, Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery NovelsBest Novel award — Louise Penny, A Trick of the LightBest First novel award — Sophie Littlefield, Learning to SwimBest Paperback original award — Julie Hyzy, Buffalo West WingBest Short story award — Dana Cameron, "Disarming" from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, June 2011Best Critical / Non-fiction work — Charlaine Harris, The Sookie Stackhouse CompanionBest Novel award — Louise Penny, Bury your DeadBest First novel award — Hilary Davidson, Damage DoneBest Paperback original award — Duane Swierczynski, Expiration DateBest Short story award — Dana Cameron, "Swing Shift", from Crimes By Moonlight: Mysteries from the Dark SideBest Critical / Non-fiction work — John Curran, Agatha Christie's Secret NotebooksSpecial Service award — Ali Karim, ShotsWildcard awards:
Best Graphic novel — Jason Starr, The ChillBest Website / Blog — Lucinda Surber & Stan Ulrich, "Stop, You're Killing Me!"Lifetime Achievement award — Sara ParetskyBest Novel award — Louise Penny, The Brutal TellingBest First novel award — Sophie Littlefield, A Bad Day for SorryBest Paperback original award — Bryan Gruley, Starvation LakeBest Short story award — Hank Phillippi Ryan, "On the House", from Quarry: Crime Stories by New England WritersBest Critical / Non-fiction work — P.D. James, Talking About Detective FictionSpecial Service award — no award issuedBest Novel award — Michael Connelly, The Brass VerdictBest First novel award — Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon TattooBest Paperback original award — Julie Hyzy, State of the OnionBest Short story award — Sean Chercover, "A Sleep Not Unlike Death" from Hardcore HardboiledBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Jeffrey Marks, Anthony Boucher: A BiobibliographySpecial Service award — Jon and Ruth Jordan, publishers and editors of Crimespree magazineWildcard awards:
Best Children's / Young-adult novel — Chris Grabenstein, The CrossroadsBest Cover art — Peter Mendelsund, The Girl with the Dragon TattooLifetime Achievement award — Allen J. HubinBest Novel award — Laura Lippman, What the Dead KnowBest First novel award — Tana French, In the WoodsBest Paperback original award — P. J. Parrish, A Thousand BonesBest Short story award — Laura Lippman, "Hardly Knew Her" from Dead Man's HandBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Jon Lellenberg & Daniel Stashower & Charles Foley, Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in LettersSpecial Service award — Jon and Ruth Jordan, publishers and editors of Crimespree magazineWildcard awards:
Best Website / Blog — Lucinda Surber & Stan Ulrich, "Stop, You're Killing Me!"Lifetime Achievement award — Robert Rosenwald and Barbara G. PetersBest Novel award — Laura Lippman, No Good DeedsBest First novel award — Louise Penny, Still LifeBest Paperback original award — Dana Cameron, Ashes and BonesBest Short story award — Simon Wood, "My Father's Secret", from Crimespree Magazine B'con 2006 Special Ed, pp 20–22Best Critical / Non-fiction work — Jim Huang & Austin Lugar – Mystery MusesSpecial Service award — Jim Huang, Crum Creek Press and The Mystery CompanyWildcard awards:
Lifetime Achievement award — James SallisBest Novel award — William Kent Krueger, Mercy FallsBest First novel award — Chris Grabenstein, Tilt-a-WhirlBest Paperback original award — Reed Farrel Coleman, The James DeansBest Short story award — Barbara Seranella, "Misdirection", from Greatest HitsBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Marv Lachman, Heirs Of Anthony BoucherSpecial Service award — Janet Rudolph, Mystery Readers InternationalWildcard awards:
Best Fan Publication — Jon and Ruth Jordan, Crimespree MagazineLifetime Achievement award — Robert B. ParkerBest Novel award — William Kent Krueger, Blood HollowBest First novel award — Harley Jane Kozak, Dating Dead ManBest Paperback original award — Jason Starr, Twisted CityBest Short story award — Elaine Viets, "Wedding Knife", from Chesapeake CrimesBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Max Allan Collins & et al., Men's Adventure MagazinesSpecial Service award — no award issuedWildcard awards:
Best Cover art — Sohrab Habibion, Brooklyn NoirLifetime Achievement award — Bill Pronzini & Marcia MullerBest Novel award — Laura Lippman, Every Secret ThingBest First novel award — P. J. Tracy, MonkeewrenchBest Paperback original award — Robin Burcell, Deadly LegacyBest Short story award — Rhys Bowen, "Doppelganger", from Blood on Their HandsBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Gary Warren Niebuhr, Make Mine a Mystery: A Reader's Guide to Mystery and Detective FictionSpecial Service award — no award issuedWildcard awards:
Best Young-adult mystery — J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixBest Historical mystery — Rhys Bowen, For The Love Of MikeBest Novel award — Michael Connelly, City of BonesBest First novel award — Julia Spencer-Fleming, In the Bleak MidwinterBest Paperback original award — Robin Burcell, Fatal TruthBest Short story award — Marcia Talley, "Too Many Cooks", from Much Ado About MurderBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Jim Huang, They Died In Vain: Overlooked, Underappreciated and Forgotten Mystery NovelsSpecial Service award — no award issuedWildcard awards:
Best Cover art — Michael Kellner from photograph by Christopher Voelker, Measures of PoisonBest Novel award — Dennis Lehane, Mystic RiverBest First novel award — C. J. Box, Open SeasonBest Paperback original award — Charlaine Harris, Dead Until DarkBest Short story award — Bill Crider & Judy Crider, "Chocolate Moose", from Death Dines at 8:30Best Critical / Non-fiction work — Tony Hillerman, Seldom DisappointedSpecial Service award — Doris Ann NorrisWildcard awards:
Best Cover art — Michael Storrings, from photograph by Josef Beck, Reflecting the SkyBest Young-adult mystery — Penny Warner, The Mystery of the Haunted CavesBest Novel award — Val McDermid, A Place of ExecutionBest First novel award — Qiu Xiaolong, Death of a Red HeroineBest Paperback original award — Kate Grilley, Death Dances to a Reggae BeatBest Short story award — Edward D. Hoch, "The Problem of the Potting Shed", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine July 2000Best Critical / Non-fiction work — Jim Huang, 100 Favorite Mysteries Of The CenturyWildcard awards:
Best Anthology / Short-story collection — Lawrence Block, Master's Choice IIBest Fan publication — Chris Aldrich & Lynn Kaczmarek, Mystery NewsLifetime Achievement award — Edward D. HochBest Novel award — Peter Robinson, In a Dry SeasonBest First novel award — Donna Andrews, Murder with PeacocksBest Paperback original award — Laura Lippman, In Big TroubleBest Short story award — Meg Chittenden, "Noir Lite", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine January 1999Best Critical / Non-fiction work — Willetta L. Heising, Detecting Women (3rd edition)Wildcard awards:
Best Series of the century — Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot seriesBest Writer of the century — Agatha ChristieBest Novel of the century — Daphne Du Maurier, RebeccaLifetime Achievement award — Jane LangtonBest Novel award — Michael Connelly, Blood WorkBest First novel award — William Kent Krueger, Iron LakeBest Paperback original award — Laura Lippman, Butcher's HillBest Short story award — Barbara D'Amato, "Of Course You Know that Chocolate Is a Vegetable", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine November 1998Best Critical / Non-fiction work — George Easter, Deadly Pleasures MagazineWildcard awards:
Lifetime Achievement award — Len & June MoffattBest Novel award — S. J. Rozan, No Colder PlaceBest First novel award — Lee Child, Killing FloorBest Paperback original award — Rick Riordan, Big Red TequilaBest Short story award — Jan Grape, "A Front Row Seat", from Vengeance is Hers and Edward D. Hoch, "One Bag of Coconuts", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine November 1997Best Critical / Non-fiction work — no award issuedWildcard awards:
Best Cover art — Michael Kellner, Night DogsBest Novel award — Michael Connelly, The PoetBest First novel award — Dale Furutani, Death in Little Tokyo and Terris McMahan Grimes, Somebody Else's ChildBest Paperback original award — Terris McMahan Grimes, Somebody Else's ChildBest Short story award — Carolyn Wheat, "Accidents Will Happen", from Malice Domestic 5Best Critical / Non-fiction work — Willetta L. Heising, Detecting Women 2: Reader's Guide and Checklist for Mystery Series Written by WomenWildcard awards:
Best Fanzine — The Armchair DetectiveLifetime Achievement award — Donald E. WestlakeBest Novel award — Mary Willis Walker, Under the Beetle's CellarBest First novel award — Virginia Lanier, Death in Bloodhound RedBest Paperback original award — Harlan Coben, Deal BreakerBest Short story award — Gar Anthony Haywood, "And Pray Nobody Sees You", from Spooks, Spies, and Private EyesBest Critical / Non-fiction work — Kate Stine, The Armchair Detective Book of Lists, 2nd EditionWildcard awards:
Best Cover art — Pamela Patrick, The Body In The TranseptBest Editor — Sara Ann FreedBest Magazine / Digest / Review publication — The Armchair DetectiveBest Movie — The Usual SuspectsBest Publisher — St. Martin's PressBest Short story collection — Marcia Muller, The McCone Files: The Complete Sharon McCone StoriesBest True crime — Ann Rule, Dead By Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?Best TV show — The X-FilesBest Novel award — Sharyn McCrumb, She Walks These HillsBest First novel award — Caleb Carr, The AlienistBest Paperback original award — no award issuedBest Short story award — Sharyn McCrumb, "The Monster of Glamis", from Royal CrimesBest Critical work — B.A. Pike & J. Cooper, Crime Fiction, 2nd EditionWildcard awards:
Best Anthology / Short story collection — Tony Hillerman, The Mysterious WestBest Film — Pulp FictionBest True crime — David Canter, Criminal Shadows: Inside the Mind of the Serial KillerBest TV series — Prime SuspectLifetime Achievement award — Ruth RendellBest Novel award — Marcia Muller, Wolf in the ShadowsBest First novel award — Nevada Barr, Track of the CatBest Paperback original award — no award issuedBest Short story award — Susan Dunlap, "Checkout", from Malice Domestic 2Best Critical work — Ed Gorman & Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff, The Fine Art Of Murder: The Mystery Reader's Indispensable CompanionWildcard awards:
Best Anthology / Short story collection — Martin H. Greenberg, Mary Higgins Clark presents Malice Domestic 2Best True crime — Ann Rule, A Rose For Her Grave: and Other True CasesLifetime Achievement award — Tony HillermanBest Novel award — Margaret Maron, Bootlegger's DaughterBest First novel award — Barbara Neely, Blanche on the LamBest Paperback original award — no award issuedBest Short story award — Diane Mott Davidson, "Cold Turkey", from Sisters in Crime 5Best Critical work — Ellen Nehr, Doubleday Crime Club Compendium 1928-1991Wildcard awards:
Best Motion picture — The Crying GameBest True crime — Barbara D'Amato, The Doctor, The Murder, The Mystery: The True Story of the Dr. John Branion Murder CaseLifetime Achievement award — Hammond Innes and Ralph McInernyBest Novel award — Peter Lovesey, The Last DetectiveBest First novel award — Sue Henry, Murder on the Iditarod TrailBest Paperback original award — no award issuedBest Short story award — Liza Cody, "Lucky Dip", from A Woman’s EyeBest Critical work — Maxim Jakubowski, 100 Great DetectivesWildcard awards:
Best Anthology / Short story collection — Sara Paretsky, A Woman's EyeBest True crime — David Simon, Homicide: A Year on the Killing StreetsLifetime Achievement award — Charlotte MacLeodBest Novel award — Sue Grafton, "G" Is for GumshoeBest First novel award — Patricia Cornwell, PostmortemBest Paperback original award — James McCahery, Grave Undertaking & Rochelle Krich, Where's Mommy Now?Best Short story award — Susan Dunlap, "The Celestial Buffet", from Sisters in Crime 2Best Critical work — Jon L. Breen & Martin H. Greenberg, Synod Of SleuthsWildcard awards:
Best Motion picture — Presumed InnocentBest Television series — Mystery!Lifetime Achievement award — William Campbell GaultBest Novel award — Sarah Caudwell, The Sirens Song of MurderBest First novel award — Karen Kijewski, KatwalkBest Paperback original award — Carolyn Hart, Honeymoon with MurderBest Short story award — Nancy Pickard, "Afraid All The Time", from Sisters in CrimeWildcard awards:
Best Movie — Crimes and MisdemeanorsBest TV series — Inspector MorseLifetime Achievement award — Michael GilbertBest Novel award — Thomas Harris, The Silence of the LambsBest First novel award — Elizabeth George, A Great DeliveranceBest Paperback original award — Carolyn Hart, Something WickedBest Short story award — no award issuedWildcard awards:
Lifetime Achievement award — Dorothy Salisbury DavisBest Novel award — Tony Hillerman, SkinwalkersBest First novel award — Gillian Roberts, Caught Dead in PhiladelphiaBest Paperback original award — Robert Crais, The Monkey's RaincoatBest Short story award — Robert Barnard, "Breakfast Television", from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, January 1987Wildcard awards:
Best Movie — The Big EasyBest TV series — Mystery!Best Novel award — Sue Grafton, "C" Is for CorpseBest First novel award — Bill Crider, Too Late to DieBest Paperback original award — Robert Wright Campbell, The Junkyard DogBest Short story award — Sue Grafton, "The Parker Shotgun", from Mean StreetsBest Novel award — Sue Grafton, "B" Is for BurglarBest First novel award — Jonathan Kellerman, When the Bough BreaksBest Paperback original award — Nancy Pickard, Say No To MurderBest Short story award — Linda Barnes, "Lucky Penny", from The New Black Mask, No. 3Wildcard awards:
Best Movie — WitnessBest TV series — Murder, She Wrote'Grand Master — Barbara Mertz
