Edgar Award for Best Novel
Mystery Writers of America
One of several categories in the annual Edgar Awards, presented by the Mystery Writers of America to honor the best in mystery and crime fiction published in the United States during the previous year, recognizing the top full-length novel in the genre.
Latest winner · 2026
- The Big Empty · Robert Crais
Next · expected January 2027
Shortlist announced Full award calendar
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2026
- Won
- Fagin the ThiefShortlisted
Allison Epstein
- Hard TownShortlisted
Adam Plantinga
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- The InheritanceShortlisted
Trisha Sakhlecha
- Wild Dark ShoreShortlisted
Charlotte McConaghy
2025
- Won
- Listen for the LieShortlisted
Amy Tintera
- My Favorite ScarShortlisted
Nicolás Ferraro
- Rough TradeShortlisted
Katrina Carrasco
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Things Don't Break on Their OwnShortlisted
Sarah Easter Collins
2024
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Bright Young WomenShortlisted
Jessica Knoll
- Shortlisted
- The Mad Women of ParisShortlisted
Jennifer Cody Epstein
- Shortlisted
2023
- Won
- Shortlisted
- GanglandShortlisted
Chuck Hogan
- Shortlisted
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2022
- Won
- How LuckyShortlisted
Will Leitch
- No One Will Miss HerShortlisted
Kat Rosenfield
- Shortlisted
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2021
- Won
- Before She Was HelenShortlisted
Caroline B. Cooney
- The Distant DeadShortlisted
Heather Young
- The Missing AmericanShortlisted
Kwei Quartey
- Shortlisted
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2020
- Won
- Fake Like MeShortlisted
Barbara Bourland
- Shortlisted
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2019
- Won
- A Gambler's JuryShortlisted
Victor Methos
- A Treacherous CurseShortlisted
Deanna Raybourn
- House WitnessShortlisted
Mike Lawson
- Only to SleepShortlisted
Lawrence Osborne
- Shortlisted
2018
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- The DimeShortlisted
Kathleen Kent
- The Twelve Lives of Samuel HawleyShortlisted
Hannah Tinti
2017
- Won
- Shortlisted
- The ExShortlisted
Alafair Burke
- Shortlisted
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2016
- Won
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- Night LifeShortlisted
David C. Taylor
- Shortlisted
- The Strangler VineShortlisted
MJ Carter
2015
- Won
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2014
- Won
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- The HumansShortlisted
Matt Haig
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2013
2012
- Won
- 1222Shortlisted
Anne Holt
- Shortlisted
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2011
- Won
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- The Queen of PatpongShortlisted
Timothy Hallinan
2010
- Won
- Shortlisted
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- Shortlisted
- The MissingShortlisted
Tim Gautreaux
- The OddsShortlisted
Kathleen George
2009
- Won
- Curse of the SpellmansShortlisted
Lisa Lutz
- Shortlisted
- Sins of the AssassinShortlisted
Robert Ferrigno
- Shortlisted
- The Price of BloodShortlisted
Declan Hughes
2008
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Soul PatchShortlisted
Reed Coleman
- Shortlisted
2007
- Won
- Gentlemen & PlayersShortlisted
Joanne Harris
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- The Pale Blue EyeShortlisted
Louis Bayard
- Shortlisted
2006
- Won
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- Shortlisted
- VanishShortlisted
Tess Gerritsen
2005
- Won
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- Shortlisted
Evan's Gate
Janet Quin-Harkin
- Shortlisted
- Remembering SarahShortlisted
Chris Mooney
2004
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- OutShortlisted
Natsuo Kirino
- Shortlisted
2003
- Won
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- Savannah BluesShortlisted
Mary Kay Andrews
2002
- Won
- Money, Money, MoneyShortlisted
Evan Hunter
- Shortlisted
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- The JudgmentShortlisted
D. W. Buffa
2001
- Won
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2000
- Won
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- Strawberry SundayShortlisted
Stephen Greenleaf
1999
- Won
- A Likeness in StoneShortlisted
J. Wallis Martin
- Beyond RecallShortlisted
Robert Goddard
- Shortlisted
- The Last Days of Il DuceShortlisted
Domenic Stansberry
1998
- Won
- Shortlisted
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- The Purification CeremonyShortlisted
Mark T. Sullivan
1997
- Won
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- Mean StreakShortlisted
Carolyn Wheat
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1996
- Won
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- The Roaring BoyShortlisted
Edward Marston
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1995
- Won
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- Miami, It's MurderShortlisted
Edna Buchanan
- Shortlisted
1992
- Won
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- PalindromeShortlisted
Stuart Woods
- Shortlisted
1991
- Won
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Deadfall In Berlin
R.D. Zimmerman
- Shortlisted
Fade the Heat
Jay Brandon
- Whiskey RiverShortlisted
Loren Estleman
1990
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Death of a Joyce ScholarShortlisted
Bartholomew Gill
- GoldilocksShortlisted
Andrew Coburn
- The BoosterShortlisted
Eugene Izzi
1989
- Won
- Shortlisted
- In the Lake of the MoonShortlisted
David L. Lindsey
- Joey's CaseShortlisted
K. C. Constantine
- Shortlisted
1988
- Won
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1987
- Won
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- Shortlisted
- The Blind RunShortlisted
Brian Freemantle
- The Straight ManShortlisted
Roger L. Simon
1986
- Won
- A Shock to the SystemShortlisted
Simon Brett
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
1985
- Won
- ChessplayerShortlisted
William Pearson
- Emily Dickinson Is DeadShortlisted
Jane Langton
- The Black SeraphimShortlisted
Michael Gilbert
- Shortlisted
1984
- Won
- Shortlisted
Texas Station
Christopher Leach
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
1983
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- The CaptainShortlisted
Seymour Shubin
1982
- Won
- BogmailShortlisted
Patrick McGinley
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- The Other Side of SilenceShortlisted
Ted Allbeury
1981
- Won
- Shortlisted
Death Drop
- Shortlisted
- Man on FireShortlisted
A. J. Quinnell
- Shortlisted
1980
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Fire in the BarleyShortlisted
Frank Parrish
- Shortlisted
1979
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
The Shallow Grave
Jack S. Scott
- The SnakeShortlisted
John Godey
1978
- Won
- Shortlisted
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1977
- Won
- Shortlisted
A Madness of the Heart
Richard Neely
- The Cavanaugh QuestShortlisted
Thomas Gifford
- Shortlisted
- The MainShortlisted
Trevanian
1976
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
Operation Alcestic
Maggie Rennert
- Shortlisted
The Gargoyle Conspiracy
Marvin Albert
- Shortlisted
1975
- Won
Peter's Pence
- Shortlisted
Goodbye and Amen
- The Lester AffairShortlisted
Andrew Garve
- The Man Who Loved ZoosShortlisted
Malcolm Bosse
- The Silver BearsShortlisted
Paul Erdman
1974
- Won
- Shortlisted
Amigo, Amigo
- Shortlisted
- Dear LauraShortlisted
Jean Stubbs
- The Rainbird PatternShortlisted
Victor Canning
1973
- Won
The Lingala Code
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
The Shooting Gallery
Hugh C. Rae
- Shortlisted
1970
- Won
- Blind Man with a PistolShortlisted
Chester Himes
- Shortlisted
Miro
- Shortlisted
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- Shortlisted
1969
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- God Speed the NightShortlisted
Dorothy Salisbury Davis and Jerome Ross
- Picture Miss SeetonShortlisted
Heron Carvic
- Shortlisted
1968
- Won
- A Parade of Cockeyed CreaturesShortlisted
George Baxt
- A Private DisgraceShortlisted
Victoria Lincoln
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
Lemon in the Basket
- Rosemary's BabyShortlisted
Ira Levin
- Shortlisted
1967
- Won
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1966
- Won
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1965
- Won
- Shortlisted
- The Night of the GeneralsShortlisted
Hans Hellmut Kirst
- Shortlisted
1964
- Won
- Grieve for the PastShortlisted
Stanton Forbes
- The Expendable ManShortlisted
Dorothy B. Hughes
- The Make-Believe ManShortlisted
Elizabeth Fenwick
- The Player on the Other SideShortlisted
Ellery Queen
1963
- Won
- Knave of HeartsShortlisted
Dell Shannon
- SeanceShortlisted
Mark McShane
- The Ballad of the Running ManShortlisted
Shelley Smith
- The Evil WishShortlisted
Jean Potts
- Shortlisted
1962
- Won
- NightmareShortlisted
Anne Blaisdell
- The Green StoneShortlisted
Suzanne Blanc
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
1961
- Won
- The Devil's OwnShortlisted
Peter Curtis
- The Traces of BrillhartShortlisted
Herbert Brean
- Watcher in the ShadowsShortlisted
Geoffrey Household
1960
- Won
- The List of Adrian MessengerShortlisted
Philip MacDonald
1959
- Won
- Shortlisted
- The Madhouse in Washington SquareShortlisted
David Alexander
- Shortlisted
The Woman in the Woods (Miss Fenny as Charity Blackstock)
Lee Blackstock
1958
- Won
- Shortlisted
- The Longest SecondShortlisted
Bill Ballinger
- Shortlisted
The Night of the Good Children
Marjorie Carleton
1957
- Won
- Shortlisted
Night Fell on Georgia
Charles Samuels and Louise Samuels
- Shortlisted
Frequently asked questions
- Who won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2026?
- “The Big Empty” by Robert Crais won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2026.
- Who are the most recent Edgar Award for Best Novel winners?
- 2026: “The Big Empty” by Robert Crais; 2025: “The In Crowd” by Charlotte Vassell; 2024: “Flags on the Bayou” by James Lee Burke; 2023: “Notes on an Execution” by Danya Kukafka; 2022: “Five Decembers” by James Kestrel.
- Has anyone won the Edgar Award for Best Novel more than once?
- Yes - 4 authors have: Dick Francis (1970, 1981, 1996); James Lee Burke (1990, 1998, 2024); T. Jefferson Parker (2002, 2005); John Hart (2008, 2010).