Shamus Award
The Shamus Award is awarded by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) for the best detective fiction genre novels and short stories of the year.
The Prize is given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction.
Starting in 2003, the Shamus Awards are sometimes (2003, 2007–2009, 2011–2016) announced during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, at the convention's 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 Indie P.I. Novel | 2013 |
Winners
Best P. I. Hardcover Novel
| Year | Winner | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Bill Pronzini | Hoodwink
St. Martin’s Press, New York 1981 |
| 1983 | Lawrence Block | Eight Million Ways to Die
Arbor House, New York 1982 |
| 1984 | Max Allan Collins | True Detective
St. Martin’s Press, New York 1983 |
| 1985 | Loren D. Estleman | Sugartown
Hougthon Mifflin, Boston1984 |
| 1986 | Sue Grafton | "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 | Kiss
Henry Holt, New York 1988 |
| 1990 | Jonathan Valin | Extenuating Circumstances
Delacorte Press, New York 1989 |
| 1991 | Sue Grafton | "G" Is for Gumshoe
Henry Holt, New York 1990 |
| 1992 | Max Allan Collins | Stolen Away
Bantam Books, New York 1991 |
| 1993 | Harold Adams | The Man Who was Taller Than God
Walker & Co., New York 1992 |
| 1994 | Lawrence Block | The Devil Knows You're Dead
William Morrow, New York 1993 |
| 1995 | Sue Grafton | "K" Is for Killer
Henry Holt, New York 1994 |
| 1996 | S. J. Rozan | Concourse
St. Martin’s Press, New York 1995 |
| 1997 | Robert Crais | Sunset Express
Hyperion, New York 1996 |
| 1998 | Terence Faherty | Come Back Dead
Simon & Schuster, New York 1997 |
| 1999 | Bill Pronzini | Boobytrap
Carroll & Graf, New York 1998 |
| 2000 | Don Winslow | California Fire and Life
Alfred A. Knopf, New York 1999 |
| 2001 | Carolina Garcia-Aguilera | Havana Heat
William Morrow, New York 2000 |
| 2002 | S. J. Rozan | 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 | The Guards
Brandon, Dingle Co. Kerry /Ireland 2001 |
| 2005 | Ed Wright | While I Disappear
Putnam’s, New York 2004 |
| 2006 | Michael Connelly | The Lincoln Lawyer
Little, Brown, Boston 2005 |
| 2007 | Ken Bruen | 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 | Locked In |
| 2011 | Lori Armstrong | No Mercy |
| 2012 | Michael Wiley | A Bad Night's Sleep |
| 2013 | Robert Crais | Taken |
| 2014 | Brad Parks | The Good Cop |
| 2015 | David Rosenfelt | Hounded
St. Martin’s Minotaur, New York 2014 |
| 2016 | Ingrid Thoft | Brutality |
| 2017 | Reed Farrel Coleman | Where It Hurts
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2016 |
| 2018 | T. Jefferson Parker | The Room of White Fire
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2016 |
| 2019 | Kristen Lepionka | What You Want to See
Minotaur Books, 2018 |
| 2020 | Matt Coyle | Lost Tomorrows
Oceanview Publishing, 2019 |
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 | Katwalk
St. Martin’s Press, New York 1989 |
| 1991 | Walter Mosley | Devil in a Blue Dress
W.W. Norton, New York 1990 |
| 1992 | Thomas Davis | Suffer Little Children
Walker & Co., New York 1991 |
| 1993 | John Straley | 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 | A Drink Before the War
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 | Big Red Tequila
Bantam Books, New York 1997 |
| 1999 | Steve Hamilton | A Cold Day in Paradise
St. Martin’s Press, New York 1998 |
| 2000 | John Connolly | Every Dead Thing
Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1999 |
| 2001 | Bob Truluck | Street Level
Thomas Dunne Books, New York 2000 |
| 2002 | David Fulmer | Chasing the Devil's Tail
Poisoned Pen Press, Scottsdale/Arizona 2001
|
| 2003 | Eddie Muller | 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 | 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 | In the Heat
St. Martin's Minotaur, New York 2008 |
| 2010 | Brad Parks | Faces of the Gone |
| 2011 | Michael Ayoob | In Search of Mercy
St. Martin's Minotaur, New York 2010 |
| 2012 | P.G. Sturges | The Shortcut Man
Scribner’s, New York 2011 |
| 2013 | Michael Sears | Black Fridays
Putnam, New York 2012 |
| 2014 | Lachlan Smith | Bear is Broken
Mysterious Press, New York 2013 |
| 2015 | Julia Dahl | Invisible City
St. Martin's Minotaur, New York 2014 |
| 2016 | Lisa Sandlin | The Do-Right
Cinco Puntos Press, El Paso 2015 |
| 2017 | Joe Ide | IQ
Mulholland Books, 2017 |
| 2018 | Kristen Lepionka | The Last Place You Look
Minotaur Books, 2017 |
| 2019 | Katrina Carrasco | The Best Bad Things
MCD Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2018 |
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Best P. I. Paperback Original
| Year | Winner | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Max Byrd | California Thriller
Bantam Books, New York 1981 |
| 1983 | William Campbell Gault | The Cana Diversion
Worldwide, New York/ Toronto 1982 |
| 1984 | Paul Engleman | Dead in Centerfield
Ballantine Books, New York 1983 |
| 1985 | Warren Murphy | Ceiling of Hell
Fawcett Crest, New York 1984 |
| 1986 | Earl Emerson | 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 | 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 | 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 | Fade Away
Dell, New York 1996 |
| 1998 | Laura Lippman | Charm City
Avon Books, New York 1997 |
| 1999 | Steven Womack | Murder Manual
Ballantine Books, New York 1998 |
| 2000 | Laura Lippman | In Big Trouble
Avon Books, New York 1999 |
| 2001 | Thomas Lipinski | Death in the Steel City
Avon Twilight, New York 2000
|
| 2002 | Lyda Morehouse | Archangel Protocol
New American Library, New York 2001
|
| 2003 | D. Daniel Judson | The Poisoned Rose
Bantam Books, New York 2002 |
| 2004 | Andy Straka | Cold Quarry
Signet, New York 2003 |
| 2005 | Max Phillips | Fade to Blonde
Dorchester Publishing, New York 2004 |
| 2006 | Reed Farrel 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 G. Armstrong | Snow Blind
Medallion Press, St Charles/IL 2008 |
| 2010 | Ira Berkowitz | Sinner's Ball
Three Rivers Press, New York 2009 |
| 2011 | Christopher G. Moore | Asia Hand
Grove/Atlantic Inc., New York 2010 |
| 2012 | Duane Swierczynski | Fun & Games
Mulholland Books, London 2011 |
| 2013 | Alison Gaylin | And She Was
Harper, New York 2012 |
| 2014 | P.J. Parrish | Heart of Ice
Pocket Books, New York 2013 |
| 2015 | Vincent Zandri | Moonlight Weeps
Down & Out Books, Tampa 2014 |
| 2016 | J.L. Abramo | Circling the Runway
Down & Out Books, Tampa 2015 |
| 2017 | Vaseem Khan | The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown |
| 2018 | Rich Zahradnik | Lights Out Summer
Camel Press, 2019 |
| 2019 | Max Wirestone | The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss
Redhook Books, 2018 |
| 2020 | James D.F. Hannah | Behind the Wall of Sleep
James D.F. Hannah, 2019 |
THE EYE – Lifetime Achievement Award
(Not awarded in 1989, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2012 and 2014)
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1982 | Ross Macdonald |
| 1983 | Mickey Spillane |
| 1984 | William Campbell Gault |
| 1985 | Howard Browne |
| 1986 | Richard S. Prather |
| 1987 | Bill Pronzini |
| 1988 | Dennis Lynds and
Wade Miller |
| 1991 | Roy Huggins |
| 1992 | Joseph Hansen |
| 1993 | Marcia Muller |
| 1994 | Stephen J. Cannell |
| 1995 | John Lutz and |
| 1997 | Stephen Marlowe |
| 1999 | Maxine O'Callaghan |
| 2000 | Edward D. Hoch |
| 2002 | Lawrence Block |
| 2003 | Sue Grafton |
| 2004 | Donald Westlake |
| 2005 | Sara Paretsky |
| 2006 | Max Allan Collins |
| 2007 | Stuart M. Kaminsky |
| 2008 | Joe Gores |
| 2009 | Robert J. Randisi |
| 2010 | Robert Crais |
| 2011 | Ed Gorman |
| 2013 | Loren D. Estleman |
| 2015 | Parnell Hall |
| 2016 | S.J. Rozan |
| 2017 | Jerry Kennealy |
Best P. I. Series Character – The Hammer
| Year | Series/Characters | Authors |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Shell Scott | Richard S. Prather |
| 2008 | The Nameless Detective | Bill Pronzini |
| 2009 | Matt Scudder | Lawrence Block |
| 2010 | Sharon McCone | Marcia Muller |
| 2011 | V.I. Warshawski | Sara Paretsky |
| 2012 | Nate Heller | Max Allan Collins |
| 2014 | Kinsey Millhone | Sue Grafton |
Best Indie P.I. Novel
| Year | Winner | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Paul D. Marks | White Heat |
| 2014 | M. Ruth Myers | Don't Dare a Dame |
| 2015 | The Shadow Broker |
Credits to the contents of this page go to the authors of the corresponding Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamus Award.