Shamus Award
The Shamus Award is a US literary award for crime fiction that has been presented annually by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) since 1982 . Only novels whose main character is a private detective or other private investigator (e.g. lawyer, reporter) will be honored. Novels in which professional investigators, such as police officers or secret agents, are the main characters will not be allowed. The award winners are selected by professional members of the PWA committee. The award is currently in nine categories on the PWA Awards Banquet . A prize called “The Eye” (derived from “private eye” and “PI”) recognizes an author for their life's work to date (“Lifetime Achievement Award”, corresponding to the Grand Master Award of the Mystery Writers of America ).
Categories
| category | Original title | awarded since |
|---|---|---|
| Best novel * | Best PI hardcover novel | 1982 |
| Best first novel * | Best First PI Novel | 1985 |
| Best novel as an original paperback * | Best PI Paperback Original | 1982 |
| Lifetime Achievement Award * | THE EYE - Lifetime Achievement Award | 1982 |
| Best short story | Best PI Short Story | 1983 |
| Best previously unpublished first work | St. Martins' Press / PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest |
1986 |
| Award for special attachment to the PWA organization |
Friends of PWA | 2002 |
| Best PI Series Figure / Best PI Series * | The hammer | 2007 |
| Best Indie PI Novel | 2012 |
The winners of the categories marked with an asterisk are listed below
Award winners
Best Novel - Best PI Hardcover Novel
| year | Prize winner |
Original title publisher, location year 1 |
German title publisher, location year 1 |
| 1982 | Bill Pronzini | Hoodwink St. Martin's Press, New York 1981 |
Nostalgia resulting in death Droemer Knaur, Munich 1983 |
| 1983 | Lawrence Block | Eight Million Ways to The Arbor House, New York 1982 |
Many roads lead to Mord Heyne, Munich 1985 |
| 1984 | Max Allan Collins | True Detective St. Martin's Press, New York 1983 |
Chicago 1933 Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1985 |
| 1985 | Loren D. Estleman | Sugartown Hougthon Mifflin, Boston 1984 |
Spring in Detroit Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1986 |
| 1986 | Sue Grafton | B is for Burglar Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York 1986 |
B as in Bruch Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1987 |
| 1987 | Jeremiah Healy | The Staked Goat Harper & Row, New York 1986 |
|
| 1988 | Benjamin protection | A Tax in Blood Tom Doherty, New York 1987 |
War in the streets of Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1991 |
| 1989 | John Lutz | Kiss Henry Holt, New York 1988 |
A drop of death Goldmann, Munich 1991 |
| 1990 | Jonathan Valin | Extenuating Circumstances Delacorte Press, New York 1989 |
Mitigating circumstances Heyne, Munich 1990 |
| 1991 | Sue Grafton | G is for Gumshoe Henry Holt, New York 1990 |
G as in Galgenfrist Fischer, Frankfurt / M. 1992 |
| 1992 | Max Allan Collins | Stolen Away Bantam Books, New York 1991 |
Kidnapping Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1993 |
| 1993 | Harold Adams | The Man Who was Taller Than God Walker & Co., New York 1992 |
Big men die quickly Goldmann, Munich 1994 |
| 1994 | Lawrence Block | The Devil Knows You're Dead William Morrow, New York 1993 |
The devil knows everything Haffmans / Heyne, Munich 1995 |
| 1995 | Sue Grafton | K is for Killer Henry Holt, New York 1994 |
Woman in the Night Goldmann, Munich 1995 |
| 1996 | SJ Rozan | Concourse St. Martin's Press, New York 1995 |
|
| 1997 | Robert Crais | Sunset Express Hyperion, New York 1996 |
Wrong game in LA Rowohlt, Reinbek 1997 |
| 1998 | Terrance 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 | SJ 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 |
Jack Taylor flies out of the Atrium, Zurich 2009 |
| 2005 | Ed Wright | While I Disappear Putnam’s, New York 2004 |
|
| 2006 | Michael Connelly | The Lincoln Lawyer Little, Brown, Boston 2005 |
The client Heyne, Munich 2007 |
| 2007 | Ken Bruen | The dramatist Brandon, Dingle Co. Kerry / Ireland 2004 |
A drama for Jack Taylor Atrium, Zurich 2011 |
| 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 Grand Central Pub., New York 2009 |
|
| 2011 | Lori Armstrong | No Mercy Simon & Schuster, New York 2010 |
|
| 2012 | Michael Wiley | A Bad Night's Sleep Minotaur Books, New York 2011 |
|
| 2013 | Robert Crais | Taken G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York 2012 |
Street of Death Heyne, Munich 2013 |
| 2014 | Brad Parks (writer) | The Good Cop Minotaur Books, New York 2013 |
|
| 2015 | David Rosenfelt | Hounded Minotaur Books, New York 2014 |
|
| 2016 | Ingrid Thofts | Brutality G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York 2013 |
|
| 2017 | Reed Farrel Coleman | Where It Hurts G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York 2016 |
|
| 2018 | T. Jefferson Parker | The Room of White Fire, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2017 |
|
| 2019 | Kristen Lepionka | What You Want to See Minotaur Books |
1 = Publisher and year information refer to the original or German first edition
Best Debut Novel - Best First PI Novel
| year | Prize winner |
Original title publisher, location year 1 |
German title publisher, location year 1 |
| 1985 | Jack Early | A Creative Kind of Killer Watts Publishing, New York 1984 |
The sensual policewoman Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1992 |
| 1986 | Wayne Warga | Hardcover Arbor House, New York 1985 |
|
| 1987 | JW Rider | Jersey Tomatoes Arbor House, New York 1986 |
|
| 1988 | Michael Allegretto | Death on the Rocks Scribner’s, New York 1987 |
Die on the rocks Scherz, Bern u. a. 1995 |
| 1989 | Gar Anthony Haywood | Fear of the Dark St. Martin's Press, New York 1988 |
Black and white dead Rotbuch, Berlin 1990 |
| 1990 | Karen Kijewski | Katwalk St. Martin's Press, New York 1989 |
A case for Kat Heyne, Munich 1991 |
| 1991 | Walter Mosley | Devil in a Blue W.W. Norton, New York 1990 |
The Devil in Blue Knaus, Munich 1992 |
| 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 |
The wife of the bear Rowohlt, Reinbek 1993 |
| 1994 | Lynn Hightower | Satan's Lambs Walker & Co., New York 1993 |
|
| 1995 | Dennis Lehane | A Drink Before the War Harcourt Brace, New York 1994 |
Strictly confidential Ullstein, Berlin 1999 |
| 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 |
A cold day in paradise DuMont, Cologne 2001 |
| 2000 | John Connolly | Every Dead Thing Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1999 |
The black heart Ullstein, Munich 2000 |
| 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 |
The seventh day C. Bertelsmann, Munich 2004 |
| 2006 | Louise Ure | Forcing Amaryllis Mysterious Press, New York 2005 |
|
| 2007 | Declan Hughes | The Wrong Kind of Blood William Morrow, New York 2006 |
Blood from my blood Rowohlt, Reinbek 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 (Author) | Faces of the Gone St. Martin's Minotaur, New York 2009 |
|
| 2011 | Michael Ayoob | In Search of Mercy Minotaur Books, New York 2010 |
|
| 2012 | PG Sturges | The Shortcut Man Scribner’s, New York 2011 |
|
| 2013 | Michael Sears | Black Fridays G. P. Putnam's sons, New York 2012 |
On Friday black Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag, Munich 2012 |
| 2014 | Lachlan Smith | Bear is Broken The Mysterious Press, New York 2013 |
|
| 2015 | Julia Dahl | Invisible City Minotaur Books, New York 2014 |
|
| 2016 | Lisa Sandlin | The Do-Right Cinco Puntos Press, El Paso, Texas 2015 |
A job for Delpha Suhrkamp, Berlin 2017 |
| 2017 | Isaiah Quintabe | IQ Mulholland Books, New York 2017 |
|
| 2018 | Kristen Lepionka | The Last Place You Look Minotaur Books, New York 2017 |
You won't find it Goldmann, Munich 2018 |
| 2019 | Katrina Carrasco | The Best Bad Things Picador, New York 2019 |
1 = Publisher and year information refer to the original or German first edition
Best novel as an original paperback - Best PI Paperback Original
| year | Prize winner |
Original title publisher, location year 1 |
German title publisher, location year 1 |
| 1982 | Max Byrd | California Thriller Bantam Books, New York 1981 |
The roots of the evil Heyne, Munich 1982 |
| 1983 | William Capbell 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 |
The jazz man Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1994 |
| 1988 | LJ 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 |
The last tango of the Dolores Delgado Argument, Hamburg 1997 |
| 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 |
The Insider Goldmann, Munich 2007 |
| 1998 | Laura Lippman | Charm City Avon Books, New York 1997 |
Charm City Rotbuch, Hamburg 2003 |
| 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 |
Deadly Blond Rotbuch, Berlin 2009 |
| 2006 | Reed Farrell Coleman | The James Deans Plume, New York 2005 |
|
| 2007 | PJ Parrish | To Unquiet Grave Kensington Books, New York 2006 |
|
| 2008 | Richard Aleas | Songs of Innocence Hard Case Crime, New York 2007 |
Songs of Innocence Rotbuch, Berlin 2009 |
| 2009 | Lori 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 White Lotus, Bangkok 1992 |
|
| 2012 | Duane Swierczynski | Fun & Games Mulholland Books, New York 2011 |
|
| 2013 | Alison Gaylin | And She Was Harper, New York 2012 |
Sleeping Beauty Ullstein, Berlin 2013 |
| 2014 | PJ Parrish | Heart of Ice Pocket Books, New York 2013 |
|
| 2015 | Vincent Zandri | Moonlight Weeps Down & Out Books, Lutz / FL 2014 |
|
| 2016 | JL Abramo | Circling the Runway Down & Out Books, Lutz / FL 2015 |
|
| 2017 | Vaseem Khan | The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown mulholland Books, London 2016 |
Inspector Chopra and the jewel robbery Ullstein, Berlin 2018 |
| 2018 | Rich Zahradnik | Lights Out Summer Camel Press, Seattle / WA 2017 |
|
| 2019 | Max Wirestone | The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss Redhook, New York 2018 |
1 = Publisher and year information refer to the original or German first edition
Lifetime Achievement Award - THE EYE - Lifetime Achievement Award
(No award in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
| year | Prize 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 Robert B. Parker |
| 1997 | Stephen Marlowe |
| 1999 | Maxine O'Callaghan |
| 2000 | Edward D. High |
| 2002 | Lawrence Block |
| 2004 | Donald Westlake |
| 2006 | Max Allan Collins |
| 2007 | Stuart M. Kaminsky |
| 2008 | Joe Gores |
| 2009 | Robert J. Randisi |
| 2011 | Ed Gorman |
| 2013 | Loren D. Estleman |
| 2015 | Parnell Hall |
| 2016 | SJ Rozan |
| 2017 | Jerry Kennealy |
| 2018 | Walter Mosley |
Best PI Series Character / Best PI Series - The Hammer
In this category, the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) recognize the best character portrayal of a single private detective or private detective series. The award is named after the protagonist in Mickey Spillane's novels, Mike Hammer. There were no awards in 2013 and 2015–2017.
| year | Series character / series | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Shell Scott | Richard S. Prather |
| 2008 | The Nameless Detective | Bill Pronzini |
| 2009 | Matt Scudder | Lawrence Block |
| 2010 | Sharon McCone | Marcia Muller |
| 2011 | VI Warshawski | Sara Paretsky |
| 2012 | Nate Heller | Max Allan Collins |
| 2014 | Kinsey Millhone | Sue Grafton |
Web links
- Shamus Award on the website of the Private Eye Writers of America (English)
- Shamus Awards on ThrillingDetective.com (English)