The Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, formerly known as the Arthur Ellis Awards, are a group of Canadian literary awards, presented annually by the Crime Writers of Canada for the best Canadian crime and mystery writing published in the previous year. The award is presented during May in the year following publication.

Originally, the awards were named for Arthur Ellis, the pseudonym of several of Canada's official hangmen, the first and most famous being Arthur B. English. The award statuette was designed by actor and theatre designer Peter Blais.[1]

In 2021 the Crime Writers of Canada announced that they were retiring Arthur Ellis's name from the awards, renaming them to their current name.[2]

Best Novel

Main article: Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best Novel
Best Novel Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
1984The Night the Gods Smiled[1]
1985Murder Sees the Light[3]
1986Death in the Old Country[4]
1987Buried on Sunday[5]
1988Swann[6]
1989Jack[7]
1990Hot Shots[8]
1991A Chill Rain in January[9]
1992Past Reason Hated[10]
1993Lizardskin[11]
1994Gypsy Sins[12]
1995A Colder Kind of Death[13]
1996Mother Love[14]
1997Innocent Graves[15]
1998Trial of Passion[16]
1999Old Wounds[17]
2000The Feast of Stephen[18]
2001Cold Is the Grave[19]
2002In the Midnight Hour[20]
2003Blood of Others[21]
2004The Delicate Storm[22]
2005Fifth Son[23]
2006April Fool[24]
2007Honour Among Men[25]
2008Trumpets Sound No More[26]
2009Too Close to Home[27]
2010High Chicago[28]
2011Bury Your Dead[29]
2012Before the Poison[30]
2013Until the Night[31]
2014The Devil's Making[32]
2015Plague: Murder Has a New Friend[33]
2016Open Season[34]
2017The Fortunate Brother[35]
2018Sleeping in the Ground[36]
2019Though the Heavens Fall[37]
2020Greenwood[38]
2021The Finder[2]
2022Under an Outlaw Moon[39]
2023Anthony BidulkaGoing to Beautiful[40]
2024Loreth Anne WhiteThe Maid's Diary

Best First Novel

Best First Novel Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
1987Murder on the Run[5]
1988The Goldfish Bowl[6]
1989A Stone of the Heart[7]
1990The Man Who Murdered God[12]
1991Sniper's Moon[9]
1992Flesh Wound[10]
1993Passion Play[11]
1994Memory Trace[41]
1995What's A Girl Gotta Do?[13]
1996The Last Castrato[14]
Moonlit Days and Nights[14]
1997Death At Buckingham Palace[42]
1998Déja Dead[16]
1999Sudden Blow[17]
2000Lost Girls[18]
2001Hands Like Clouds[19]
2002The Boy Must Die[20]
2003Midnight Cab[21]
2004Just Murder[22]
2005Dark Places[23]
2006Still Life[24]
2007Sign of the Cross[25]
2008Garcia's Heart[26]
2009Buffalo Jump[27]
2010The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie[28]
2011The Debba[29]
2012Water Rat of Wanchai[30]
2013The Haunting of Maddy Clare[31]
2014Bait[32]
2015A Siege of Bitterns[33]
2016Unquiet Dead[34]
2017Strange Things Done[35]
2018Full Curl[36]
2019Cobra Clutch[37]
2020Nobody Move[38]
2021The Transaction[2]
2022The Push[39]
2023Sam ShelstadCitizens of Light[40]
2024Amanda PetersThe Berry Pickers

Best Novella

Best Novella Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
2013Contingency Plan[31]
2014The Goddaughter's Revenge[32]
2015A Knock on the Door[33]
2016Black Canyon[34]
2017Rundown[35]
2018How Lon Pruitt Was Found Murdered in an Open Field with No Footprints Around[36]
2019Murder Among the Pines[37]
2020The Red Chesterfield[38]
2021Never Going Back[2]
2022Letters from Johnny[39]

Best Crime Book in French

Best Crime Book in French Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
2000Louna[18]
2001Le roman policier en Amérique française[19]
2002Fleur invitait au troisième[20]
2003Le rouge ideal[21]
2004On finit toujours par payer[22]
2005Les douze pierres[23]
2006Motel Riviera[24]
2007No award presented[25]
2008Tsiganes[26]
2009Le Chemin des brumes[27]
2010Le mort du chemin des Arsene[28]
2011Dans le quartier des agités[29]
2012La chorale du diable[30]
2013La Nuit des albinos: Sur les traces de Max O'Brien[31]
2014L’enfant promis[32]
2015Bondrée[33]
2016L'Affaire Myosotis[34]
2017Red Light: Adieu, Mignonne[35]
2018Les Tricoteuses[36]
2019Adolphus – Une enquête de Joseph Laflamme[37]
2020Tempêtes[38]
2021La mariée de corail[2]
2022Flots[39]

Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book

Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
1994Abalone Summer[41]
1995Torn Away[13]
1996Mistaken Identity[14]
1997How Can a Frozen Detective Stay Hot on the Trail?
1998The Body in the Basement[16]
1999Sins of the Father[17]
2000How Can a Brilliant Detective Shine in the Dark?[18]
2001The Boy in the Burning House[19]
2002Scared to Death[20]
2003Break and Enter[21]
2004Acceleration[22]
2005The Beckoners[23]
2006Quid Pro Quo[24]
2007Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates[25]
2008Eye of the Crow[26]
2009War Brothers[27]
2010Haunted[28]
2011The Worst Thing She Ever Did[29]
2012Blink & Caution[30]
2013Becoming Holmes[31]
2014Bones Never Lie[32]
2015Dead Man's Switch[33]
2016Trouble Is a Friend of Mine[34]
2017Masterminds[35]
2018Chase: Get Ready to Run[36]
2019Escape[37]
2020Keep This to Yourself[38]
2021Red Fox Road[2]
2022The Traitor's Blade[39]
2023Jo TreggiariHeartbreak Homes[43]
2024Cherie DimalineFuneral Songs for Dying Girls[44]

Best Crime Nonfiction

Best Crime Nonfiction Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
1985The Trials of Israel Lipsky
1986A Canadian Tragedy[4]
1987Hunting Humans[5]
1988Stung[6]
1989Conspiracy of Brothers[7]
1990Conspiracy of Silence[8]
1991Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin[9]
1992Arms and the Man[10]
1993Redrum the Innocent[11]
1994With Malice Aforethought[41]
1995The Prodigal Husband[13]
1996The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson[14]
1997The Cassock and the Crown[45]
1998When She Was Bad[16]
1999No Claim to Mercy[17]
2000Cowboys and Indians[18]
2001The Spinster and the Prophet[19]
2002and Harvey CashoreThe Last Amigo[20]
2002Saboteurs[20]
2003Covert Entry[21]
2004and William MarsdenThe Road to Hell[22]
2005The Irish Game[23]
2006Under the Bridge[24]
2007High[25]
2008One Child at a Time[26]
2009and Craig SilvermanMafiaboy[27]
2010Murder Without Borders[28]
2011On the Farm[29]
2012Hot Art[30]
2013The Devil's Cinema[31]
2014No award presented[32]
2015The Massey Murder[33]
2016Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation[34]
2017A Daughter's Deadly Deception: The Jennifer Pan Story[35]
2018The Whisky King: remarkable true story of Canada's most infamous bootlegger and the undercover Mountie on his trail[36]
2019The Real Lolita: Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel that Scandalized the World[37]
2020Murdered Midas: A Millionaire, His Gold Mine, and a Strange Death on an Island Paradise[38]
2021Missing from the Village[2]
2022The Beatle Bandit[39]

Best Crime Short Story

Best Crime Short Story Award winners
YearAuthorStoryPublicationRef.
1988Looking for an Honest ManCold Blood: Murder in Canada[6]
1989Killer in the HouseAlfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1988[7]
1990HumbugThe End of Lieutenant Boruvka[8]
1991InnocenceCold Blood III[9]
1992Two in the BushChristmas Stalkings[10]
1993MantrapMurder, Mayhem, and the Macabre[11]
1994Just Like Old TimesOn Spec, Summer 1993[41]
1995The Midnight Boat to PalermoCold Blood IV[13]
1996Cotton ArmourLadies Killing Circle[14]
1997Dead RunStory Teller, Winter 1996–97
1998Widow's WeedsCottage Country Killers[16]
1999Last InningEllery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1998[17]
2000One More KillBlue Murder Magazine, December 1999[18]
2001Murder in UtopiaCrime Through Time III[19]
2002Sign of the TimesFit to Die[20]
2003Bottom WalkerEllery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 2002[21]
2004Dead WoodHard Boiled Love[22]
2005Crocodile TearsRevenge: A Noir Anthology[23]
2006Lightning RiderMurder in Vegas[24]
2007Fuzzy WuzzyEllery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August 2006[25]
2008TurnersKingston Whig-Standard, July 7, 2007[26]
2009FilmsongToronto Noir[27]
2010Prisoner in ParadiseEllery Queen's Mystery Magazine[28]
2011So Much in CommonEllery Queen's Mystery Magazine[29]
2012What Kelly Did[30]
2013Spring-blade KnifeFloating Like The Dead[31]
2014Footprints in Water[32]
2015Stone Mattress[33]
2016Black Canyon[34]
2017A Death at the Parsonage[35]
2018The Outlier[36]
2019Terminal City[37]
2020Closing Doors[38]
2021Cold Wave, Sisters in Crime[2]
2022Number 10 Marlborough Place[39]

Best Unpublished First Novel – "Unhanged Arthur"

First awarded in 2007 as part of the CWC mandate to recognize and promote the careers of promising new crime writers.

Best Unpublished First Novel Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
2007Margarita Nights[25]
2008The Witch of Babylon[26]
2009Louder[27]
2010The Corpse Flower[28]
2011Better Off Dead[29]
2012Last of the Independents[30]
2013Sins Revisited[31]
2014Cold Girl[32]
2015Strange Things Done[33]
2016When the Flood Falls[34]
2017The Golkonda Project[35]
2018Destruction in Paradise[36]
2019The Scarlet Cross[37]
2020The Dieppe Letters[38]
2021The Future[2]
2022Elmington[39]

Howard Engel Award

Howard Engel Award winners
YearAuthorTitleRef.
2007Stay Where I Can See You[2]
2008Beneath Her Skin[39]

Derrick Murdoch Award

This is a special achievement award for contributions to the genre of crime and mystery writing, awarded at the discretion of the president of the Crime Writers of Canada. When first presented in 1984, it was known as the Chairman's Award; it was later renamed in honour of its first recipient, Derrick Murdoch. Since 2013, it has only been presented in years when the new biennial Grand Master Award, listed below, is not presented.

Grand Master Award

The Grand Master Award is presented every two years as a lifetime achievement award, to a crime writer with a distinguished and successful national and international career.

Best Genre Criticism/Reference

The award for Best Genre Criticism or Reference has only been presented twice.

  • 1991 – Donald A. Redmond, Sherlock Holmes Among the Pirates[9]
  • 1992 – Wesley A. Wark, Spy Fiction, Spy Films and Real Intelligence[52]

Best Play

The award for Best Play has only been presented once.

References

  1. ^ "Crime Writers of Canada honors Murdoch, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 1984.
  2. ^ Qiao, Vicky (2021-05-28). "Will Ferguson among the winners of 2021 Crime Writers of Canada Awards". CBC Books. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  3. ^ Coates, Donna & McIntosh, Andrew (2020-01-15). "Howard Engel". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  4. ^ "Crime writers honor two authors". Toronto Star, May 7, 1986.
  5. ^ "Montreal novelist Phillips wins crime writers' prize". Montreal Gazette, May 26, 1987.
  6. ^ "Crime writers honor their own". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1988.
  7. ^ "Crime writer's prize slips from his grasp". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1989.
  8. ^ "B.C. author wins prize for best crime novel". Vancouver Sun, May 25, 1990.
  9. ^ "'Chilling' novel captures top crime writers award". Waterloo Region Record, May 27, 1991.
  10. ^ "Crime writers get just deserts". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 1992.
  11. ^ "Sometimes, crime pays". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1993.
  12. ^ New, William Herbert (2002). Encyclopedia of literature in Canada. Toronto (Ont.) Buffalo (N.Y.) London: University of Toronto press. ISBN 978-0-8020-0761-2.
  13. ^ "Bowen wins Ellis prize for latest novel: Fourth in Kilbourn mystery series brings Prairie crime writer $500 and trophy". The Globe and Mail, June 1, 1995.
  14. ^ "Wright wins book award". The Globe and Mail, May 30, 1996.
  15. ^ "Toronto writer gets award for mystery". Waterloo Region Record, May 29, 1997.
  16. ^ "Deverell wins top crime-writing prize for Trial of Passion". The Globe and Mail, May 22, 1998.
  17. ^ "Crime does pay for novelists". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 1999.
  18. ^ Procuta, Egle. "Novel about former judge wins crime prize". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2000.
  19. ^ "Arthur Ellis Awards to Robinson, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2001.
  20. ^ "Crime and mystery writers get Ellis awards". Guelph Mercury, June 14, 2002.
  21. ^ "James Nichol wins Arthur Ellis award for first crime novel: 20th anniversary of awards for crime novels". Moose Jaw Times-Herald, June 5, 2003.
  22. ^ "Book on Hells Angels takes prize". Brantford Expositor, June 12, 2004.
  23. ^ "Ottawa psychologist wins award for best Canadian crime novel". Alberni Valley Times, June 10, 2005.
  24. ^ Farquharson, Vanessa (2006-06-09). "Author William Deverell's April Fool wins prize for best Canadian crime novel". National Post
  25. ^ Goldberg, Brianna. "Cheesy mystery wins novel prize. Calgary Herald, June 8, 2007.
  26. ^ "Jon Redfern wins second Arthur Ellis Award for historical crime novel". Prince George Citizen, June 7, 2008.
  27. ^ "Canada's crime writers announce winners of 2009 Arthur Ellis Awards". Canadian Press, June 5, 2009
  28. ^ "Shrier wins Ellis Award for crime, mystery writing". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 2010.
  29. ^ "Penny, Cameron win Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2011.
  30. ^ Medley, Mark (2012-06-01). "Arthur Ellis Awards practically criminal". National Post
  31. ^ "Giles Blunt, Steve Lillebuen take home Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". Canadian Press, May 31, 2013.
  32. ^ "Bronte author wins crime writing award". Hamilton Spectator, June 14, 2014.
  33. ^ Robertson, Becky (2015-05-29). "Margaret Atwood, C.C. Humphreys among 2015 Arthur Ellis Award winners". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  34. ^ Knoll, Erin (July 17, 2017). "Peter Kirby, Ausma Zehanat Khan win Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". CBC Books. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  35. ^ "Elle Wild, Donna Morrissey and Gordon Korman highlight 2017 Arthur Ellis Awards winners". Quill and Quire. 2017-05-29. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  36. ^ Dundas, Deborah (2018-05-27). "Robinson and Barclay snag coveted crime-writing awards: The Arthur Ellis Awards include bragging rights and a macabre statue". Toronto Star
  37. ^ van Koeverden, Jane (May 24, 2019). "Anne Emery wins best crime novel award for Though the Heavens Fall". CBC Books. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  38. ^ Yeo, Debra (2020-05-25). "Climate change novel ‘Greenwood’ wins Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  39. ^ "Toronto author Ashley Audrain among the winners of 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards". CBC Books. May 26, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  40. ^ "2023 Crime Writers of Canada Awards Announced". www.mysteryscenemag.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  41. ^ Val Ross, "Atwood, Findley win literary awards". The Globe and Mail, June 2, 1994.
  42. ^ Morley Walker, "The art of crime". Winnipeg Free Press, January 13, 2007.
  43. ^ Raymundo, Bridget (May 31, 2023). "Thomas King among winners of 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Awards". CBC Books. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  44. ^ "Crime Writers of Canada Announces the 2024 Awards of Excellence Winners | Crime Writers of Canada Events & Announcements". crimewriterscanada.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  45. ^ "Montrealer wins Arthur Ellis prize for crime-writing". Montreal Gazette, May 31, 1997.
  46. ^ Arthur Ellis Award – Derrick Murdoch Award Crime Writers of Canada, (retrieved 11/21/2012)
  47. ^ Mark Medley, "Arthur Ellis Awards practically criminal". National Post, June 1, 2012.
  48. ^ Mark Medley, "Finalists announced for Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, April 21, 2017.
  49. ^ Deborah Dundas, "Robinson and Barclay snag coveted crime-writing awards: The Arthur Ellis Awards include bragging rights and a macabre statue". Toronto Star, May 27, 2018.
  50. ^ Deborah Dundas, "Sarah Weinman, Anne Emery, Linwood Barclay among winners of coveted Arthur Ellis Awards". Toronto Star, May 24, 2019.
  51. ^ Erin Knoll, "Peter Kirby, Ausma Zehanat Khan win Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". CBC Books, July 17, 2016.
  52. ^ "Best murder mystery". Financial Post, June 8, 1992.