Davitt Award

{{Short description|Australian literary award}} {{use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{use Australian English|date=May 2022}}

{{Infobox award | name = Davitt Awards | image = | imagesize = | caption = | awarded_for = Excellence in Australian crime fiction, adult and young adult | presenter = Sisters in Crime, Australia | country = Australia | year = 2001 | website = {{url|http://www.sistersincrime.org.au/node/2}} }}

The '''Davitt Awards''' are literary awards which are presented annually by the Sisters in Crime, Australia association. The awards are named in honour of Ellen Davitt (1812–1879) who wrote Australia's first mystery novel, ''Force and Fraud'' in 1865. They are presented for Australian crime fiction, by women, for both adults and young adults. They were established in 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the association.<ref name="info_davitt_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=The Davitt Awards|website=Sisters in Crime Australia|url=https://sistersincrime.org.au/the-davitt-awards|access-date=28 November 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20251128052639/https://sistersincrime.org.au/the-davitt-awards-have-they-wounded-the-masculinity-of-australian-crime-fiction|archive-date=28 November 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>

==Categories== *Adult Novel *Young Adult Novel *True Crime *Debut Crime *Readers' Choice

==Previous winners==

=== 2000s === {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" width=100% |+Davitt Award winners 2000-2009 !Year !Category !Author !Title !Ref |-

!2001 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Shaw|first=Caroline|nolink=1}} |''Eye to Eye'' |<ref name=winners>{{cite web|title="Davitt Award Winners 2001-2023"|publisher=Sisters in Crime, Australia (www.sistersincrime.org.au)|url=https://sistersincrime.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Davitt-Winners_cumulative-table_2025.pdf|access-date=28 November 2025|archive-url=https://ia601701.us.archive.org/9/items/davitt-winners-cumulative-table-2025/Davitt-Winners_cumulative-table_2025.pdf|archive-date=25 November 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref> |-

! rowspan="3" |2002 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Morwood|first=Carolyn|nolink=1}} |''A Simple Death'' | rowspan="3" |<ref name=winners /> |- ! Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Greenwood|first=Kerry|nolink=}} |''The Three-Pronged Dagger'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Cameron|first=Lindy|nolink=1}} |''Bleeding Hearts'' |-

! rowspan="4" |2003 ! rowspan="2" |Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Lord|first=Gabrielle|nolink=}} |''Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing'' | rowspan="4" |<ref name=winners /> |- |{{Sortname|last=Palmer|first=Alex|nolink=1}} |''Blood Redemption'' |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Prior|first=Natalie Jane|nolink=}} |''Fireworks and Darkness'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Cole|first=Cathy|nolink=1}} |''Skin Deep'' |-

! rowspan="3" |2004 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Hospital|first=Janette Turner|nolink=}} |''Due Preparations for the Plague'' | rowspan="3" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Starke|first=Ruth|nolink=1}} |''Muck-Up Day'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Cameron|first=Lindy|nolink=1}} |''Thicker Than Water'' |-

! rowspan="3" |2005 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Fox|first=Kathryn|nolink=}} |''Malicious Intent'' | rowspan="3" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Baker|first=Joanna|nolink=1}} |''Devastation Road'' |- ! Readers' Choice | {{Sortname|last=Redhead|first=Leigh|nolink=}} | ''Peepshow'' |-

! rowspan="4" |2006 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Rose|first=Heather}} |''The Butterfly Man'' | rowspan="4" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Jinks|first=Catherine|nolink=}} |''Evil Genius'' |- ! rowspan="2" |Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Greenwood|first=Kerry|nolink=}} |''Heavenly Pleasures'' |- |{{Sortname|last=Redhead|first=Leigh|nolink=}} |''Rubdown'' |-

! rowspan="5" |2007 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Bauer|first=Sydney|nolink=1}} |''Undertow'' | rowspan="5" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Moriarty|first=Jaclyn|nolink=}} |''The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Kissane|first=Karen|nolink=1}} |''Silent Death: The Killing of Julie Ramage'' |-

! rowspan="2" |Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Greenwood|first=Kerry|nolink=}} | ''Devil's Food'' |-

|{{Sortname|last=Kissane|first=Karen|nolink=1}} |''Silent Death: The Killing of Julie Ramage'' |-

! rowspan="4" |2008 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Howell|first=Katherine|nolink=}} | ''Frantic'' | rowspan="4" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Sayer|first=Mandy|nolink=}} |''The Night Has a Thousand Eyes'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Fife-Yeomans|first=Janet|nolink=1}} |''Killing Jodie'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Cameron|first=Lindy|nolink=1}} |''Scarlet Stiletto: The First Cut'' |-

! rowspan="4" |2009 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Nunn|first=Malla|nolink=}} |''A Beautiful Place to Die'' | rowspan="4" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Jinks|first=Catherine|nolink=}} |''Genius Squad'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Hooper|first=Chloe|nolink=}} |''The Tall Man: Death and Life on Palm Island'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Howell|first=Katherine|nolink=}} |''The Darkest Hour'' |}

=== 2010s === {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" width=100% |+Davitt Award winners 2010-2019 !Year !Category !Author !Title !Ref |-

! rowspan="4" |2010 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=|first=|Marianne|Delacourt|Marianne de Pierres|nolink=}} |''Sharp Shooter'' | rowspan="4" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Larbalestier|first=Justine|nolink=}} |''Liar'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Connolly|first=Ellen|nolink=1}} and Candace Sutton |''Ladykiller'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Greenwood|first=Kerry|nolink=}} | ''Forbidden Fruit'' |-

! rowspan="4" |2011 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Howell|first=Katherine|nolink=}} |''Cold Justice'' | rowspan="4" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Matthews|first=Penny|nolink=1}} |''A Girl Like Me'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Egan|first=Colleen|nolink=}} |''Murderer No More'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Newton|first=P. M.|nolink=1}} |''The Old School'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2012 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Gentill|first=Sulari|nolink=}} |''A Decline in Prophets'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=McKinlay|first=Meg|nolink=}} |''Surface Tension'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Porter|first=Liz|nolink=1}} |''Cold Case Files: Past Crimes Solved by New Forensic Science'' |-

!Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Ford|first=Jaye|nolink=1}} |''Beyond Fear'' |-

! rowspan="2" |Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Erskine|first=Y. A.|nolink=1}} |''The Brotherhood'' |-

|{{Sortname|last=Ford|first=Jaye|nolink=1}} |''Beyond Fear'' |-

! rowspan="5" |2013 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Groff|first=Maggie|nolink=1}} |''Mad Men, Bad Girls and the Guerilla Knitters Institute'' | rowspan="5" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Walsh|first=Jennifer|nolink=1}} |''The Tunnels of Tarcoola'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Burton|first=Pamela|nolink=1}} |''The Waterlow Killings'' |-

!Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Groff|first=Maggie|nolink=1}} |''Mad Men, Bad Girls and the Guerilla Knitters Institute'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Greenwood|first=Kerry|nolink=}} | ''Tamam Shud: The Somerton Man Mystery'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2014 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Brown|first=Honey|nolink=}} |''Dark Horse'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Foxlee|first=Karen|nolink=}} |''The Midnight Dress'' |-

!Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Storer|first=Jen|nolink=}} |''Spooked!'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Krien|first=Anna|nolink=}} |''Night Games: Sex, Power and Sport'' |-

!Debut Novel | Hannah Kent | ''Burial Rites'' |-

!Readers' Choice | Hannah Kent | ''Burial Rites'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2015 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Moriarty|first=Liane|nolink=}} |''Big Little Lies'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Marney|first=Ellie|nolink=1}} |''Every Word'' |-

!Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Rossell|first=Judith|nolink=1}} |''Withering-By-Sea'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Overington|first=Caroline|nolink=}} |''Last Woman Hanged'' |-

!Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Bongers|first=Christine|nolink=1}} |''Intruder'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Wallace|first=Sandi|nolink=1}} |''Tell Me Why'' |-

! rowspan="7" |2016 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Viskic|first=Emma|nolink=}} |''Resurrection Bay'' | rowspan="7" |<ref name=winners /><ref name="winners_age_2016">{{Cite web|last=Steger|first=Jason|date=26 August 2016|title=It's a crime spree as Emma Viskic snaffles four writing awards|website=The Age (www.theage.com.au)|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/its-a-crime-spree-as-emma-viskic-snaffles-four-writing-awards-20160826-gr1vwr.html|access-date=28 November 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20251128075452/https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/its-a-crime-spree-as-emma-viskic-snaffles-four-writing-awards-20160826-gr1vwr.html|archive-date=28 November 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Ferris|first=Fleur|nolink=1}} |''Risk'' |-

!Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Spratt|first=R. A.|nolink=1}} |''Friday Barnes, Under Suspicion'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Simmonds|first=Alecia|nolink=1}} |''Wild Man'' |-

! rowspan="2" |Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Viskic|first=Emma|nolink=}} |''Resurrection Bay'' |-

|{{Sortname|last=Ferris|first=Fleur|nolink=1}} |''Risk'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Viskic|first=Emma|nolink=}} |''Resurrection Bay'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2017 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Harper|first=Jane|nolink=}} |''The Dry'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |-

!Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Plozza|first=Shivaun|nolink=1}} |''Frankie'' |-

!Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Rossell|first=Judith|nolink=1}} |''Wormwood Mire: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue'' |-

!True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Norris|first=Megan|nolink=1}} |''Look What You Made Me Do: Fathers Who Kill'' |-

!Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Ferla|first=Cath|nolink=1}} |''Ghost Girls'' |-

!Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Harper|first=Jane|nolink=}} |''The Dry'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2018 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Viskic|first=Emma|nolink=}} |''And Fire Came Down'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /><ref name="winners_booktopia_2018">{{Cite web|title=Sisters in Crime: Davitt Awards 2018|date=14 August 2018|website=Booktopia|url=https://www.booktopia.com.au/blog/2018/08/14/davitt-awards-2018|access-date=28 November 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20251128080813/https://www.booktopia.com.au/blog/2018/08/14/davitt-awards-2018|archive-date=28 November 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Wakefield|first=Vikki|nolink=}} |''Ballad for a Mad Girl'' |- !Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Rushby|first=Allison|nolink=1}} |''The Turnkey'' |- !True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Coslovich|first=Gabriella|nolink=1}} |''Whiteley on Trial'' |- !Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Bailey|first=Sarah|nolink=1}} |''The Dark Lake'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Harper|first=Jane|nolink=}} |''Force of Nature'' |- ! rowspan="6" |2019 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=McTiernan|first=Dervla|nolink=}} |''The Rúin'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Epstein|first=Sarah|nolink=1}} |''Small Spaces'' |- !Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Rossell|first=Judith|nolink=1}} |''Wakestone Hall'' |- !True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Hooper|first=Chloe|nolink=}} |''The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire'' |- !Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Lee|first=Bri|nolink=}} |''Eggshell Skull'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Harper|first=Jane|nolink=}} |''The Lost Man'' |}

=== 2020s === {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" width=100% |+Davitt Award winners 2020-2029 !Year !Category !Author !Title !Ref |- ! rowspan="7" |2020 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Mundell|first=Meg|nolink=1}} |''The Trespassers'' | rowspan="7" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Scholte|first=Astrid|nolink=1}} |''Four Dead Queens'' |- !Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Blackford|first=Jenny|nolink=1}} |''The Girl in the Mirror'' |- !True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Ferguson|first=Adele|nolink=}} |''Banking Bad: Whistleblowers. Corporate cover-ups. One Journalist's Fight for the Truth'' |- !Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Hurley|first=Susan|nolink=1}} |''Eight Lives'' |- ! rowspan="2" |Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=McTiernan|first=Dervla|nolink=}} |''The Scholar'' |- |{{Sortname|last=Viskic|first=Emma|nolink=}} |''Darkness for Light'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2021 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Hepworth|first=Sally|nolink=}} |''The Good Sister'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Nieman|first=Christie|nolink=1}} |''Where We Begin'' |- !Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Tanner|first=Lian|nolink=}} |''A Clue for Clara'' |- !True Crime |{{Sortname|last=Milligan|first=Louise|nolink=}} |''Witness'' |- !Debut Novel |{{Sortname|last=Swann|first=Leah|nolink=1}} |''Sheerwater'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Kovacic|first=Katherine|nolink=1}} |''The Shifting Landscape'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2022 !Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=McConaghy|first=Charlotte}} |''Once There Were Wolves'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name=winners /> |- !Young Adult Novel |{{Sortname|last=Hall|first=Leanne|nolink=1}} |''The Gaps'' |- !Children's Novel |{{Sortname|last=Greenberg|first=Nicki}} |''The Detective's Guide to Ocean Travel'' |- !Non-Fiction |{{Sortname|last=Holden|first=Kate|nolink=1}} |''The Winter Road: A story of legacy, land and a killing at Croppa Creek'' |- !Debut |Jacqueline Bublitz |''Before You Knew My Name'' |- !Readers' Choice |{{Sortname|last=Bublitz|first=Jacqueline|nolink=1}} |''Before You Knew My Name'' |-

! rowspan="6" |2025 !Adult Novel | Vikki Wakefield | ''To the River'' | rowspan="6" |<ref name="winners_sister's-in-crime_2025">{{cite web|title=Sisters in Crime’s 25th Davitt Awards winners announced|publisher=Sisters in Crime|url=https://sistersincrime.org.au/womens-crime-writing-has-come-of-age-sisters-in-crimes-25th-davitt-awards-winners-announced|access-date=28 November 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20251128083624/https://sistersincrime.org.au/womens-crime-writing-has-come-of-age-sisters-in-crimes-25th-davitt-awards-winners-announced/|archive-date=28 November 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref> |- !Young Adult Novel | Erin Gough | ''Into the Mouth of the Wolf'' |- !Children's Novel | Judith Rossell | ''The Midwatch'' |- !Non-Fiction | Lucia Osborne-Crowley | ''The Lasting Harm: Witnessing the Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell'' |- !Debut | Georgia Harper | ''What I Would Do to You'' |- !Readers' Choice | Dervla McTiernan | ''What Happened to Nina?'' |}

==See also== {{Portal|Children and Young Adult Literature}}

* List of Australian literary awards * List of literary awards honoring women * Sisters in Crime

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{url|http://www.sistersincrime.org.au|Davitt Awards}}

Category:Australian literary awards Category:Literary awards honoring women Category:Mystery and detective fiction awards Category:Awards established in 2001 Category:2001 establishments in Australia