The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel was established in 1946.
Only debut novels written by authors with United States citizenship are eligible and may be published in hardcover, paperback, or e-book. If an American author has published a novel of any genre or under any name previously, they are ineligible for the award, unless the novel was self-published. Authors ineligible for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel may be eligible for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel or the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original.
Winners for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel are listed below.
Recipients 1940s +1940s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 1946Watchful at NightWinner1947Winner1948Winner1949WinnerWilders Walk Away FinalistShoot the Works Finalist 1950s +1950s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 1950What A BodyWinnerFinalistWalk the Dark StreetsFinalist and N. D. LobellFinalistFinalistFinalist1951Nightmare in ManhattanWinnerStrangers on a Train FinalistHappy Holiday! FinalistFinalist1952Strangle HoldWinnerCarry My Coffin Slowly FinalistFinalistCure It with Honey (I’ll Get Mine)FinalistFinalist1953Don't Cry for MeWinnerFinalist1954Winner1955Go, Lovely RoseWinner1956WinnerIn His Blood FinalistMuch Ado About Murder Finalist1957Rebecca's PrideWinner1958Knock and Wait a WhileWinnerBay of the Damned FinalistRoot of Evil Finalist1959WinnerFinalistDeath of a Spinster FinalistNow Will You Try for Murder? Finalist 1960s +1960s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 1960 WinnerFinalist1961 WinnerFinalistFinalistCase Pending FinalistFinalist1962 WinnerFelony TankFinalistClose His EyesFinalistFinalistNight of the KillFinalistShock TreatmentFinalist1963 WinnerCounterweightFinalistFinalist1964 Florentine FinishWinnerFinalistFinalistFinalist1965 Friday the Rabbi Slept LateWinnerIn the Last Analysis FinalistFinalist1966In the Heat of the NightWinnerFinalistFinalistBefore the Ball Was Over Finalist1967WinnerFancy’s KnellFinalistFinalistFinalist1968 Act of FearWinnerHell Gate FinalistMortissimo FinalistFinalistFinalist1969 Tie: Silver StreetWinner WinnerFinalist
1970s +1970s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 1970WinnerYou’ll Like My Mother FinalistQuicksand Finalist1971WinnerIncident at 125th StreetFinalistTaking Gary Feldman FinalistFinalistFinalist1972Finding MaubeeWinnerTo Spite Her Face FinalistAsk the Right Question FinalistFinalistGypsy in Amber Finalist1973Squaw PointWinnerFinalistFinalistBox 100 FinalistFinalist1974WinnerKicked to Death by a Camel FinalistSomeone’s Death FinalistMany Happy Returns FinalistMan on a String Finalist1975FletchWinner and Virgil ScottFinalistSaturday Games FinalistTarget Practice FinalistFinalist1976WinnerWaltz Across TexasFinalistHarmattan FinalistPaperback Thriller FinalistFinalist1977WinnerYour Day in the Barrel FinalistStraight FinalistFinalistFinal Proof Finalist1978WinnerDewey Decimated FinalistFinalist1979Killed in the RatingsWinnerFinalistFalling Angel FinalistBlood Secrets FinalistFinalist 1980s +1980s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 1980WinnerNight Trains FinalistFollow the Leader Finalist1981WinnerWinds of the Old Days FinalistFinalistDouble Negative FinalistFinalist1982ChiefsWinnerGiant KillerFinalistNot a Through Street FinalistFinalistMurder at the Red October Finalist1983WinnerBy Frequent Anguish FinalistUnholy Communion FinalistIn the Heat of the Summer FinalistTwo If By Sea Finalist1984WinnerFinalistRed Diamond, Private Eye FinalistCaroline Minuscule FinalistDead Man’s Thoughts Finalist1985Strike Three, You're DeadWinnerFinalistFoul Shot FinalistSweet, Savage Death FinalistSomeone Else’s Grave Finalist1986When the Bough BreaksWinnerFinalistSleeping DogFinalistFinalist1987No One Rides for FreeWinnerLost FinalistRiceburner FinalistFloaterFinalistDead Air Finalist1988Death Among StrangersWinnerDetective FinalistHeat Lightning FinalistLover Man FinalistFinalist1989Carolina SkeletonsWinnerMurder Once Done FinalistFinalistFinalistJulian SoloFinalist 1990s +1990s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 1990WinnerHide and Seek FinalistFinalist FinalistBlood Under the Bridge Finalist1991PostmortemWinnerCome Nightfall FinalistPassion Play FinalistNobody Lives Forever FinalistDevil in a Blue Dress Finalist1992Slow Motion RiotWinnerDeadstickFinalistDeadlineFinalistZero at the Bone FinalistFinalist1993WinnerTrail of Murder FinalistTrick of the Eye FinalistLadystinger Finalist1994WinnerFinalistCriminal Seduction FinalistFinalistZaddikFinalist1995WinnerOne for the Money FinalistMallory’s Oracle FinalistSuspicion of Innocence FinalistBig Town Finalist1996PenanceWinnerTight Shot FinalistMurder in Scorpio FinalistFinalistFixed in His Folly Finalist1997Simple JusticeWinnerBonita Faye FinalistFinalistFinalistFinalist1998WinnerFinalistBird Dog FinalistFlower Net Finalist23 Shades of Black Finalist1999WinnerReckless HomicideFinalistNumbered Account FinalistNiceFinalistFinalist 2000s +2000s Best First Novel winners Year Author Title Result 2000WinnerCertifiably Insane FinalistBig Trouble FinalistGod Is a Bullet FinalistInner City Blues Finalist2001WinnerFinalistDeath of a Red Heroine FinalistCrow in Stolen Colors FinalistRaveling Finalist2002Line of VisionWinnerOpen Season FinalistRed Hook FinalistGun Monkeys FinalistFinalist2003WinnerSouthern LatitudesFinalistHigh WireFinalistBuck Fever FinalistOpen and Shut Finalist2004Death of a NationalistWinner12 Bliss StreetFinalistOffer of Proof FinalistFinalistFinalist2005Country of OriginWinnerLittle Girl Lost FinalistRelative Danger FinalistFinalistTonight I Said GoodbyeFinalistBahamarama Finalist2006Officer DownWinnerDie a Little FinalistImmoralFinalistRun the Risk FinalistHide Your Eyes Finalist2007WinnerSharp Objects FinalistKing of Lies FinalistHolmes on the Range FinalistFinalist2008In the WoodsWinnerMissing Witness FinalistSnitch Jacket FinalistHead Games FinalistPyres Finalist2009WinnerFinalistSweetsmoke FinalistCalumet City FinalistFinalist
2010s +2010s Best First Novel winners and finalists Year Author Title Result 2010In the Shadow of GothamWinnerShortlistStarvation Lake ShortlistShortlistShortlistBlack Water Rising Shortlist2011Rogue IslandWinnerShortlistShortlistGalvestonShortlistSnow AngelsShortlist2012Bent RoadWinnerRed on Red ShortlistLast to Fold ShortlistAll Cry Chaos ShortlistPurgatory Chasm Shortlist2013WinnerShortlistDon’t Ever Get OldShortlistMr. Churchill’s SecretaryShortlistShortlistBlack FridaysShortlist2014Red SparrowWinnerShortlistGhostman ShortlistRage Against the DyingShortlistReconstructing AmeliaShortlist2015Dry Bones in the ValleyWinnerInvisible CityShortlistShortlistBad CountryShortlistShovel ReadyShortlistMurder at the BrightwellShortlist2016WinnerPast CrimesShortlistWhere All Light Tends to Go ShortlistLuckiest Girl Alive ShortlistUnbecoming Shortlist2017Under the HarrowWinnerDodgersShortlistIQShortlistShortlistDancing with the TigerShortlistShortlist2018She Rides ShotgunWinnerTornado WeatherShortlistDark Chapter ShortlistLolaShortlistIdaho Shortlist2019BearskinWinnerShortlistShortlistShortlistWhere the Crawdads SingShortlist
2020s +2020s Best First Novel winners and finalists Year Author Title Result 2020Miracle CreekWinnerMy Lovely WifeShortlistShortlistShortlistThree-FifthsShortlistAmerican SpyShortlist2021Please See UsWinnerMurder in Old BombayShortlistCatherine HouseShortlistWinter CountsShortlistDarling Rose GoldShortlist2022Deer SeasonWinnerNever Saw Me ComingShortlistSuburban DicksShortlistWhat Comes AfterShortlistShortlist2023Don’t Know ToughWinnerJackal ShortlistShutter ShortlistMore Than You’ll Ever KnowShortlistPortrait of a Thief Shortlist2024WinnerShortlistSmall Town SinsShortlistShortlistMurder by Degrees Shortlist 2025Holy City Winner Twice the Trouble Shortlist Cold to the TouchShortlistShortlistShortlistShortlist 2026Dead Money WinnerKiller Potential Shortlist All the Other Mothers Hate MeShortlistJohnny CarelessShortlistHistory LessonsShortlist
References
External links The official website of Edgar Awards