The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Short Story, established in 1951, is an annual American literary award, presented alongside other Edgar Awards .
The award is presented to stories between 1,000 and 22,000 words that have been published in a magazine, periodical, e-zine, or book-length anthology.[1] Stories shorter than 1,000 words (i.e., mini- or flash fiction ) or longer than 22,000 words are ineligible.[1] Although the Edgar Awards do not have a flash fiction category, works considered too long for the Short Story Award may be eligible for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel , Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel , or Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original .[1]
The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Short Story winners are listed below.
Winners
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
1990s Best Short Story winners and shortlists[2]
Year
Author
Story
Publication
Result
Ref.
1990
Donald E. Westlake
"Too Many Crooks"
Playboy, 1989
Winner
Ruth Graviros
"Ted Bundy’s Father"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, November 1989
Shortlist
Robert Halsted
"The Girl and the Gator"
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, December 1989
Shortlist
Nancy Pickard
"Afraid All the Time"
Sisters in Crime
Shortlist
Stephen Wasylyk
"For Loyal Service"
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, August 1989
Shortlist
1991
Lynne Barrett
"Elvis Lives"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September 1990
Winner
Lawrence Block
"Answers to Soldiers"
Playboy, 1990
Shortlist
Ed Gorman
"Prisoners"
New Crimes
Shortlist
Sue Grafton
"A Poison That Leaves No Trace"
Sisters in Crime 2
Shortlist
Clark Howard
"Challenge the Widow-Maker"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August 1990
Shortlist
1992
Wendy Hornsby
"Nine Sons"
Sisters in Crime 4
Winner
Doug Allyn
"Sleeper"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 1991
Shortlist
Lawrence Block
"A Blow for Freedom"
Playboy, October 1991
Shortlist
Liza Cody
"Spasmo"
A Classic English Crime
Shortlist
Susan Schwartz
"Dreaming in Black and White"
Psycho-Paths
Shortlist
1993
Benjamin M. Schutz
"Mary, Mary, Shut the Door"
Deadly Allies
Winner
Doug Allyn
"Candles in the Rain"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, November 1992
Shortlist
Jo Bannister
"Howler"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, October 1992
Shortlist
Max Allan Collins
"Louise"
Deadly Allies
Shortlist
Gabrielle Kraft
"One Hit Wonder"
Sisters in Crime 5
Shortlist
1994
Lawrence Block
"Keller's Therapy"
Playboy, May 1993
Winner
Doug Allyn
"The Ghost Show"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, December 1993
Shortlist
Harlan Ellison
"Mefisto in Onyx"
Omni, October 1993
Shortlist
Joseph Hansen
"McIntyre’s Donald"
Bohannon’s Country
Shortlist
Bruce Holland Rogers
"Enduring as Dust"
Danger in DC
Shortlist
1995
Doug Allyn
"The Dancing Bear "
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine , March 1994
Winner
Robert Barnard
"The Gentleman in the Lake"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 1994
Shortlist
Brenda Melton Burnham
"The Tennis Court"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 1994
Shortlist
Brendan DuBois
"The Necessary Brother"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 1994
Shortlist
Justin Scott
"An Eye for a Tooth"
Justice in Manhattan
Shortlist
1996
Jean B. Cooper
"The Judge's Boy "
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August 1995
Winner
K. K. Beck
"Rule of Law"
Malice Domestic 4
Shortlist
Larry Beinhart
"Death in a Small Town"
New Mystery, Spring 1995
Shortlist
Kathleen Dougherty
"When Your Breath Freezes"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September 1995
Shortlist
Bill Pomidor
"A Plain and Honest Death"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September 1995
Shortlist
1997
Michael Malone
"Red Clay"
Murder for Love
Winner
Brendan DuBois
"The Dark Snow"
Playboy, November 1996
Shortlist
David Corn
"My Murder"
Unusual Suspects
Shortlist
James Grady
"Kiss The Sky"
Unusual Suspects
Shortlist
S. J. Rozan
"Hoops"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, January 1996
Shortlist
1998
Lawrence Block
"Keller on the Spot"
Playboy, November 1997
Winner
Simon Brett
"Ways to Kill a Cat"
Malice Domestic 6
Shortlist
Jeffery Deaver
"The Kneeling Soldier"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, March 1997
Shortlist
Stuart M. Kaminsky
"Find Miriam"
New Mystery, Summer 1997
Shortlist
Stuart M. Kaminsky
"The Man Who Beat the System"
Funny Bones
Shortlist
1999
Tom Franklin
"Poachers"
Texas Review, Fall-Winter 1998
Winner
Lawrence Block
"Looking for David"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1998
Shortlist
Clark Howard
"The Halfway Woman"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1998
Shortlist
Perry Michael Smith
"For Jeff"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1998
Shortlist
L. L. Thrasher
"Sacrifice"
Murderous Intent Mystery Magazine, Summer/Fall 1998
Shortlist
2000s
2000s Best Short Story winners and shortlists[2]
Year
Author
Story
Publication
Result
Ref.
2000
Anne Perry
"Heroes"
Murder and Obsession
Winner
Jeffery Deaver
"Triangle"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
James W. Hall
"Crack"
Murder and Obsession
Shortlist
Stuart M. Kaminsky
"Snow"
First Cases
Shortlist
Laurie R. King
"Paleta Man"
Irreconcilable Differences
Shortlist
2001
Peter Robinson
"Missing in Action"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Winner
Noreen Ayres
"Delta Double-Deal"
The Night Awakens
Shortlist
Mat Coward
"Twelve Little Buggers"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Reginald Hill
"A Candle for Christmas"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
"Spinning"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
2002
S.J. Rozan
"Double-Crossing Delancey"
Mystery Street
Winner
Jan Burke
"The Abbey Ghosts"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Michael Collins
"The Horrible Senseless Murders of Two Elderly Women"
Fedora: Private Eyes & Tough Guys
Shortlist
Michael Lewin
"If the Glove Fits"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Margaret Maron
"Virgo in Sapphires"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
2003
Raymond Steiber
"Mexican Gatsby"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Winner
Doug Allyn
"The Murder Ballads"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Clark Howard
"To Live and Die in Midland, Texas"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
John Mortimer
"Rumpole and the Primrose Path"
The Strand Magazine
Shortlist
Joyce Carol Oates
"Angel of Wrath"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
2004
G. Miki Hayden
"The Maids "
Blood On Their Hands
Winner
Jeff Abbott
"Bet on Red"
High Stakes
Shortlist
Shelley Costa
"Black Heart & Cabin Girl"
Blood On Their Hands
Shortlist
David Edgerley Gates
"Aces and Eights"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
"Cowboy Grace"
The Silver Gryphon
Shortlist
2005
Laurie Lynn Drummond
"Something About a Scar"
Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You
Winner
Terence Faherty
"The Widow of Slane"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Pete Hamill
"The Book Signing"
Brooklyn Noir
Shortlist
Gary Lovisi
"Adventure of the Missing Detective"
Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years
Shortlist
Luke Sholer
"Imitate the Sun" by
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
2006
James W. Hall
"The Catch "
Greatest Hits
Winner
Jeffery Deaver
"Born Bad"
Dangerous Women
Shortlist
Andrew Klavan
"Her Lord and Master"
Dangerous Women
Shortlist
Barbara Seranella
"Misdirection"
Greatest Hits
Shortlist
Daniel Walker
"Welcome to Monroe"
A Kudzu Christmas
Shortlist
2007
Charles Ardai
"The Home Front "
Death Do Us Part
Winner
Thomas H. Cook
"Rain"
Manhattan Noir
Shortlist
Bill Crider
"Cranked"
Damn Near Dead
Shortlist
S. J. Rozan
"Building"
Manhattan Noir
Shortlist
2008
Susan Straight
"The Golden Gopher "
Los Angeles Noir
Winner
[3]
Mark Ammons
"The Catch"
Still Waters
Shortlist
Stuart M. Kaminsky
"Blue Note"
Chicago Blues
Shortlist
Laura Lippman
"Hardly Knew Her"
Dead Man’s Hand
Shortlist
Daniel Woodrell
"Uncle"
A Hell of a Woman
Shortlist
2009
T. Jefferson Parker
"Skinhead Central"
Mystery Writers of America Presents: The Blue Religion
Winner
[4]
Sean Chercover
"A Sleep Not Unlike Death"
Hardcore Hardboiled
Shortlist
David Edgerley Gates
"Skin and Bones"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Laura Lippman
"Scratch a Woman"
Hardly Knew Her
Shortlist
Dominique Mainard
"La Vie en Rose"
Paris Noir
Shortlist
2010s
2020s
2020s Best Short Story winners and shortlists[2]
Year
Author
Story
Publication
Result
Ref.
2020
Livia Llewellyn
"One of These Nights"
Cutting Edge: New Stories of Mystery and Crime by Women Writers
Winner
Hector Acosta
"Turistas"
Pa’Que Tu Lo Sepas
Shortlist
Kirsten Tranter
"The Passenger”
Sydney Noir
Shortlist
Sam Wiebe
"Home at Last"
Die Behind the Wheel: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Steely Dan
Shortlist
Dave Zeltserman
"Brother’s Keeper"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
2021
Maaza Mengiste
"Dust, Ash, Flight"
Addis Ababa Noir
Winner
[18] [19]
Leslie Elman
"The Summer Uncle Cat Came to Stay"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
[19]
Joseph S. Walker
"Etta at the End of the World"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
[19]
James W. Ziskin
"The Twenty-Five Year Engagement"
In League with Sherlock Holmes
Shortlist
[19]
2022
R.T. Lawton
"The Road to Hana "
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Winner
[20]
Michael Bracken and James A. Hearn
"Blindsided"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
V. M. Burns
"The Vermeer Conspiracy”
Midnight Hour
Shortlist
Tracy Clark
"Lucky Thirteen"
Midnight Hour
Shortlist
Gigi Pandian
"The Locked Room Library”
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Cornell Woolrich
"The Dark Oblivion”
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
2023
Gregory Fallis
"Red Flag"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Winner
[21]
Charles John Harper
"Backstory"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
William Burton McCormick
"Locked-In"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
Tim McLoughlin
"The Amnesty Box”
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Shortlist
Donna Moore
"First You Dream, Then You Die"
Black is the Night
Shortlist
2024
Linda Castillo
"Hallowed Ground"
Macmillan Publishers / Minotaur Books
Winner
[22] [23]
Heather Graham
"Thriller"
Thriller
Shortlist
[23]
Rob Osler
"Miss Direction"
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Shortlist
[23]
Ian Rankin
"The Rise"
Amazon Original Stories
Shortlist
[23]
Lisa Scottoline
"Pigeon Tony’s Last Stand"
Amazon Original Stories
Shortlist
[23]
References
^ a b c "Edgar Award Category Information". Mystery Writers of America . Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14 .
^ a b c d "Edgar Awards". Stop, You're Killing Me . Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved 2024-05-05 .
^ "Awards: The Edgars; Arthur C. Clarke Prize". Shelf Awareness . May 2, 2008. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-12-10 .
^ "Awards: Edgars; Arthur C. Clarke". Shelf Awareness . May 1, 2009. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2022-12-10 .
^ "2012 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2012-11-03.
^ a b c d e f Cogdill, Oline. "2012 Edgar Award Winners". Mystery Scene Magazine . Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2022-12-15 .
^ "2013 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2013-11-02.
^ "2014 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2014-11-10.
^ a b c d "The 2014 Edgar Award Nominations and Winners". Heights Libraries . Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-14 .
^ "2015 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2015-11-08.
^ "Awards: Edgar Winners; Ridenhour Book". Shelf Awareness . May 1, 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2022-12-10 .
^ a b c d "2015 Edgar Award Winners". Mystery Scene Magazine . Archived from the original on 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2022-12-14 .
^ "2016 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2016-11-05.
^ "Awards: Edgar Winners". Shelf Awareness . May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2022-12-11 .
^ "2017 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2017-11-07.
^ "2018 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2018-11-10.
^ "2019 Nominees and Winners". Edgar Awards . Archived from the original on 2019-08-18.
^ "2021 Edgar Allan Poe Award Winners". Mystery Writers of America . Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2024-05-07 .
^ a b c d "Congratulations to the Winners of the 2021 Edgar Awards". CrimeReads . 2021-04-29. Archived from the original on 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2022-12-14 .
^ "2022 Edgar Allan Poe Award Winners". Mystery Writers of America . Archived from the original on 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-07 .
^ Schaub, Michael (2023-04-28). "Edgar Award Winners Are Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-04-30. Retrieved 2023-05-01 .
^ Schaub, Michael (2024-05-02). "Winners of the 2024 Edgar Awards Are Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-06 .
^ a b c d e "2024 Edgar Winners" (PDF) . Edgar Awards . May 4, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024 .
External links
The official website of Edgar Awards
Active Text Awards Active Author Awards Discontinued Categories