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.
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.
Best Novel
+Best Novel Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.1984"Crime Writers of Canada honors Murdoch, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 1984.1985Murder Sees the Light1986Death in the Old Country"Crime writers honor two authors". Toronto Star, May 7, 1986.1987Buried on Sunday"Montreal novelist Phillips wins crime writers' prize". Montreal Gazette, May 26, 1987.1988Swann"Crime writers honor their own". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1988.1989Jack"Crime writer's prize slips from his grasp". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1989.1990Hot Shots"B.C. author wins prize for best crime novel". Vancouver Sun, May 25, 1990.1991"'Chilling' novel captures top crime writers award". Waterloo Region Record, May 27, 1991.1992Past Reason Hated"Crime writers get just deserts". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 1992.1993Lizardskin"Sometimes, crime pays". The Globe and Mail, May 20, 1993.1994Gypsy Sins1995"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, 1995.1996Mother Love"Wright wins book award". The Globe and Mail, May 30, 1996.1997Innocent Graves"Toronto writer gets award for mystery". Waterloo Region Record, May 29, 1997.1998Trial of Passion"Deverell wins top crime-writing prize for Trial of Passion". The Globe and Mail, May 22, 1998.1999Old Wounds"Crime does pay for novelists". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 1999.2000Procuta, Egle. "Novel about former judge wins crime prize". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2000.2001Cold Is the Grave"Arthur Ellis Awards to Robinson, Wright". The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2001.2002In the Midnight Hour"Crime and mystery writers get Ellis awards". Guelph Mercury, June 14, 2002.2003Blood of Others"James Nichol wins Arthur Ellis award for first crime novel: 20th anniversary of awards for crime novels". Moose Jaw Times-Herald, June 5, 2003.2004"Book on Hells Angels takes prize". Brantford Expositor, June 12, 2004.2005Fifth Son"Ottawa psychologist wins award for best Canadian crime novel". Alberni Valley Times, June 10, 2005.2006April Fool2007Honour Among MenGoldberg, Brianna. "Cheesy mystery wins novel prize. Calgary Herald, June 8, 2007.2008Trumpets Sound No More"Jon Redfern wins second Arthur Ellis Award for historical crime novel". Prince George Citizen, June 7, 2008.2009Too Close to Home"Canada's crime writers announce winners of 2009 Arthur Ellis Awards". Canadian Press, June 5, 20092010High Chicago"Shrier wins Ellis Award for crime, mystery writing". Ottawa Citizen, May 28, 2010.2011Bury Your Dead"Penny, Cameron win Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 4, 2011.2012Before the Poison2013Until the Night"Giles Blunt, Steve Lillebuen take home Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". Canadian Press, May 31, 2013.2014"Bronte author wins crime writing award". Hamilton Spectator, June 14, 2014.2015Plague: Murder Has a New Friend2016Open Season20172018Sleeping in the Ground2019Though the Heavens Fall2020Greenwood20212022Under an Outlaw Moon2023Anthony BidulkaGoing to Beautiful2024Loreth Anne WhiteThe Maid's Diary
Best First Novel +Best First Novel Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.1987Murder on the Run1988198919901991Sniper's Moon1992Flesh Wound1993Passion Play1994Memory TraceVal Ross, "Atwood, Findley win literary awards". The Globe and Mail, June 2, 1994.1995What's A Girl Gotta Do?1996Moonlit Days and Nights1997Death At Buckingham PalaceMorley Walker, "The art of crime". Winnipeg Free Press, January 13, 2007.1998Déja Dead1999Sudden Blow2000Lost Girls2001Hands Like Clouds20022003Midnight Cab2004Just Murder2005Dark Places2006Still Life2007Sign of the Cross2008Garcia's Heart2009Buffalo Jump201020112012Water Rat of Wanchai20132014Bait20152016Unquiet Dead2017Strange Things Done2018Full Curl2019Cobra Clutch2020Nobody Move202120222023Sam ShelstadCitizens of Light2024Amanda PetersThe Berry Pickers
Best Novella +Best Novella Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.2013Contingency Plan201420152016Black Canyon2017Rundown2018How Lon Pruitt Was Found Murdered in an Open Field with No Footprints Around2019Murder Among the Pines20202021Never Going Back2022Letters from Johnny
Best Crime Book in French +Best Crime Book in French Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.2000Louna2001Le roman policier en Amérique française2002Fleur invitait au troisième2003Le rouge ideal2004On finit toujours par payer2005Les douze pierres2006Motel Riviera2007No award presented2008Tsiganes2009Le Chemin des brumes2010Le mort du chemin des Arsene2011Dans le quartier des agités2012La chorale du diable2013La Nuit des albinos: Sur les traces de Max O'Brien2014L’enfant promis2015Bondrée2016L'Affaire Myosotis2017Red Light: Adieu, Mignonne2018Les Tricoteuses2019Adolphus – Une enquête de Joseph Laflamme2020Tempêtes2021La mariée de corail2022Flots
Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book +Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.1994 Abalone Summer1995 Torn Away1996 Mistaken Identity1997 How Can a Frozen Detective Stay Hot on the Trail?19981999 Sins of the Father2000 How Can a Brilliant Detective Shine in the Dark?20012002 Scared to Death2003 Break and Enter2004 Acceleration20052006 Quid Pro Quo2007 Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates2008 Eye of the Crow2009 War Brothers2010 Haunted20112012 Blink & Caution2013 Becoming Holmes2014 Bones Never Lie2015 Dead Man's Switch2016 Trouble Is a Friend of Mine2017 Masterminds2018 Chase: Get Ready to Run2019 Escape2020 Keep This to Yourself2021 Red Fox Road20222023Jo TreggiariHeartbreak Homes2024Cherie DimalineFuneral Songs for Dying Girls
Best Crime Nonfiction +Best Crime Nonfiction Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.198519861987 Hunting Humans1988 Stung1989 Conspiracy of Brothers1990 Conspiracy of Silence1991 Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin1992 Arms and the Man1993 Redrum the Innocent1994 With Malice Aforethought199519961997"Montrealer wins Arthur Ellis prize for crime-writing". Montreal Gazette, May 31, 1997.1998 When She Was Bad1999 No Claim to Mercy2000 Cowboys and Indians20012002 and Harvey Cashore2002Saboteurs2003 Covert Entry2004 and William Marsden20052006 Under the Bridge2007 High2008 One Child at a Time2009 and Craig Silverman Mafiaboy2010 Murder Without Borders2011 On the Farm2012 Hot Art20132014No award presented20152016 Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation2017201820192020 Murdered Midas: A Millionaire, His Gold Mine, and a Strange Death on an Island Paradise2021 Missing from the Village2022
Best Crime Short Story +Best Crime Short Story Award winnersYearAuthorStoryPublicationRef.1988Looking for an Honest Man Cold Blood: Murder in Canada1989Killer in the House Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1988 1990Humbug 1991Innocence Cold Blood III1992Two in the Bush Christmas Stalkings1993Mantrap Murder, Mayhem, and the Macabre1994Just Like Old Times On Spec, Summer 1993 1995The Midnight Boat to Palermo Cold Blood IV1996Cotton Armour Ladies Killing Circle1997Dead Run Story Teller, Winter 1996–97 1998Widow's Weeds Cottage Country Killers1999Last Inning Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1998 2000One More Kill Blue Murder Magazine, December 1999 2001Murder in Utopia Crime Through Time III2002Sign of the Times Fit to Die2003Bottom Walker Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 2002 2004Dead Wood Hard Boiled Love2005Crocodile Tears Revenge: A Noir Anthology2006Lightning Rider Murder in Vegas2007Fuzzy Wuzzy Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August 2006 2008Turners Kingston Whig-Standard, July 7, 2007 2009Filmsong Toronto Noir2010Prisoner in Paradise Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine2011So Much in Common Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine2012What Kelly Did 2013Spring-blade Knife Floating Like The Dead2014Footprints in Water 2015Stone Mattress 2016Black Canyon 2017A Death at the Parsonage 2018The Outlier 2019Terminal City 2020Closing Doors 2021Cold Wave, Sisters in Crime 2022Number 10 Marlborough Place
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 winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.2007Margarita Nights20082009Louder20102011Better Off Dead2012Last of the Independents2013Sins Revisited2014Cold Girl2015Strange Things Done2016When the Flood Falls20172018Destruction in Paradise2019202020212022Elmington
Howard Engel Award +Howard Engel Award winnersYearAuthorTitleRef.2007Stay Where I Can See You2008Beneath Her Skin
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.
1984 – Derrick Murdoch 1985 – Tony AsplerArthur Ellis Award – Derrick Murdoch Award Crime Writers of Canada, (retrieved 11/21/2012) 1986 – Margaret Millar 1987 – The CBC Drama Department 1988 – J.D. Singh and Jim Reicker 1989 – not presented 1990 – Eric Wilson 1991 – not presented 1992 – William Bankier, James Powell and Peter Sellers 1993 – not presented 1994 – not presented 1995 – Jim and Margaret McBride 1996 – not presented 1997 – not presented 1998 – Howard Engel and Eric Wright 1999 – Ted Wood 2000 – Eddie Barber, Rick Blechta, John North and David Skene-Melvin 2001 – L. R. Wright 2002 – James Dubro and Caro Soles 2003 – Margaret Cannon 2004 – Cheryl Freedman 2005 – Max Haines 2006 – Mary Jane Maffini 2007 – not presented 2008 – Edward D. Hoch 2009 – Gail Bowen 2010 – Peter Robinson 2011 – Louise Allin and N.A.T. Grant 2012 – Don Graves and Catherine AstolfoMark Medley, "Arthur Ellis Awards practically criminal". National Post, June 1, 2012. 2013 – Lyn Hamilton 2014 – not presented 2015 – Sylvia McConnell 2016 – not presented 2017 – Christina JenningsMark Medley, "Finalists announced for Arthur Ellis Awards". The Globe and Mail, April 21, 2017. 2018 – not presentedDeborah 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. 2019 – Vicki DelanyDeborah Dundas, "Sarah Weinman, Anne Emery, Linwood Barclay among winners of coveted Arthur Ellis Awards". Toronto Star, May 24, 2019. 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.
2014 – Howard Engel 2016 – Eric WrightErin Knoll, "Peter Kirby, Ausma Zehanat Khan win Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing". CBC Books, July 17, 2016. 2018 – Gail Bowen 2020 – Peter Robinson 2022 – Louise Penny
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 1992 – Wesley A. Wark, Spy Fiction, Spy Films and Real Intelligence"Best murder mystery". Financial Post, June 8, 1992.
Best Play The award for Best Play has only been presented once.
1994 – Timothy Findley, The Stillborn Lover