The Anthony Award for Best First Novel, established in 1986, is an annual award presented as part of the Anthony Awards on behalf of Mystery Writers of America.
Recipients +Award winners and finalistsYearAuthorTitleResult1986When the Bough BreaksWinnerFinalistSleeping DogFinalistDoubting ThomasFinalistFloodFinalist1987Too Late To DieWinnerStrangled ProseFinalistFinalistFloaterFinalistDead AirFinalist1988Caught Dead in PhiladelphiaWinnerDeath on the RocksFinalistFinalistMurder at the WarFinalistFinalist1989WinnerMurder Once DoneFinalistFinalistRandom Access MurderFinalistFear of the DarkFinalistCarolina SkeletonsFinalist1990KatwalkWinnerGrime & PunishmentFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalist1991PostmortemWinnerKindred CrimesFinalistCatering to NobodyFinalistWhere’s Mommy Now?FinalistGrave UndertakingFinalist1992Murder on the Iditarod TrailWinnerCarpoolFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistMurder on the RunFinalist1993Blanche on the LamWinnerThyme of DeathFinalistDeckedFinalistFinalistFinalist1994Track of the CatWinnerGoodnight, IreneFinalistFinalistDeath Comes as EpiphanyFinalistChild of SilenceFinalist1995WinnerSnow Falling on CedarsFinalistCuckooFinalistFinalistMallory’s OracleFinalistShinjūFinalistEvery Breath You TakeFinalistBig TownFinalistDeath of a Blue LanternFinalist1996Death in Bloodhound RedWinnerFinalistWho in Hell Is Wanda Fuca?FinalistHammurabi’s CodeFinalistMurder in ScorpioFinalist1997Death in Little TokyoWinnerSomebody Else’s ChildWinnerTularosaFinalistFinalistFinalist1998Killing FloorWinnerIf I Should DieFinalistExcept the DyingFinalistBird DogFinalistSkin Deep, Blood RedFinalist1999Iron LakeWinnerSympathy for the DevilFinalistTiger’s PaletteFinalistFinalistEleven DaysFinalist2000Murder With PeacocksWinnerMurder in the MaraisFinalistCircles of ConfusionFinalistRevenge of the Gypsy QueenFinalistInner City BluesFinalist2001Death of a Red HeroineWinnerBlack DogFinalistFinalistFinalistStreet LevelFinalistRunFinalist2002Open SeasonWinnerThird Person SingularFinalistAustin City BlueFinalistFinalistA Witness AboveFinalist2003In the Bleak MidwinterWinnerFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalist2004MonkeewrenchWinnerHaunted GroundFinalistDeath of a NationalistFinalistWiley’s LamentFinalistMaisie DobbsFinalist2005Dating Dead MenWinnerUncommon GroundsFinalistTill the Cows Come HomeFinalistRetributionFinalistWhiskey SourFinalist2006Tilt-a-WhirlWinnerDie a LittleFinalistImmoralFinalistFinalistOfficer DownFinalist2007Still LifeWinnerKing of LiesFinalistHolmes on the RangeFinalistFinalistFinalist2008In the WoodsWinnerBig City, Bad BloodFinalistFinalistHead GamesFinalistFinalist2009WinnerPushing Up DaisiesFinalistStalking SusanFinalistDeath of a Cozy WriterFinalistChild 44Finalist2010WinnerFinalistStarvation LakeFinalistFinalistIn the Shadow of GothamFinalist2011WinnerRogue IslandFinalistFinalistFinalistSnow AngelsFinalist2012Learning To SwimWinnerNazareth ChildFinalistAll Cry ChaosFinalistWho Do, Voodoo?FinalistFinalistPurgatory ChasmFinalistBefore I Go To SleepFinalist2013WinnerDon’t Ever Get OldFinalistFinalistFinalistBlack FridaysFinalist2014Yesterday’s EchoWinnerGhostmanFinalistRage Against the DyingFinalistReconstructing AmeliaFinalistFinalist2015WinnerBlessed Are the DeadFinalistIce ShearFinalistInvisible CityFinalistFinalist2016Past CrimesWinnerConcrete AngelFinalistNew YorkedFinalistOn the Road with Del & LouiseFinalistBull MountainFinalist2017IQWinnerDodgersFinalistDecanting a MurderFinalistDesign for DyingFinalistFinalist2018Hollywood HomicideWinnerFinalistShe Rides ShotgunFinalistRagged; or, The Loveliest Lies of AllFinalistFinalist2019My Sister, the Serial KillerWinnerBroken PlacesFinalistDodging and BurningFinalistWhat Doesn’t Kill YouFinalistBearskinFinalist2020One Night GoneWinnerFinalistMiracle CreekFinalistThree-FifthsFinalistAmerican SpyFinalist2021Winter CountsWinnerDerailedFinalistMurder in Old BombayFinalistMurder at the Mena HouseFinalistFinalist2022Arsenic and AdoboWinnerHer Name Is KnightFinalistFinalistWalking Through NeedlesFinalistAll Her Little SecretsFinalist2023WinnerDon’t Know ToughFinalistShutterFinalistFinalistDevil’s Chew ToyFinalist2024Mother-Daughter Murder NightWinnerFinalistPlay the FoolFinalistScotched GraceFinalistCity Under One RoofFinalist2025You Know What You DidWinnerFinalistGhosts of WaikikiFinalistGood Looking UglyFinalistHoly CityFinalist
References