Canadian Accolades

Crime Writers of Canada (CWC) announced the Shortlists for the 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing. Started in 1984, the annual Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, then known as the Arthur Ellis Awards, recognizes the best in mystery, crime, and suspense fiction, and crime nonfiction by Canadian authors. Winners will be announced Thursday, May 26, 2022. 

Best Crime Novel sponsored by Rakuten Kobo, with a $1000 prize

Linwood Barclay, Find You First, William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Daniel Kalla, Lost Immunity, Simon & Schuster
Dietrich Kalteis, Under the Outlaw Moon, ECW Press
Shari Lapena, Not a Happy Family, Doubleday Canada
Roz Nay, The Hunted, Simon & Schuster

Best Crime First Novel sponsored by Writers First, with a $500 prize

Ashley Audrain, The Push, Viking Canada
Fiona King Foster, The Captive, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Byron TD Smith, Windfall: A Henry Lysyk Mystery, Shima Kun Press
Katherine Walker, All Is Well, Thistledown Press
David Whitton, Seven Down, Rare Machines an imprint of Dundurn Press  

The Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery sponsored by Jane Doe, with a $500 prize

Candas Jane Dorsey, What’s the Matter with Mary Jane?, ECW Press
Alice Bienia, Three Dog Knight, Cairn Press
Jackie Elliott, Hell's Half Acre, Joffe Books
Catherine Macdonald, So Many Windings, At Bay Press
Vicki Delany, Murder in a Teacup, Kensington Publishing Corp

The Howard Engel Award for Best Crime Novel Set in Canada sponsored by The Engel Family, with a $500 prize

S. Porter, Beneath Her Skin, Vagrant Press / Nimbus Publishing Inc.
Cathy Ace, Corpse with an Iron Will, Four Tails Publishing Inc.
Alice Walsh, Death on Darby’s Island, Vagrant Press / Nimbus Publishing Inc.
Sam Wiebe, Hell and Gone, Harbour Publishing Co. Inc.
Kevin Major, Three for Trinity, Breakwater Books

Best Crime Novella sponsored by Mystery Magazine, with a $200 prize

Marcelle Dubé, Identity Withheld, Falcon Ridge Publishing
Brenda Gayle, Murder in Abstract (A Charly Hall Mystery, book 6), Bowstring Books
Wayne Ng, Letters From Johnny, Guernica Editions
Elvie Simons, Not So Fast, Dr. Quick, Dell Magazines

Best Crime Short Story sponsored by Mystery Magazine, with a $300 prize

Pam Barnsley, What can You Do?, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
Hilary Davidson, Weed Man, Dell Magazines
Elizabeth Elwood, Number 10 Marlborough Place, Dell Magazines
Charlotte Morganti, All My Darlings, Die Laughing: An Anthology of Humorous Mysteries
Melissa Yi, Dead Man's Hand, Dell Magazines

Best French Crime Book (Fiction and Nonfiction)

Roxanne Bouchard, Le murmure des hakapiks, Libre Expression
Marc-André Chabot, Dis-moi qui doit vivre… Libre Expression
Guillaume Morrissette, Conduite dangereuse, Saint-Jean
Patrick Senécal, Flots, Editions Alire
Richard Ste-Marie, Stigmates, Editions Alire

Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book (Fiction and Nonfiction) sponsored by Shaftesbury, with a $500 prize

Karen Bass, Blood Donor, Orca Book Publishers
Rachelle Delaney, Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster, Puffin Canada
Cherie Dimaline, Hunting By Stars, Penguin Teen
Kevin Sands, The Traitor's Blade, Aladdin (Simon & Schuster)
Jordyn Taylor, Don't Breathe a Word, HarperTeen (HarperCollins Publishers)

The Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book sponsored by Simpson & Wellenreiter LLP, Hamilton, with a $300 prize

Sarah Berman, Don't Call it a Cult, Viking Canada
Aaron Chapman, Vancouver Vice: Crime and Spectacle in the City's West End, Arsenal Pulp Press
Catherine Fogarty, Murder on the Inside: The True Story of the Deadly Riot at Kingston Penitentiary, Biblioasis
Nate Hendley, The Beatle Bandit, Dundurn Press
Lorna Poplak, The Don: The Story of Toronto's Infamous Jail, Dundurn Press  

The Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript sponsored by ECW Press, with a $500 prize

Delee Fromm, The Strength to Rise
Pam Isfeld, Captives
Renee Lehnen, Elmington
Katie Mac, Ken's Corner
Mark Thomas, Part Time Crazy

CWC announces the 2022 Grand Master Award recipient Louise Penny

Louise Penny’s debut novel, Still Life, not only won CWC Award for Best First Novel but also the New Blood Dagger, Anthony and Barry awards. Since then, Louise Penny has penned over sixteen Inspector Gamache novels, won many more awards, become an International Bestseller and Canadian icon. Inspector Gamache is being adapted for television by Left Bank Productions with Alfred Molina playing the beloved detective. Her most recent book, State of Terror, was written with 2016 U.S. Presential candidate Hilary Clinton, a literary coup and another bestseller.

About Crime Writers of Canada

Crime Writers of Canada was founded in 1982 as a professional organization designed to raise the profile of Canadian crime writers. Our members include authors, publishers, editors, booksellers, librarians, reviewers, and literary agents as well as many developing authors. Past winners of the Awards have included such major names in Canadian crime writing as Mario Bolduc, Gail Bowen, Stevie Cameron, Howard Engel, Barbara Fradkin, Louise Penny, Peter Robinson and Eric Wright. They would like to thank ECW Press, Rakuten Kobo, Mystery Magazine, Shaftesbury, Simpson and Wellenreiter LLP (Hamilton), Writers First, Jane Doe and the Howard Engel family for their sponsorship, and the many participating publishers for their continued support.