The Private Eye Writers of America announced the 2026 Shamus Awards finalists and winners. This honors the private eye novels and short stories published in the United States in 2025. They announced the winners at the 2026 Bouchercon’s Opening Ceremonies in Calgary, Alberta.
Bouchercon is The World Mystery Convention held for a four- day weekend each year in honor of Anthony Boucher. The conference brings together all parts of the mystery and crime fiction community. Attendees include readers, writers, publishers, editors, agents, booksellers, and other lovers of crime fiction. Bouchercon was held in Calgary, Canada this year. The next three host cities are Washington, DC, Indianapolis, and Miami.
I attended Bouchercon a few years ago when it was in Nashville, TN, and was blown away with all the excitement and hospitality of the attendees. The conference had panels where you could meet new writers and interviews of some of our favorites where you could get the book signed afterwards. I look forward to returning to another convention in the near future.
The Shamus Awards honor outstanding works in the detective fiction genre, specifically focusing on private investigator stories.
The winners are in bold.
Best P.I. Hardcovers
*The Big Empty by Robert Crais (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
Photograph by Brian Freeman (Blackstone Publishing)
Hatchet Girls by Joe R. Lansdale (Little, Brown and Company)
Gray Dawn by Walter Mosley (Little, Brown and Company)
Mirage City by Lev AC Rosen (Minotaur Books)
Best First P.I. Novel
*Where the Bones Lie by Nick Kolakowski (Datura Books)
Chase Harlem by Elise Burke Brown (Rising Action Publishing)
Miles in Time by Lee Mathew Goldberg (Wise Wolf Books)
Shadow of the Eternal Watcher by Josh Mendoza (Inkshares)
The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan (Minotaur Books)
Best Original Paperback P.I. Novel
*Midnight Streets by Phil Lecomber (Titan Books)
The Hook and the Eye by Raymond Benson (Ian Fleming Publications)
Sunday or the Highway by Cindy Fazzi (Thomas & Mercer)
City Lights by Claire M. Johnson (Level Best Books)
Catch Me on a Blue Day by M.E. Proctor (Shotgun Honey Books)
Best P.I. Short Story
“The Roosevelt Affair” by Adam Meyer (Crimeucopia:
Not So Frail Detective Agency, Murderous Ink Press)
“The One Cry” by F.H. Batacan (Accidents Happen, Soho Crime)
“Dr. Bones” by Libby Cudmore (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May/June)
“Hours on the Phone” by Gregory Fallis (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July/August)
“The Shadows” by Charles John Harper (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May/June)
The 2026 Shamus Award winners and finalists from the very cool Private Eye Writers of America #mysteries, #awards, #writing @OpeningaMystery Share on X