Crime Writers of Canada (CWC) announced the Winners of the 2025 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing.
THE 2025 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS
The Miller-Martin Award for Best Crime Novel Sponsored by the Boreal Benefactor with a $1000 prize
Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr Strange Light (an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada)
Best Crime First Novel (Sponsored by Melodie Campbell with a $1000 prize)
Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate, Doubleday Canada
Best Crime Novel Set in Canada Sponsored by Shaftesbury with a $500 prize
As We Forgive Others by Shane Peacock, Cormorant Books
The Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery Sponsored by Jane Doe with a $500 prize
Black Ice by Thomas King, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Best Crime Novella Sponsored by Carrick Publishing with a $200 prize
The Windmill Mystery by Pamela Jones, Austin Macauley Publishers
Best Crime Short Story
“Hatcheck Bingo”, by Therese Greenwood, from The 13th Letter, Mesdames and Messieurs of Mayhem, Carrick Publishing
Best French Language Crime Book
Une mémoire de lion by Guillaume Morrissette, Saint-Jean
Best Juvenile / YA Crime Book Sponsored by Superior Shores Press with a $250 prize
Shock Wave by Sigmund Brouwer, Orca Book Publishers
The Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book Sponsored by David Reid Simpson Law Firm (Hamilton) with a $300 prize
It’s a tie!
Out of Darkness: Rumana Monzur's Journey through Betrayal, Tyranny and Abuse by Denise Chong, Random House Canada
and
The Knowing, by Tanya Talaga, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Best Unpublished Crime Novel manuscript written by an unpublished author Sponsored by ECW Press with a $500 prize
Govern Yourself Accordingly by Luke Devlin,
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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. We thank our sponsors and volunteers, and the many participating publishers, authors and judges for their continued support.
