Agatha Award

Agatha Christie will forever be remembered as one of the great mystery writers of all time, and Malice Domestic has been presenting the annual Agatha Award each year to authors of great traditional mystery literature in her name since 1988. The Agatha Award is presented only to authors who published that award year, and their work must be considered part of the subgenre of "traditional" or "cozy" mystery - that is, it cannot include explicit descriptions of sex, gore, or gratuitous language. Additionally, the genre does not include works that might be considered "hard boiled detective" novels. It is clear that the works honored Malice Domestic are written in the spirit of Agatha Christie.

The annual Malice Domestic convention is held in Washington, DC, and the awards are presented in six categories: Best Novel; Best First Mystery; Best Historical Novel; Best Short Story; Best Non-Fiction; and Best Children's/Young Adult Mystery. The works submitted for consideration may be published as hardcover, paperback, or e-books. The winners of each category are chosen in a truly democratic manner, as each attendee of the convention is given the chance to vote by secret ballot.

Unlike many other literature awards, the Agatha Awards are often presented to women authors, making the subgenre a uniquely welcoming environment for female writers. Some of the past winners include Anne George's Murder on a Girl's Night Out, G.M. Mallett's Death of a Cozy Writer, and Nancy Pickard's The Virgin of Small Plains.

Literary Awards

Agatha Award Winners by the Year

Three-Day Town

2011 Winner Agatha Award

Three-Day Town

by Margaret Maron

Shop Now
Bury Your Dead

2010 Winner Agatha Award

Bury Your Dead

by Louise Penny

Louise Penny conceived the idea for "Bury Your Dead" while reflecting on the historical significance of Québec City, Canada. Inspired by the city's rich culture and layered past, Penny sought to weave a gripping narrative that would showcase its al… read more

Shop Now
The Brutal Telling

2009 Winner Agatha Award

The Brutal Telling

by Louise Penny

Louise Penny conceived the idea for "The Brutal Telling" while contemplating the intricacies of human nature and the capacity for brutality. Originally, Penny considered the title "The Broken Mirror" to capture the shattered illusions and hidden tru… read more

Shop Now
The Cruelest Month

2008 Winner Agatha Award

The Cruelest Month

by Louise Penny

Published by St Martin's Press, "The Cruelest Month" is the third installment in Louise Penny's highly acclaimed "Chief Inspector Armand Gamache" series. It was initially released in 2007, further establishing Penny's reputation as a master of the m… read more

Shop Now
A Fatal Grace

2007 Winner Agatha Award

A Fatal Grace

by Louise Penny

Published by Minotaur Books, "A Fatal Grace" marks the second installment in Louise Penny's highly acclaimed "Chief Inspector Armand Gamache" series. Released in 2007, this novel continued to establish Penny as a prominent voice in the mystery genre… read more

Shop Now
The Heat Of the Moon

2006 Winner Agatha Award

The Heat Of the Moon

by Sandra Parshall

Shop Now
Better Off Wed

2005 Winner Agatha Award

Better Off Wed

by Durham- Laura

Shop Now
Birds Of a Feather

2004 Winner Agatha Award

Birds Of a Feather

by Jacqueline Winspear

Jacqueline Winspear’s marvelous and inspired debut, Maisie Dobbs , won her fans from coast to coast and raised her intuitive, intelligent, and resourceful heroine to the ranks of literature’s favorite sleuths. Birds of a Feather find… read more

Shop Now
Letter From Home

2003 Winner Agatha Award

Letter From Home

by Carolyn Hart

Shop Now

2002 Winner Agatha Award

"You'Ve Got Murder

by Donna Andrews

Shop Now
Murphy's Law

2001 Winner Agatha Award

Murphy's Law

by Rhys Bowen

Shop Now
Storm Track

2000 Winner Agatha Award

Storm Track

by Margaret Maron

Shop Now
Mariner's Compass

1999 Winner Agatha Award

Mariner's Compass

by Earlene Fowler

Earlene Fowler was raised in La Puente, California, by a Southern mother and a Western father. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Allen, a large number of quilts, and twenty pairs of cowboy boots.

Shop Now
Butchers Hill

1998 Winner Agatha Award

Butchers Hill

by Laura Lippman

Shop Now
The Devil In Music

1997 Winner Agatha Award

The Devil In Music

by Kate Ross

Shop Now
Up Jumps the Devil

1996 Winner Agatha Award

Up Jumps the Devil

by Margaret Maron

Shop Now
If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him

1995 Winner Agatha Award

If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him

by Sharyn McCrumb

Sharyn McCrumb is an internationally acclaimed New York Times bestselling author whose work has been honored with all five of the major awards in crime fiction (Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, and Nero)--and two Best Appalachian Novel awards. She i… read more

Shop Now
She Walks These Hills

1994 Winner Agatha Award

She Walks These Hills

by Sharyn McCrumb

Shop Now
Dead Man's Island

1993 Winner Agatha Award

Dead Man's Island

by Carolyn G Hart

Shop Now
Bootlegger's Daughter

1992 Winner Agatha Award

Bootlegger's Daughter

by Margaret Maron

Shop Now
Iou

1991 Winner Agatha Award

Iou

by Nancy Pickard

Shop Now
Bum Steer

1990 Winner Agatha Award

Bum Steer

by Nancy Pickard

Shop Now
Naked Once More

1989 Winner Agatha Award

Naked Once More

by Elizabeth Peters

Shop Now
Something Wicked

1988 Winner Agatha Award

Something Wicked

by Carolyn G Hart

Shop Now