With thanks to Stop You’re Killing Me
2026 SHAMUS AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
The Shamus Awards are given annually by the Private Eye Writers of America to honor excellent work in the Private Eye genre. The winners will be announced at the Opening Ceremonies of Bouchercon Calgary on October 22, 2026.
| Best P.I. Novel | |
| ° | The Big Empty by Robert Crais |
| ° | Photograph by Brian Freeman |
| ° | Hatchet Girls by Joe R. Lansdale |
| ° | Gray Dawn by Walter Mosley |
| ° | Mirage City by Lev AC Rosen |
| Best P.I. Paperback Original | |
| ° | The Hook and the Eye by Raymond Benson |
| ° | Sunday or the Highway by Cindy Fazzi |
| ° | City Lights by Claire M. Johnson |
| ° | Midnight Streets by Phil Lecomber |
| ° | Catch Me on a Blue Day by M.E. Proctor |
| Best First P.I. Novel | |
| ° | Chase Harlem by Elise Burke Brown |
| ° | Miles in Time by Lee Mathew Goldberg |
| ° | Where the Bones Lie by Nick Kolakowski |
| ° | Shadow of the Eternal Watcher by Josh Mendoza |
| ° | The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan |
| Best P.I. Short Story | |
| ° | “The Roosevelt Affair” by Adam Meyer Crimeucopia – Not So Frail Detective Agency |
| ° | “The One Cry” by F.H. Batacan Accidents Happene |
| ° | “Dr. Bones” by Libby Cudmore Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May/June 2025 |
| ° | “Hours on the Phone” by Gregory Fallis Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July/August 2025 |
| ° | “The Shadows” by Charles John Harper Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May/June 2025 |
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 