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The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, more commonly known as The Edgar Awards or the Edgars, were named in honor of the legendary writer Edgar Allan Poe.

The Edgars are presented annually by the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) since 1946. Recognizing the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television, and film, the Edgar Awards have become an esteemed hallmark of excellence in the mystery genre.

The inception of the Edgar Awards can be traced back to the formation of the Mystery Writers of America in 1945, a professional organization aimed at promoting and celebrating mystery and crime writing. The MWA decided to establish an annual award to recognize outstanding works in the genre and thus, the Edgar Awards were born.

The first ceremony took place in 1946, with the inaugural award for Best First Novel by an American Author presented to Watchful at Night by Julian Fast.

In the 1950s, they expanded these awards to include Best Mystery Novel and Best First Novel. The first winner of the Best Mystery Novel award in 1954 was Charlotte Jay for Beat Not the Bones.

1955 saw the prestigious Grand Master award created, with Agatha Christie the first winner of this award. Authors who have won since include Michael Connelly, Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark.

Here is a list of every single nomination and award for fiction novels for the Edgars since they began, and some non-fiction as well:

Edgar Awards: