Winners of

1986
Les Roberts
An Infinite Number of Monkeys

1987
Gar Anthony Haywood
Fear of the Dark (St. Martin's Press)

1988
Karen Kijewski
Katwalk (St. Martin's Press)

1989
Janet Dawson
Kindred Crime (St. Martin's Press)

1990
Ken Kuhlken
The Loud Adios (St. Martin's Press)

1991
Winona Sullivan
A Sudden Death at the Norfolk Café (St. Martin's Press)

1992
A.C. Ayres
Storm Warning (Hour of the Manatee) (St. Martin's Press)

1993
Alan Pedrazas
The Harry Chronicles (St. Martin's Press)

1994
David Daniels
The Heaven Stone (St. Martin's Press)

1995
Charles Knief
Diamond Head (St. Martin's Press)

1996
No award given

1997
Steve Hamilton
A Cold Day in Paradise (Minotaur)

1998
Lise Baker
The Loser's Club (Minotaur)

1999
Bob Truluck
Street Level (Minotaur)

2000
J.L. Abramo
Catching Water in a Net (Minotaur)

2001
No award given

2002
Michael Siverling
The Sterling Inheritance (Minotaur)

2003
Michael Koryta
Tonight I Said Goodbye (Minotaur)

2004
Michael Kronenwetter
First Kill (Minotaur)

2005
No award given

2006
Michael Wiley
Unrobed (The Last Striptease)

2007
Keith Gilman
Father's Day

2008
Thomas Kaufman
Drink the Tea

2009
Michael Ayoob
Shots on Goal (In Search of Mercy) (Minotaur)

2010
No award given

2011
No award given

2012
Alaric Hunt
Cuts Through Bone (Minotaur)

2013
Lynn Chandler Willis
Wink of an Eye (Minotaur)

2014
Grant Bywaters
The Red Storm (Minotaur)