Mystery Reading Lists


Agatha Award

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The Agatha Awards honor the traditional mystery–books best typified by the works of Agatha Christie. The genre is generally characterized by mysteries that contain no explicit sex, excessive gore, or gratuitous violence; usually featuring an amateur detective, they have a confined setting and characters who know one another. Visit the Malice Domestic website to learn more about the Agatha Awards and to see a complete list of winners.

Anthony Awards

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Anthony Award: The Anthony Award is named in honor of Anthony Boucher, the well-known writer, critic, and fan of the mystery genre. Awards are made on the basis of the votes of mystery fans worldwide and presented at the annual World Mystery Convention, also known as Bouchercon. The award is usually in the form of a dagger stabbing a black book mounted on a wooden plaque. The dagger is removable to be used as a letter opener. Occasionally the award will be varied, to address a local motif for the annual convention.

Edgar Award

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The Edgar Allan Poe Awards are named after the Mystery Writers of America’s patron saint, Edgar Allan Poe, and are awarded to authors of distinguished work in various categories of the genre. To learn more about the Edgar Award visit the Mystery Writers of America.