The Arthur Ellis Awards

for Excellence in

Canadian Crime Writing

Submissions open for 2020 Awards
1 September, 2019.

Click here for Submission Rules.

Unhanged Arthur submissions must be postmarked or courier dated no later than October 15, 2019. 

Published submissions must be postmarked or courier dated no later than December 15, 2019. 

Shortlist Events - Wednesday 15 April, 2020

Awards Gala - Thursday 21 May, 2020

The Arthur Ellis Awards, established in 1984 and named after the nom de travail of Canada's official hangman, are awarded annually by the CWC in the following categories.

For published works released in 2019:

• Best Crime Novel sponsored by Rakuten Kobo with a $1000 prize
• The Angela Harrison Memorial Award for Best Crime First Novel, sponsored by Maureen Jennings with a $500 prize
• Best Crime Novella sponsored by Mystery Weekly with a $200 prize
• Best Crime Short Story sponsored by Mystery Weekly with a $300 prize
• Best French Crime Book (Fiction and Nonfiction)
• Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book (Fiction and Nonfiction) sponsored by Shaftesbury with a $500 prize
• Best Nonfiction Crime Book

For unpublished novels:

• The Unhanged Arthur Award for Best Unpublished Crime Manuscript sponsored by Dundurn Press with a $500 prize

The Arthur Ellis Awards are for CRIME WRITING, and are not restricted to mystery writing. Crime-writing encompasses far more than the traditional whodunit. The crime genre includes crime, detective, espionage, mystery, suspense, and thriller writing, as well as fictional or factual accounts of criminal doings and crime-themed literary works. If you are not certain that your submission qualifies as a crime book or story, please contact us at

The Arthur Ellis Awards are open to permanent residents of Canada, or by Canadian citizens living abroad.