Thriller Awards Banquet
2023 ITW Thriller Awards Nominees
We’re thrilled to announce the finalists for the
2023 ITW Thriller Awards!
Join us in honoring this year’s Thriller Award Nominees!

On Saturday, June 3, 2023, we will welcome everyone to the 18th annual banquet where we will honor 2023 ThrillerMasters Charlaine Harris and Walter Mosley, present the Thriller Awards, and offer other entertainment. We also host a cocktail party before the dinner and an after-party following the dinner. During the banquet, the key individuals who make this organization work are introduced. Highlights include hearing from our ThrillerMasters and finding out who wins the coveted Thriller Awards, which are given every year for the best thriller books in hardcover, paperback original, debut, e-book original, and other categories.
A special thanks to Tosca Lee, the VP of Awards and all the volunteers who read, judge, and choose the winners.
The nominees and winners for the 2023 Thriller Awards are listed below.
BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL
THE VIOLENCE
Del Rey
THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK
Minotaur
THE FERVOR
Penguin/Putnam
THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL
Simon & Schuster
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON
MCD
SUNDIAL
Macmillan
THE FIELDS
Flatiron Books
Best Audiobook
YOUNG RICH WIDOWS
Audible
Narrated by Dina Pearlman, Karissa Vacker, Helen Laser, Ariel BlakeTHE LIES I TELL
Audible
Narrated by Anna Caputo, Amanda DolanTHE PHOTO THIEF
CamCat Publishing
Narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs, Jeffrey KaferTHINGS WE DO IN THE DARK
Macmillan Audio
Narrated by Carla VegaTHE SILENT WOMAN
Blackstone Publishing
Narrated by Christine Lakin, Kate Rudd
BEST FIRST NOVEL
THE RESEMBLANCE
Flatiron Books
BLOOD SUGAR
Penguin/Putnam
DIRT TOWN
Pan Macmillan
A FLICKER IN THE DARK
Minotaur
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL
THE LIES I TOLD
Montlake Romance
NO PLACE TO RUN
Thomas & Mercer
UNMISSING
Thomas & Mercer
THE HOUSEMAID
Grand Central Publishing
ANYWHERE YOU RUN
William Morrow
THE COUPLE UPSTAIRS
Pan Macmillan
THE PATIENT'S SECRET
Montlake Romance
BEST SHORT STORY
RUSSIAN FOR BEGINNERS
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
THE GIFT
Down & Out Books
PUBLISH OR PERISH
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
33 CLUES INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MY SISTER
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
SCHRÖDINGER, CAT
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
STOCKHOLM
Amazon Original Stories
BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
OUR CROOKED HEARTS
Flatiron Books
SUGARING OFF
Algonquin Young Readers
DAUGHTER
Wednesday Books
WHAT'S COMING TO ME
Soho Teen
I'M THE GIRL
Wednesday Books
BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL
EVASIVE SPECIES
Self-published
THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE
HarperCollins
THE SEVEN TRUTHS OF HANNAH BAXTER
Self-published
THE HOLLOW PLACE
Self-published
FATAL ROUNDS
Self-published
ITW will announce the winners at ThrillerFest XVII on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York City.
Congratulations to all the finalists!
Tosca Lee
ITW Board of Directors, Vice President, Awards
2023 SPONSORS
ITW Community
- patrons
- sponsors
- supporters
Actives
Sandra Brannan
Clive Cussler*
Dirk Cussler*
Shane Gericke*
Faye and Jonathan Kellerman*
John Lescroart
Joanie McDonell
Karin Slaughter
Larry D. Thompson
Associates
Tucker Andersen
Actives
Kathleen Antrim*
David Baldacci*
Neal Baer
Steve Berry*
J. Jackson Bentley
Gary Braver*
Sandra Brown*
Dale Brown*
John Case*
Lee Child*
James Comey
Michael Connelly
Glenn Cooper
Richard Curtis*
Jack F. Du Brul*
David Dun*
Joseph Finder
Brian Garfield*
Tess Gerritsen*
Leslie Glass*
Jeff Gunhus
Vicki Hinze*
Lisa Jackson
Alex Kava*
Raymond Khoury
Deborah LeBlanc
Eric Van Lustbader*
D. P. Lyle M.D.*
Gayle Lynds*
Steve Martini
Brad Meltzer
David Morrell*
Katherine Neville*
Michael Palmer (2004-2013)*
James Patterson*
Andrew Peterson
Douglas Preston*
Lissa Price
Keith Raffel
Christopher Reich*
James Rollins*
M.J. Rose*
JoAnn Ross
Hank Phillippi Ryan
John Saul*
Andy Siegel
Susan Arnout Smith
R.L. Stine*
Brad Thor*
Lisa Unger
Paul Vidich
Associates
Maria Carvainis
Leisure Books*
JK Franko*
Ed Mitchell*
Henry Morrison*
Adrian Muller*
Bill Sewell
Tor/Forge Books*
Jennifer S. Wilkov
Actives
Steve Alten*
Ashok Banker
Ted Bell*
Emily Benedek
Janet Berliner-Gluckman*
Gary Birken
Mike Bond
Sandra Brannan
Allison Brennan
Mike Brogan
Jan Burke*
Lorenzo Carcaterra
Lincoln Child*
Stephen Coonts*
Brian D’Amato
B. J. Daniels
Nelson DeMille
Eileen Dreyer*
Joanna Elm
Linda Fairstein*
Vince Flynn (2004-2013)*
Chris Fox
Joel Goldman*
Howard Gordon
Heather Graham*
Thomas Greanias
Gary Grossman
Humphrey Hawksley
Bonnie Hearn Hill*
Mark Imhof
Alan Jacobson
Judith Kelman*
Harley Jane Kozak
Jon Land
Dennis Lynds (2004-2005)*
Patricia McLinn
Michael McMenamin
Francine Mathews*
Nan McCann
Kyle Mills*
Twist Phelan
Christopher Rice*
Wendy Roberts
John Sandford
James Siegel*
Carl T. Smith*
Deborah Smith*
Taylor Smith*
L.A. Starks
Mariah Stewart*
Peter Straub*
Lee Strobel
M. Diane Vogt*
Thomas Waite
Stuart Woods*
Associates
Linda Adams*
Brilliance Audio*
Mike Brogan
Brian Godden
Steve Hadden*
Emory Hackman
Inkwell Management, LLC*
Jennifer Kreischer
Mario Mastro*
Vicki Montet
Amy Rivers
*original member joined by June 4, 2005