Thriller Awards Banquet

The annual Thriller Awards Banquet takes place on the Saturday of ThrillerFest week. ThrillerFest XXII-2027’s Awards Banquet will be on Saturday, May 1, 2027 at the New York Hilton Midtown. You can register to attend here.

The Awards Banquet is a festive event, where you can socialize, feast, and cheer the presentation of the industry’s top honors, the ITW Thriller Awards. Registration includes the Pre-Banquet Cocktail Party and the ThrillerMaster After Party.

International Thriller Writers is pleased to announce its 2027 Thriller Awards are open for submissions!

SUBMIT HERE

 

2026 ITW Thriller Awards

Here are the winners for the 2026 ITW Thriller Awards. Congratulations to the winners and to the nominees.

BEST STANDALONE THRILLER NOVEL

  • Megan Collins

    CROSS MY HEART

    Atria

  • Ruth Knafo Setton

    ZIGZAG GIRL

    Black Spring Press

  • Gilly Macmillan

    THE BURNING LIBRARY

    William Morrow

  • Sarah Pekkanen

    THE LOCKED WARD

    St. Martin’s Press

  • Olivia Worley

    SO HAPPY TOGETHER

    Minotaur

BEST SERIES NOVEL

  • James Byrne

    CHAIN REACTION

    Minotaur

  • Robert Crais

    THE BIG EMPTY

    Penguin/Putnam

  • John McMahon

    HEAD CASES: A NOVEL

    Minotaur

  • Christopher Reich

    THE TOURISTS

    Thomas & Mercer

  • Vincent Zandri

    TERMINAL MOONLIGHT

    Down & Out Books

BEST FIRST NOVEL

  • Chris Chibnall

    DEATH AT THE WHITE HART

    Pamela Dorman Books

  • Kelsey Cox

    PARTY OF LIARS

    Minotaur

  • Sophie Stava

    COUNT MY LIES

    Gallery/Scout Press

  • Zoe B. Wallbrook

    HISTORY LESSONS

    Soho Crime

  • Liann Zhang

    JULIE CHAN IS DEAD

    Atria

BEST AUDIOBOOK

  • S. A. Cosby

    KING OF ASHES Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White

    Macmillan

  • Mark Edwards

    THE WASP TRAP Narrated by John Hopkins, Anna Burnett

    Simon & Schuster

  • Marisa Kashino

    BEST OFFER WINS Narrated by Cia Court

    Macmillan

  • Xan Kaur

    WHEN DEVILS SING Narrated by Michael Crouch, Anjali Kunapaneni, Jennifer Pickens, Landon Woodson

    Macmillan

  • CN Mabry, N'Dia Rae

    THE CHEATER'S WIFE Narrated by Ruffin Prentiss, Machelle Williams

    Simon & Schuster

  • Michael Robotham

    THE WHITE CROW Narrated by Katy Sobey

    Simon & Schuster

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

  • Liz Lawson

    MURDER BETWEEN FRIENDS

    Delacorte Press

  • Margot McGovern

    THIS STAYS BETWEEN US

    Penguin Young Readers

  • Clay McLeod Chapman

    SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE

    Delacorte Press

  • Diana Rodriguez Wallach

    THE SILENCED

    Delacorte Press

  • Julie Soto

    THE THRASHERS

    Wednesday Books

BEST SHORT STORY

  • Katrina Carrasco

    LEVEL UP

    Bywater Books

  • Scott William Carter

    THE SEDUCTION OF DR. DIMENSION

    Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

  • Lee Child

    ELEVEN NUMBERS

    Amazon Original Stories

  • David Lagercrantz

    FALSE NOTE

    Amazon Original Stories

  • Jessica Van Dessel

    THE VIOLENT SEASON

    Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

Also receiving special recognition during the ThrillerFest XXI-2026 Awards Banquet:

  • 2026 ThrillerMaster, Lisa Scottoline
  • 2026 ThrillerMaster, Harlan Coben
  • 2026 Silver Bullet Recipient, Douglas Preston
  • 2026 Spotlight Guest, Rachel Howzell Hall
  • 2026 Spotlight Guest, Luis Alberto Urrea
  • 2026 Thriller Legend, Barbara Peters
  • 2026 Thriller Fan, Jordan Moblo
  • 2026 Volunteer of the Year, James L’Etoile

The Board of Directors and members of the International Thriller Writers wish to congratulate all the winners and nominees of the 2026 Thriller Awards.

Special thanks to the Thriller Award judges for their hard work and dedication!

Submissions for the 2027 ITW Thriller Awards are open now at thrillerwriters.org.

Tosca Lee
ITW Board of Directors, Vice President, Awards

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Sam
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