The 2026 ITW Thriller Award Winners have just been announced at the glamorous ThrillerFest Awards Banquet. Congratulations to all the winners—and to all the nominees.
Drumroll please…
BEST FIRST NOVEL
Kelsey Cox — Party Of Liars (Minotaur)
BEST AUDIOBOOK
Michael Robotham — The White Crow (Simon & Schuster) Narrated by Katy Sobey
BEST SHORT STORY
Jessica Van Dessel — The Violent Season (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)
BEST SERIES NOVEL
Robert Crais — The Big Empty (Penguin/Putnam)
BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
Diana Rodriguez Wallach — The Silenced (Delacorte Press)
BEST STANDALONE THRILLER NOVEL
Megan Collins — Cross My Heart (Atria)
Also receiving special recognition during the ThrillerFest XXI Awards Banquet:
2026 ThrillerMaster, Lisa Scottoline
2026 ThrillerMaster, Harlan Coben
2026 Silver Bullet Award, Douglas Preston
2026 Spotlight Guest, Rachel Howzell Hall
2026 Spotlight Guest, Luis Alberto Urrea
2026 Thriller Legend, Barbara Peters
2026 ThrillerFan, Jordon Moblo
2026 Thriller Volunteer of the Year, James L’Etoile
Special thanks to the Thriller Award judges for their hard work and dedication and to Tosca Lee, VP of Awards, and Todd Gerber for their behind-the-scenes efforts that make it all possible.
ALL 2026 ITW THRILLER AWARD NOMINEES
BEST STANDALONE 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 (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 (Macmillan), Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White
Mark Edwards – THE WASP TRAP (Simon & Schuster), Narrated by John Hopkins, Anna Burnett
Marisa Kashino – BEST OFFER WINS (Macmillan), Narrated by Cia Court
Xan Kaur – WHEN DEVILS SING (Macmillan), Narrated by Michael Crouch, Anjali Kunapaneni, Jennifer Pickens, Landon Woodson
CN Mabry, N’Dia Rae – THE CHEATER’S WIFE (Simon Maverick), Narrated by Ruffin Prentiss, Machelle Williams
Michael Robotham – THE WHITE CROW (Simon & Schuster), Narrated by Katy Sobey
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)
