The Dilys Award was presented every year from 1992 to 2014 by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It was given to the mystery title of the year which the member booksellers have most enjoyed selling. The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association is an association of retail businesses that are either wholly or substantially devoted to the sale of mystery books. The Dilys award is named after Dilys Winn, who became the first specialty bookseller of mystery books in the United States.

Awards

Award winners and finalists
YearAuthorTitleResultRef.
1992Carl HiaasenNative TongueWinner
Elizabeth GeorgeA Suitable VengeanceFinalist
Stephen GreenleafBook CaseFinalist
J.A. JanceHour of the HunterFinalist
Valerie WolzienWe Wish You A Merry MurderFinalist
1993John DunningBooked to DieWinner
Michael ConnellyThe Black EchoFinalist
Margaret MaronBootlegger's DaughterFinalist
Minette WaltersThe Ice HouseFinalist
1994Peter HøegSmilla's Sense of SnowWinner
Marcia MullerWolf in the ShadowsFinalist
Sharan NewmanDeath Comes As EpiphanyFinalist
Sandra West ProwellBy Evil MeansFinalist
Steven SaylorCatilina's RiddleFinalist
Minette WaltersThe SculptressFinalist
Don WinslowWay Down on the High LonelyFinalist
1995Janet EvanovichOne for the MoneyWinner
Jeff AbbottDo Unto OthersFinalist
Nancy AthertonAunt Dimity and the DukeFinalist
Nevada BarrA Superior DeathFinalist
Michael ConnellyThe Concrete BlondeFinalist
Carol O'ConnellMallory's OracleFinalist
Susan WadeWalking RainFinalist
1996Michael ConnellyThe Last CoyoteWinner
Robert CraisVoodoo RiverFinalist
G. M. FordWho in Hell is Wanda Fuca?Finalist
Sharyn McCrumbIf I'd Killed Him When I Met HimFinalist
Tom ToporThe CodicilFinalist
1997Michael ConnellyThe PoetWinner
Harlan CobenFade AwayFinalist
Margaret LawrenceHearts and BonesFinalist
Dennis LehaneDarkness, Take My HandFinalist
Michael McGarrityTularosaFinalist
Steve OliverMoody Gets the BluesFinalist
Thomas PerryDance for the DeadFinalist
Charles ToddA Test of WillsFinalist
1998Janet EvanovichThree to Get DeadlyWinner
Lee ChildKilling FloorFinalist
Harlan CobenBack SpinFinalist
Dennis LehaneSacredFinalist
Kathy ReichsDéjà DeadFinalist
Kate RossThe Devil in MusicFinalist
1999Dennis LehaneGone, Baby, GoneWinner
Nevada BarrBlind DescentFinalist
Richard BarreThe Ghosts of MorningFinalist
James Lee BurkeSunset LimitedFinalist
William Kent KruegerIron LakeFinalist
Charles ToddWings of FireFinalist
2000Robert CraisL.A. RequiemWinner
Rennie AirthRiver of DarknessFinalist
Donna AndrewsMurder with PeacocksFinalist
William Kent KruegerBoundary WatersFinalist
Don WinslowCalifornia Fire and LifeFinalist
2001Val McDermidA Place of ExecutionWinner
Sarah CaudwellThe Sibyl in Her GraveFinalist
Tim CockeyThe Hearse You Came in OnFinalist
Robert CraisDemolition AngelFinalist
Janet EvanovichHot SixFinalist
2002Dennis LehaneMystic RiverWinner
David HandlerThe Cold Blue BloodFinalist
Charlaine HarrisDead Until DarkFinalist
William Kent KruegerPurgatory RidgeFinalist
Peter LoveseyThe ReaperFinalist
2003Julia Spencer-FlemingIn the Bleak MidwinterWinner
Donna AndrewsYou've Got MurderFinalist
Lee ChildWithout FailFinalist
Jasper FfordeThe Eyre AffairFinalist
George PelecanosHell to PayFinalist
2004Jasper FfordeLost in a Good BookWinner
Donna AndrewsCrouching Buzzard, Leaping LoonFinalist
William BrodrickThe Sixth LamentationFinalist
P. J. TracyMonkeewrenchFinalist
Jacqueline WinspearMaisie DobbsFinalist
2005Jeff LindsayDarkly Dreaming DexterWinner
Lee ChildThe EnemyFinalist
Jasper FfordeSomething RottenFinalist
Leslie SilbertThe IntelligencerFinalist
Jacqueline WinspearBirds of a FeatherFinalist
Carlos Ruiz ZafonThe Shadow of the WindFinalist
2006Colin CotterillThirty-Three TeethWinner
Terence FahertyIn a TeapotFinalist
Craig JohnsonThe Cold DishFinalist
Morag JossHalf Broken ThingsFinalist
Mark SchweitzerThe Tenor Wore TapshoesFinalist
Don WinslowThe Power of the DogFinalist
2007Louise PennyStill LifeWinner
James R. BennBilly BoyleFinalist
Steve HockensmithHolmes on the RangeFinalist
John J. LambMournful TeddyFinalist
Nancy PickardThe Virgin of the Small PlainsFinalist
Diane SetterfieldThe Thirteenth TaleFinalist
2008William Kent KruegerThunder BayWinner
Rhys BowenHer Royal SpynessFinalist
Lisa LutzThe Spellman FilesFinalist
Deanna RaybournSilent in the GraveFinalist
Marcus SakeyThe Blade ItselfFinalist
2009Sean ChercoverTrigger CityWinner
Christopher FowlerThe Victoria VanishesFinalist
Deanna RaybournSilent in the SanctuaryFinalist
Tom Rob SmithChild 44Finalist
Don WinslowDawn PatrolFinalist
2010Alan BradleyThe Sweetness at the Bottom of the PieWinner
R. J. ElloryA Quiet Belief in AngelsFinalist
Craig JohnsonThe Dark HorseFinalist
Stieg LarssonThe Girl Who Played with FireFinalist
Stuart NevilleThe Ghosts of BelfastFinalist
Louise PennyThe Brutal TellingFinalist
S. J. RozanThe Shanghai MoonFinalist
2011Louise PennyBury Your DeadWinner
Colin CotterillLove Songs from a Shallow GraveFinalist
Steve HamiltonThe Lock ArtistFinalist
Dennis LehaneMoonlight MileFinalist
Keith ThomsonOnce a SpyFinalist
Don WinslowSavagesFinalist
2012S. J. RozanGhost HeroWinner
Tim DorseyWhen Elves AttackFinalist
G. M. MallietWicked AutumnFinalist
Archer MayorTag ManFinalist
Louise PennyA Trick of the LightFinalist
2013Peter RobinsonBefore the PoisonWinner
Colin CotterillGrandad, There's a Head on the BeachFinalist
Tana FrenchBroken HarborFinalist
Susan Elia MacNealMr. Churchill's SecretaryFinalist
Chris PavoneThe ExpatsFinalist
2014William Kent KruegerOrdinary GraceWinner
Lyndsay FayeSeven for a SecretFinalist
Alex GrecianThe Black CountryFinalist
Anne HillermanSpider Woman's DaughterFinalist
G. M. MallietPagan SpringFinalist
Vidar SundstolThe Land of DreamsFinalist

External links