Edgar Awards for Best First Novel.

The Edgar Awards are presented annually by the Mystery Writers of America. Newly published author’s are awarded here for their first debut novel! For more information on MWA and the Edgar Awards, stop by their website here.

Note: Some of the older books were removed from this list. I have found that sometimes the older the book, the harder it can be to find a synopsis.

Holy City by Henry Wise

A powerful Southern debut about deputy sheriff Will Seems, who returns home to rural Virginia only to face a brutal murder that shakes his community. Teaming up—uneasily—with a fierce private detective, Will fights to prove an innocent man’s innocence while confronting his own past and the region’s tangled history. In a world where no one is innocent and nothing is sacred, Holy City explores grief, hatred, and the fight for justice.

The Peacock and the Sparrow by IS Berry

Jaded CIA agent Shane Collins faces his final mission in Bahrain during the Arab Spring—until a murder and a mysterious artist pull him into a web of political unrest and personal betrayal. As revolution brews and loyalties blur, Collins must navigate love, danger, and espionage to uncover truths hidden on both sides of the conflict. A gripping, intelligent exploration of trust, power, and the price of secrets.

Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor

In small-town Arkansas, a troubled football star’s future—and his team’s playoff hopes—hang in the balance after a violent outburst. When his abuser turns up dead, a newly arrived coach feels called to save the boy, but the murder sets off a chain reaction that threatens to shatter the entire town. A gritty, Southern Gothic thriller of faith, violence, and redemption.

Deer Season by Erin Flanagan

In 1985 Nebraska, a teenage girl goes missing on the opening weekend of deer season, and suspicion quickly falls on Hal, the intellectually disabled farmhand of Alma Costagan. As blood is found and rumors swirl, Alma and her husband must reckon with Hal’s past and their own loyalty. Deer Season is a haunting small-town drama about love, fear, and the complexities of family.

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen

In a fading Atlantic City, psychic Clara begins having eerie visions tied to a string of missing women. She teams up with Lily, a grieving newcomer, to uncover the truth—before they become the next victims. A haunting story of unlikely friendship, danger, and fate.

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

A tragic explosion at a hyperbaric oxygen therapy center leads to a gripping murder trial that exposes hidden secrets and shatters lives. This literary courtroom drama explores the lengths people go to protect their families and dreams.

Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin

A reclusive caretaker in the Virginia Appalachians, hiding from a deadly past, becomes obsessed with stopping a string of brutal bear killings on the forest preserve he protects. As his investigation deepens, he risks exposing his location to the violent drug cartel he’s been evading. A gritty, atmospheric thriller blending nature, crime, and survival.

She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper

An ex-con and his fiercely intelligent 11-year-old daughter are forced into a deadly game of survival after he’s marked for death by the Aryan Brotherhood. As they go on the run, Nate must reconnect with the daughter he never knew while teaching her to navigate a violent world. Told partly through the eyes of Polly’s teddy bear, this gritty, emotionally charged thriller explores fatherhood, redemption, and the cost of loyalty.

Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry

Nora arrives at her sister Rachel’s countryside home only to find her brutally murdered. Shattered and distrustful of the police—especially after a past trauma—they fail to comfort or convince her. Consumed by grief and suspicion, Nora plunges into her own investigation, uncovering dark secrets Rachel kept and confronting the dangerous truth behind her death. As her obsession deepens, Nora begins to unravel—both emotionally and psychologically—in this gripping debut psychological thriller about grief, sisterhood, and the corrosive power of the past.

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

A South Vietnamese captain escapes the fall of Saigon in 1975 with a group of military elites, resettling in Los Angeles. But he hides a dangerous secret: he’s a double agent, spying for the Viet Cong. As he navigates exile, loyalty, and betrayal, his divided identity—Vietnamese and Western, Communist and American—pulls him in conflicting directions. Both a gripping espionage thriller and a profound meditation on war, politics, and identity, Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a razor-sharp, darkly comic examination of the moral complexities of revolution and displacement.

Dry Bones in the Valley by Tom Bouman

A grisly murder disrupts the quiet life of Wild Thyme, Pennsylvania, when a reclusive landowner discovers a corpse on his property. Officer Henry Farrell, a reserved and introspective cop, finds himself unraveling a case that reaches deep into the rural community’s tangled roots. As fracking brings both money and division to the region, long-buried secrets begin to surface. With a slow-burning tension and atmospheric detail, Tom Bouman’s award-winning debut blends literary crime fiction with a stark portrait of small-town suspicion, introducing a complex and compelling new detective in Henry Farrell.

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews

Russian intelligence officer Dominika Egorova is forced into a covert seduction program and pitted against CIA handler Nathaniel Nash, sparking a high-stakes game of espionage, loyalty, and forbidden attraction. Written by veteran CIA officer Jason Matthews, this gripping spy thriller delivers authentic tradecraft, intense psychological drama, and global intrigue. It’s a chilling, insider look at modern intelligence wars from Moscow to Washington.

The Expats by Chris Pavone

Kate Moore leaves behind her secret double life when her husband takes a job in Luxembourg—only to find herself entangled in a new web of deception. As suspicions rise and secrets unravel, Kate realizes no one around her is who they seem, and her past may be the key to a dangerous international conspiracy. A gripping thriller about identity, trust, and betrayal in the most ordinary-looking lives.

Bent Road by Lori Roy

Arthur Scott returns with his family to his rural Kansas hometown to escape the turmoil of 1967 Detroit—only to confront the haunting mystery of his sister Eve’s long-ago death. As his wife Celia and their children struggle to adapt, a new disappearance dredges up old secrets, threatening to tear the family apart. A chilling, atmospheric tale of buried pasts and uneasy homecomings.

Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva

Liam Mulligan, a gritty newspaper reporter in Providence, Rhode Island, investigates a string of deadly arsons in his childhood neighborhood. As friends and locals die in the flames, Mulligan races to uncover the culprit among a vivid cast of priests, mobsters, and politicians before the entire city erupts in panic. A hard-hitting mystery full of sharp wit and streetwise charm.

In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff

In 1905 Dobson, New York, Detective Simon Ziele is still grieving the loss of his fiancée when he’s thrust into a brutal murder case involving a promising young woman. The crime eerily mirrors the ravings of a violent psychiatric patient, prompting Ziele to team up with a renowned but self-serving criminologist to uncover the truth. A chilling, atmospheric debut that blends psychological intrigue with historical mystery.

The Foreigner by Francie Lin

Emerson Chang, a reserved Taiwanese-American financial analyst, travels to Taipei after his mother’s death to scatter her ashes and deliver an inheritance to his estranged brother, Little P. But what begins as a simple duty turns into a descent into the Taiwanese underworld, as Emerson uncovers dark family secrets and his brother’s criminal past. In trying to mend their fractured ties, Emerson must confront identity, loyalty, and the true cost of preserving family.

In the Woods by Tana French

In 1984, three children vanish in a Dublin suburb—only one is found, traumatized and unable to remember what happened. Twenty years later, that boy, now Detective Rob Ryan, is investigating a murder in the same woods that may unlock the secrets of his own past. A haunting psychological thriller about memory, friendship, and the ghosts we carry.

The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson

CIA agent John Wells has spent years undercover in al Qaeda, becoming the only American ever to infiltrate the group. Now returning to the U.S. on the orders of a terrorist mastermind, Wells faces suspicion from his own agency—even as he races to stop a devastating new attack. Torn between two worlds, he must act alone to prevent catastrophe.

Officer Down by Theresa Schwegel

Chicago cop Samantha Mack is accused of accidentally shooting her partner during a chaotic pursuit, but she insists the real killer is a pedophile named Marco Trovic—though she was knocked unconscious and can’t be sure. With no evidence of Trovic and the bullet traced to her own gun, the department rules it friendly fire and turns against her. Determined to clear her name and avenge her partner, Mack sets out alone into Chicago’s underworld to uncover the truth.

Country Origin by Don Lee

Lisa Countryman, a woman of mixed heritage, disappears in Tokyo while researching Japan’s culture of conformity. Her case draws together Tom Hurley, a biracial American embassy worker, and Kenzo Ota, a Japanese detective treated as an outsider. This haunting debut explores identity, prejudice, and belonging in the shadows of Tokyo’s nightlife.

Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel

As Spain emerges from civil war and fascists tighten control over Madrid, Guardia Civil officer Tejada discovers his best friend murdered on a war-ravaged street. A Republican woman is quickly blamed, but Tejada’s growing doubts compel him to seek the truth. In a city scarred by violence and suspicion, his pursuit of justice defies the easy answers of a fractured nation.

The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King

Haunted by the night he killed a child and left the police force, Max Freeman lives in isolation near the Florida Everglades—until he discovers a young corpse by the river. Pulled into the hunt for a serial killer, Freeman becomes both a suspect and a reluctant investigator. As another child disappears, he must confront his past and track the killer before it’s too late.

Line of Vision by David Ellis

Marty Kalish is accused of killing his lover’s husband—he had motive, opportunity, and even confessed. But as the layers peel back, it becomes clear his confession is just the beginning of a far more complex and twisted story.

Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss

Benjamin Weaver—a Jewish ex-boxer turned thief-taker in 18th-century London—is drawn into the shadowy world of finance when his estranged father’s sudden death raises questions. As he investigates, he uncovers dangerous secrets within the stock market’s early days, realizing the truth may cost him his life. This gripping historical thriller explores corruption and conspiracy with unsettling modern parallels.

The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison

Exiled Chinese inspector Shan Tao Yun is temporarily released from a Tibetan prison to solve the mysterious murder of a headless corpse found in American clothes. As he investigates, Shan is drawn into Tibet’s brutal political landscape and a desperate fight for justice, knowing an innocent Buddhist priest has been wrongly accused. This Edgar Award-winning thriller blends a chilling mystery with a powerful portrait of a people struggling under oppression.

A Cold Day in Paradise by Steve Hamilton

Former Detroit cop Alex McKnight thought he’d left his past behind—until a new murder in his quiet Michigan town mirrors the one that nearly killed him years ago. With the original killer behind bars, McKnight is haunted by questions no one can answer. To uncover the truth, he must navigate a chilling web of secrets in a place far darker than its name, Paradise, suggests.

Los Alamos by Joseph Kanon

In the final days of World War II, Army Intelligence agent and former reporter Mike Connolly is sent to Los Alamos to investigate the murder of a security officer amid the top-secret race to build the atomic bomb. What appears to be a simple crime soon unravels into a deeper mystery involving power, secrets, and betrayal. Blending real and fictional characters, Los Alamos is a gripping historical thriller that explores the dark undercurrents of a world on the brink of a new era.

Simple Justice by John Morgan Wilson

Disgraced journalist Benjamin Justice is dragged out of his reclusive, alcohol-soaked life to help investigate a seemingly senseless murder outside a West Hollywood gay bar. As he delves into a world he tried to leave behind—filled with secrets, betrayals, and tangled desires—Justice falls for the very man he may have to accuse. This layered mystery explores not just crime, but the emotional scars and complexities of identity, love, and redemption.

Penance by David Housewright

Private investigator Holland Taylor is drawn into a murder case involving a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, Carol Catherine Monroe, who needs his help to control a scandal. As Taylor digs deeper, the murder of a campaign worker hits too close to home, leading him to confront painful truths about past sins that cannot be erased or forgiven. This gritty investigation uncovers dark secrets, where loyalty and betrayal blur.

The Caveman’s Valentine by George Dawes Green

Once a devoted husband and musician, Romulus Ledbetter is now homeless, living in a cave and waging a personal war against an imaginary power broker, Cornelius Gould Stuyvesant. When he discovers a corpse near his shelter, Rom’s sense of justice propels him into a dangerous investigation, reconnecting him with the society he once knew. His quest uncovers a web of corruption and murder that challenges his perceptions of the world he’s left behind.

A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King

Detective Kate Martinelli, newly promoted to Homicide, is thrust into a chilling case involving the murder of innocent children in a small San Francisco community. The investigation leads her to Vaun Adams, a famous painter with a dark secret—he was once convicted of strangling a young girl. As Kate uncovers the truth about his past, she risks everything, including her career, to bring a murderer to justice in this Edgar Award-winning debut.

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

LAPD detective Harry Bosch is drawn into a deeply personal case when the body of a fellow Vietnam War veteran, a “tunnel rat” who fought alongside him, is found in a drainpipe at Mulholland Dam. As Bosch revisits the horrors of war, he uncovers a dangerous criminal plot beneath the city, forcing him to confront corruption within his own department. Torn between justice and revenge, Bosch must track down a killer whose identity will shatter him.

Slow Motion Riot by Peter Blauner

In a racially divided city, probation officer Steve Baum fights to preserve his idealism, until he crosses paths with Darryl King, a deranged sociopath whose violence threatens to engulf everything around him. As their city descends into chaos, Baum and King become mortal enemies, trapped in a fiery inferno that may consume them both. This intense thriller explores the clash between good and evil in a world teetering on the edge of destruction.

Postmortem by Patricia D. Cornwell

Four women are brutally murdered by a mysterious killer known only as “Mr. Nobody,” leaving behind a trail of carnage and few clues. Kay Scarpetta, a skilled and determined medical examiner, uses her forensic expertise to uncover the truth, but someone is working to sabotage her investigation—putting her life at risk. As the stakes rise, Scarpetta must race against time to stop a maniac before she becomes his next victim.

The Last Billable Hour by Susan Wolfe

The Silicon Valley law firm Tweedmore & Slyde is shaken when its chief rainmaker, Leo Slyde, is found stabbed to death in his office. Young, insecure associate Howard Rickover is tasked with working alongside detective Sarah Nelson to uncover the murderer within the firm, all while managing a crushing workload. As Howard delves into the world of corporate greed and cutthroat ambition, he must navigate a maze of lies and deception to expose the killer.

Carolina Skeletons by David Stout

Forty-four years later, James Willop travels to South Carolina to investigate whether his uncle, just fourteen years old in 1944, was responsible for the murder of two young white girls that led to his execution.

Death Among Strangers by Deidre S. Laiken

As police lieutenant George Murphy investigates the murder of an unidentified teenage girl found in the cemetery of Bakersville, New York, social worker Elizabeth Kern becomes dangerously obsessed with a potential psychopath connected to the case.

No One Rides for Free by Larry Beinhart

Tony Cassella is a private investigator with street smarts, mob ties, and a sharp mind, determined to stay true to his personal code. When he’s hired to secretly record a lawyer’s testimony about his firm’s dirty deals, things take a deadly turn after the lawyer is found murdered. Now, Tony must track down the killer before he becomes the next target.

When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman

Psychologist Alex Delaware is tasked with helping seven-year-old Melody Quinn unlock the traumatic memory of witnessing the brutal murder of psychiatrist Morton Handler. As Alex delves deeper, he uncovers a connection to a shocking incident in his own past, leading him into a decades-old conspiracy. To protect Melody and uncover the truth, Alex must expose a terrifying evil before it strikes again.

Strike Three, You’re Dead by RD Rosen

Introduced Harvey Blissberg, a former Red Sox player turned private investigator, in a gripping crime fiction debut by Richard Rosen. The novel, which won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, was praised for its fresh voice and engaging mystery, earning its place as one of the hundred best novels of the 20th century. Now, it’s being reissued alongside the upcoming release of Mean Streak, a new entry in the Harvey Blissberg series.

The Bay Psalm Book Murder by Will Harriss

A former English professor from a Los Angeles college and a physical therapist-turned-proofreader team up to investigate a murder linked to a priceless, three-hundred-year-old manuscript.

The Butcher’s Boy by Thomas Perry

A skilled hitman kills a senior senator but soon becomes a liability to his employers, drawing the attention of law enforcement. As police and organized crime specialists close in, only Elizabeth Waring, a young Justice Department analyst, begins to uncover the terrifying truth behind the man. This edition includes a new introduction by bestselling author Michael Connelly.

Chiefs by Stuart Woods

In the winter of 1920, the body of a teenage boy is found in Delano, Georgia, bearing signs of a ritualistic beating. The investigation falls to Will Henry Lee, the town’s first police chief, whose obsession with the case spans decades, uncovering the dark forces within the town. Chiefs, a gripping thriller, explores the pressures of race, love, hate, and political power, and now includes a new foreword for its 25th anniversary edition.

The Watcher by Kay Nolte Smith

Dr. Martin Granger, a humanitarian and social critic, is dead. Was it a tragic accident or a brutal murder? The primary witness is journalist Astrid Cain, determined to reveal him as a monster behind his saintly facade, but there is also another witness—a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows.

The Lasko Tangent by Richard North Patterson

Cynical government lawyer Christopher Paget is thrust into a dangerous world of murder, kidnapping, and corruption while investigating a powerful industrialist and a federal agency’s dark secrets. As key witnesses die, Paget must confront his own inner fears and values. Richard North Patterson’s debut novel is a taut, gripping thriller with a stunning climax.

Killed in the Ratings by William L. DeAndrea

Matt Cobb, a corporate fixer at a major TV network, is lured to a hotel room only to find a dead body and himself framed for murder. With the police closing in, Cobb must uncover the real killer to clear his name—while navigating the cutthroat world of television.

A French Finish by Robert Ross

Retired Harvard art historian Lewis Tewkesbury teams up with a former student to forge and sell a replica of King Louis XVI’s writing desk in a daring art scam. This Edgar Award–winning mystery blends art history, forgery, and humor in a fast-paced, twist-filled adventure.

The Thomas Berryman Number by James Patterson

Opens with three brutal murders in the South and builds to a gripping manhunt in the North—centered on a cold-blooded assassin, the woman he loves, and the powerful leader he’s hired to kill.

The Alvarez Journal by Rex Burns

A letter from the DEA points Denver narcotics detective Gabe Wager to a major smuggling operation using a local import shop as a front. As Wager and his rookie partner chase leads from small-time dealers to a massive drug ring, the case threatens to become the biggest—and most dangerous—of his career.

Fletch by Gregory McDonald

Fletch is an unorthodox investigative reporter living among addicts to trace the source of their drugs, all while clashing with his editor over his loose approach to deadlines and expenses. When a wealthy man offers him a mysterious, high-paying job, Fletch investigates—only to uncover that nothing about the offer is what it seems.

The Billion Dollar Sure Thing by Paul E. Erdman

This fast-paced thriller by financial expert Paul Erdman follows a secret billion-dollar plot to protect the U.S. dollar. Spanning global financial centers, the story builds to a high-stakes crisis that threatens to trigger the biggest economic explosion in history.

Finding Maubee by AHZ Carr

On the island of St. Caro, beloved rogue David Maubee survives by swindling tourists—but when one of them turns up dead, his friend, policeman Xavier Brooke, must uncover the truth. As suspicion mounts, Brooke finds himself up against the entire island to solve the case.

The Anderson Tapes by Lawrence Sanders

Introduces Edward X. Delaney in a masterfully crafted tale of murder and suspense that launched Lawrence Sanders’ career. Told entirely through surveillance transcripts and law enforcement reports, it details the meticulous planning and execution of a high-stakes Upper East Side robbery.

Act of Fear by Dennis Lynds

In gritty, pre-gentrified Chelsea, private detective Dan Fortune takes on what seems like a routine missing-persons case—until the teen’s friends start turning up dead. As Fortune digs deeper, he’s warned off by his childhood friend turned ruthless crime boss, Andy Pappas, forcing Dan to uncover why Jo-Jo matters—and what it will take to survive long enough to save him.

The Cold War Swap by Ross Thomas

During the Cold War, two Americans run a bar in West Berlin—one of them, Michael Padillo, moonlights as a reluctant U.S. agent. When Padillo calls for help, his partner McCorkle is pulled into a shadowy world of espionage, embarking on a perilous mission with no idea what lies ahead.

In The Heat of the Night by John Ball

Virgil Tibbs, an African-American homicide detective from California, arrives in a 1960s Southern town to investigate a murder—only to be arrested as the prime suspect.

Friday the Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman

Rabbi David Small, the new leader of Barnard’s Crossing’s Jewish community, finds himself at the center of a scandal when a young nanny is found strangled near the Temple. With all evidence pointing to him and a discontented congregation, the Rabbi needs more than faith to clear his name.

Florentine Finish by Cornelius Hirschberg

In Manhattan’s Diamond Center, a fortune in black-market jewels slips through greedy hands, and Saul Handy, a diamond salesman and ex-cop, finds himself the prime suspect in a robbery and triple murder. Though he tries to avoid trouble, it’s quickly clear that trouble has found him.

The Fugitive by Robert L. Fish

In 1945, Nazi war criminal Erick Von Roesler returns to Brazil to rebuild the Reich with the help of Hans Busch, a master propagandist. However, Busch is actually Ari Schoenberg, a Holocaust survivor seeking revenge, and with Interpol’s José Da Silva, he plans to dismantle the Nazi conspiracy from within.

The Green Stone by Suzanne Blanc

Inspector Memendes investigates the puzzling deaths of two American tourists in the quaint Mexican town of San Luis.

The Man in the Cage by Jack Vance

Noel Hutson, a self-styled gentleman adventurer, disappears while running guns in Morocco during Algeria’s revolution, prompting his brother Darrell to search for him in Tangier. Soon, Darrell is caught in a dangerous world of smugglers and Muslim fanatics, with both sides believing he knows the location of a huge payment Noel took with him. The stakes are high, and Darrell’s life is on the line.

The Bright Road to Fear by Richard Martin Stern

Portrays a powerful Italian crime syndicate and a young American who gets drawn into their illicit operations.

Knock and Wait a While by William Rawle Weeks

In this gripping novel, Weeks plunges us into a harrowingly realistic world of unrelenting tension, where one man must risk his life and his nation’s honor on the speed and precision of his solitary choices.

Rebecca’s Pride by Donald McNutt Douglass

When influential tycoon Fordyce Wales vanishes under mysterious circumstances in the Virgin Islands, Captain Bolivar Manchenil is assigned to lead the investigation.

The Perfectionist by Lane Kauffman

Martin Pryor, a perfectionist, stages the perfect accident to kill his wife—until a blackmailer threatens to expose him. Rather than panic, he’s intrigued, confident he can outsmart the culprit hiding among his elite circle of friends. But who is it—and could it be the woman he’s now sleeping with?

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

Driven by obsession with wealth and status, a charming young man targets innocent college student Dorothy, hoping to marry into her wealthy family. But when she becomes pregnant, his plans begin to fall apart—forcing him to take drastic, calculated steps to secure his future.

Don’t Cry for Me by William Campbell Gault

He was a blue-blood gone bad—chasing fast cars, loose women, and easy thrills. Running with crooks and burnouts, he lived fast and aimed low, until a loaded cigarette set off a deadly chain of events. Now he’s haunted by a woman who vanished, a corpse that won’t fade, and an alibi that won’t hold.

What a Body by Alan Green

This witty locked-room mystery centers on the bizarre murder of fitness guru Merlin Broadstone. He’s found shot in his pajamas at his new island resort—inside a locked room with no clear way in or out. As one detective quips, they’re searching for a killer who can walk on water and pass through walls.

The Room Upstairs by Mildred Davis

There were three Corwith sisters—but it was Kitten, the youngest and most dazzling, who drew all the attention. Then came the accident, and now she’s confined to a locked room at the top of the mansion. The rest of the house is steeped in a silence so heavy, it practically screams.

The Fabulous Clipjoint by Fredric Brown

In 1940s Chicago, the death of linotype operator Wallace Hunter during a drunken night out barely raises police interest. But his teenage son Ed and carny brother Am suspect foul play and launch their own investigation—uncovering secrets about both the crime and the man they thought they knew. Blends hardboiled mystery with a coming-of-age tale in the first of Fredric Brown’s Ed and Am Hunter series.

The Horizontal Man by Helen Eustis

The murder of a poet on the faculty of an Ivy League university sends shockwaves through the tense, insular world of an English department steeped in Freud, Kafka, and academic rivalries—fueling a surge of anxiety, suspicion, and panic.