I have read The Black Wolf and have mixed emotions about the book. I was waiting to see how it fared in the CWC Award process. I still have mixed emotions.
A copy of the news release announcinig the Awards is below.
****
The Peter Robinson Award for Best Crime Novel
With a $1000 prize
Louise Penny, The Black Wolf, Minotaur Books
Congratulations to Louise Penny and The Black Wolf, our unanimous winner of The Peter Robinson Award for Best Crime Novel for 2026. The jurors were first-time readers of Louise Penny and were inescapably drawn in from the first line to the last. Never has a location held so much depth and complexity as Three Pines. Being the twentieth installment of the Inspector Gamache series, Penny’s masterful knack of weaving a story that carries years of knowledge mixed with a hint of a future and a never overdone richness of character is at its finest. Armand Gamache is simply a brilliant character, and this novel captivates with no good place to put it down. Both series-long and new readers belong here, in this world, that terrifyingly mimics our own. Penny brilliantly threads a complex and interconnected web through police and science agencies, organized crime, government, and even dear friends and foes leaving no one safe…nor innocent. At the heart sits Three Pines, a hopeful refuge from the world-altering revelations Penny crafts to test the very heart and soul of those we love and those we trust most. But, no one will be quite the same after The Black Wolf, Penny insists on it.
Best Crime First Novel
Sponsored by Melodie Campbell with a $1000 prize
Ray Critch, The Beltane Massacre, Breakwater Books
The Beltane Massacre distinguished itself to the jury as an impressive and deeply satisfying debut, one that combines suspense, emotional depth, and a confident command of story from beginning to end. The jurors respected the novel’s ability to deliver a compelling crime narrative while remaining grounded in character, grief, and the lasting consequences of violence. At the same time, it feels fully rooted in contemporary reality, bringing modern pressures of power, surveillance, and instability into a story that never loses its human centre. The narrative unfolds with skill, allowing mystery and momentum to develop alongside a more intimate search for truth. The result is a novel that is both absorbing and affecting, and one that arrives at an ending of real force. As a debut by Newfoundland and Labrador writer Ray Critch, The Beltane Massacre is a remarkable achievement, a worthy winner, and a memorable introduction to a fresh voice in Canadian crime fiction.
Best Crime Novel Set in Canada
Sponsored by Shaftesbury with a $500 prize
C.S. Porter, Salt on Her Tongue, Vagrant Press
Animated by the intense fog and turbulence of the Bay of Fundy, as well as the personal struggles of the varied characters who take the reader on this gripping journey, Salt on Her Tongue keeps the reader engaged through masterful pacing and startling revelations.
The jurors pointed in particular to how well the author evokes the geography, maritime life and weather that forms the setting, and how well it amplifies the conflicts and mysteries in the plot. Also, the characters, from salty locals disdainful of big-city practices to wealthy and powerful elites, are drawn with a clarity that brings them to life, making the reader see their unique perspectives. Notably, the detective’s self-awareness of her mental fragility helps the reader see inside her head, empathizing as she persists despite barriers, including that the people around her seem to be trying to hinder her investigation. Further, the scope of the plot is engaging, convincingly telescoping from local corruption to an unexpected plot twist sure to leave readers satisfied
The Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery
Sponsored by Jane Doe with a $500 prize
Iona Whishaw, The Cost of a Hostage, TouchWood Editions
The jurors were unanimous in awarding this year’s CWC Award of Excellence for Best Traditional Mystery to Iona Whishaw’s The Cost of a Hostage, the twelfth Lane Winslow story.
This book represents all the best elements of Lane’s adventures: engaging characters living in beautifully described settings, both in Canada and this time in Mexico and France, skilfully woven plot strands that come together in a satisfying way at the very end, and Whishaw’s command of the narrative arc examining the rippling effects of Lane’s wartime service on her postwar life.
Although the book takes place in the 1940s, its themes of addiction and drug trafficking are familiar to contemporary readers and yet this is not an anachronism. Whishaw’s characters are of their time. The crimes could be contemporary, but they are solved in a way that is true to the world in which they occur.
Sustaining reader interest over a long series, yet producing books that can also stand alone, is a challenge of the mystery-writing craft, one that Iona Whishaw has met with solid success.
Best Crime Short Story
Sponsored by Crime Writers of Canada with a $200 prize
Sylvia Maultash Warsh, “Polly Wants a Freaking Cracker”, Malice Domestic: Murder Most Humorous, Wildside Press
Everything about this delicious easter-egg-rich criminal confection is as engaging as the title. Author Sylvia Maultash Warsh gets full marks for leading readers through the investigation into a fatal mid-city hit-and-run; narrated from the perspective of one of the most unlikely protagonists to make their Canadian crime lit debut. Jurors were unanimous in their shared delight of the twists, turns and—much to their amazement—legal logical leaps that crime readers everywhere savour. The narrative unfolds with simple straightforward language; the characters are likeable and worth cheering on from start to finish. This story is a delicious blend of suspense, sympathy, action, and well-placed humour. The ending ties up loose ends, but it’s not what the reader is expecting.
Because of its truly unique premise, “Polly Wants A Freaking Cracker” led the pack of this year’s finalists, but the jurors wish to note that all 45 of the entries were riveting reads.
Best French Language Crime Book
Sponsored by Carrick Publishing with a $500 prize
Maureen Martineau, Une nuit d’été à Littlebrook, Héliotrope
Les jurées ont choisi ce roman pour ses nombreuses qualités littéraires, notamment son originalité. Elles ont apprécié le fait que l’histoire évoque un thème très actuel : un monde rural frappé directement par les changements climatiques. Et qu’elle mette en lumière l’impact de cette crise sur les gens qui habitent ces régions.
L’autrice décrit avec beaucoup de doigté les tourments des personnages, notamment le personnage principal. Le rôle des femmes est central dans cette histoire, ce que à quoi le jury a été sensible.
L’écriture de Maureen Martineau est à la fois délicate et percutante. À travers la plume de l’autrice, on découvre un univers riche. Dialogues et narrations s’y côtoient, en un parfait équilibre. Les différentes facettes de l’histoire ; une pénurie d’eau, des cultures menacées par la sécheresse, une étrange maladie génétique, des drames familiaux, des abus sexuels, constituant un aspect important du récit, sont imbriqués de façon fluide et limpide.
Le thème de la vengeance qui mène au crime est présent, en toile de fond, dès les premières pages du roman, ce qui contribue à créer une tension dramatique que les jurées ont particulièrement aimé.
Best Juvenile / YA Crime Book
Sponsored by Superior Shores Press with a $250 prize
Charis Cotter, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, Tundra Books
The heart of The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a decades-old love story that ended in tragedy. Charis Cotter pulls in the reader with her gripping storytelling and immersive descriptions of a 1960s bird-watching camp for girls, founded by the elderly Miss Linnet, an austere figure who changes dramatically over the course of the book. The author’s strength lies in her unique characters, both major and minor. Bee, the eccentric, self-deprecating protagonist with no camp experience, meets two girls who become unlikely sidekicks, their friendship growing over time. The writing is gripping as the threesome discover that the older girls in a neighbouring cabin are being lured nightly to a haunted island in the middle of the lake by “fairy music.” The author establishes a connection between the distant past and the present in a powerful tale that engages the reader on an emotional level. A compelling mystery, sparked by a crime, unfolds through an engaging investigative process. Beautifully written, the story blends mystery and the fantastical to create a memorable and poignant novel that stays with the reader.
The Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book
Sponsored by David Reid Simpson Law Firm (Hamilton) with a $300 prize
Julian Sher & Lisa Fitterman, Hitman: The Untold Story of Canada’s Deadliest Assassin, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
While all the shortlisted titles masterfully explored timely aspects of Canadian crime and justice, Hitman stood out for the jurors from the first page by the quality of the writing, bringing to life characters both major and minor in memorable ways. The jurors appreciated the thorough examination of both the titular character and the law enforcement obstacles that allowed his career to continue unchecked through so many assassinations. The research was deep and broad, uncovering intimate personal moments all the way to necessary development of policing strategies and inter-force communication protocols that continue to inform gang investigations in Canada today.
Best Unpublished Crime Novel manuscript written by an unpublished author
Sponsored by ECW Press with a $500 prize
Anne Burlakoff, Val's Story
By turns introspective and action-packed, Val’s Story is a compelling, layered novel whose prose reads smoothly and whose plot unfurls dramatically. The jurors appreciated this writer’s ability to weave current issues, historicity, personal stakes and the instigating crime into a juicy narrative. The dual perspective structure sustains tension between Eve, the sixty-ish amateur investigator who wants to reveal everyone’s secrets but her own, and Tanya Clarke, the Black homicide detective who wants to crack the case—not to earn a promotion, but to justify the promotion she’s already earned. The jurors noted complex characters, believable and well-developed character motivation, intriguing historical elements, strong dialogue, a gripping opening and controlled interiority as some of the manuscript’s particular strengths. With inclusive representation on race, disability and age, Val’s Story feels modern and satisfying without shying away from some of the ugliest issues of our times.
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