Running since 1995, the Ned Kelly Awards are Australia’s oldest and most prestigious recognition honouring published crime fiction and true crime writing. The Australian Crime Writers Association (AWCA) has just announced the 2023 shortlists for the awards’ four categories: Best Crime Fiction, Best Debut Crime Fiction, Best True Crime and Best International Crime Fiction. In its announcement, ACWA said that the shortlist highlights the ‘strength and identity’ of Australian crime writing.

Below are the titles for each category including comments from the ACWA.

Best True Crime

'The Best True Crime entries were totally compelling and not only showcased astounding storytelling but also dogged and professional investigative work.'

• Rattled by Ellis Gunn
• Betrayed by Sandi Logan
• Out of the Ashes by Megan Norris
• Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! by Officer A
• Death Row at Truro by Geoff Plunkett

Best International Crime Fiction (published in Australia)

'This year’s Best International Crime Fiction (published in Australia) was again a Who’s Who of global crime writing.'

• Paper Cage by Tom Baragwanath
• The Lemon Man by Keith Bruton
• The Favour by Nicci French
• The Hitchhiker by Gerwin van der Werf & David Colmer (trans.)

Best Debut Crime Fiction

'The Best Debut Crime Fiction entries this year were incredibly strong with a wide range of new Australian authors, of all ages and backgrounds, choosing the crime genre for their first books. As an industry association, it is heartening to see so many talented first time writers being introduced to readers.'

• Wake by Shelley Burr
• The House of Now and Then by Jo Dixon
• How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins
• Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne
• Denizen by James McKenzie Watson
• Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
• Black River by Matthew Spencer
• No Country for Girls by Emma Styles

Best Crime Fiction

'The flagship award, Best Crime Fiction, with 88 entries, was a treasure-trove of excellence. The shortlist of Aussie authors includes some of the highest selling and most popular authors on the global crime writing stage.'

• When We Fall by Aoife Clifford
• The Tilt by Chris Hammer
• Exiles by Jane Harper
• Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
• Seven Sisters by Katherine Kovacic
• Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham
• Those Who Perish by Emma Viskic
• The Carnival Is Over by Greg Woodland

‘It is particularly pleasing to see authors continuing to break away from some of the more common crime tropes, with an even larger variety of characters, settings and social diversity in this year’s entries than we have received before,’ ACWA said.

ACWA expects to announce the winners in about four weeks. More information about the shortlist can be found on the Australian Crime Writers Association website here.