The Australian Crime Writers Association is proud to launch the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards for Australian crime writers.   

The Ned Kelly Awards are Australia’s oldest and most prestigious recognition honouring published crime fiction and true crime writing. The categories are Best Crime Fiction, Best Debut Crime Fiction, Best True Crime and Best International Crime Fiction. Entries are accepted for books published in the 12 months prior to 1 March each year.

The Ned Kelly Awards are Australia’s oldest and most prestigious award, honouring published crime fiction and true crime writing. The awards are a highlight of the Australian publishing and literary calendar and they celebrate the very best crime writing has to offer.

The list of winners reads like a Who’s Who of Australian crime writers including some of the highest profile and best-selling Australian and international authors.  

The 2026 award categories are:
Best Crime Fiction, Best Debut Crime Fiction, Best True Crime and Best International Crime Fiction (published in Australia).

A shortlist for each award category is expected to be announced in August and the winners to be announced in September, 2026.

Ned Kelly Shortlist for Best Crime Fiction 2026 are:

To be Announced Soon

The Australian Crime Writers Association is proud to announce the 2026 Ned Kelly Awards Shortlist for Best International Crime Fiction:

To be announced soon

The Australian Crime Writers Association is proud to announce the 2026 Ned Kelly Awards Shortlist for Best True Crime:

Saffron Incorporated by Stuart Coupe
Duty to Warn by Charlotte Grieve
The Mushroom Murders by Greg Haddrick
The Postcard Bandit by Derek Pedley
The Red House by Kate Wild

The Australian Crime Writers Association is proud to announce the 2026 Ned Kelly Awards Shortlist for Best Debut Crime Fiction:

In Bloom - Liz Allan
The Butterfly Women - Madeleine Cleary
The Peak - Sam Guthrie
Melaleuca - Angie Faye Martin
The Wolf Tree - Laura McCluskey
The Wykehamist - Alexandra Strnad