Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense
The Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA is happy to announce the 2024 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense Contest will open January 1, 2024, 12:01 am, MST.
The Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense is named for Daphne du Maurier, the author of Rebecca, a suspense novel with romantic and gothic overtones and a precursor to today’s romantic suspense. The writing contest is for published and unpublished authors of mystery, suspense, and thrillers with or without romantic subplots.
The contest provides helpful feedback by trained judges. Winning or placing in the competition adds a boost to the entrant’s writing career. There are two divisions within the contest: Published and Unpublished. Entries should be received between January 1, 2024 – March 15, 2024. Finalists for each division will be announced in May [Unpublished] and June [Published]. Winners are traditionally announced during the Awards Ceremony at the Death by Chocolate Party held annually during the RWA® National Conference in July.
Would you like to judge? Go to KODContest.com to register as a judge.
Watch the 2023 Daphne duMaurier Award for Excellence Presentation here. You can download the transcript here.
We have added a NEW CATEGORY to the contest, Cozy Mystery. Last year, to honor the 25th Anniversary of the contest, we included the category, Novella Mystery/Suspense, to the published division. If you are considering entering the contest this year, please read through the rules and submission guidelines carefully, as there have been modifications.
Scoresheets for non-finalists will be released by June 30, 2023.
Categories
- Short Romantic Mystery/Suspense: works with a central romance that have a word count of 40k-65k.
- Historical Romantic Mystery/Suspense: works over 65,000 words with a central romance set in a time that predates the end of World War II.
- Cozy Mystery: works over 40,000 words with an amateur sleuth, where sex, violence, and profanity occur off the page. Entries in the category are not required to have a romantic storyline.
- Mainstream Mystery/Suspense: works over 65,000 words where the mystery/suspense is the main plot.
- Paranormal (PTTF) Romantic Mystery/Suspense: works over 65,000 words with a central romance and in which paranormal, fantasy, time travel, and/or futuristic elements play a significant role.
- Long Romantic Mystery/Suspense: works with a central romance that have a word count of 65k and above.
- Novella Mystery/Suspense: works between 25,000 and 40,000 words where the mystery/suspense is the main plot. The novella may have other elements, such as romance, paranormal, historical, or contemporary.
Need help determining which category you’re in or other questions about the contest? Check out the FAQ page for more information!
Division Specific
Published Division
Rules (including Entry Instructions)
Unpublished Division
Rules (including Entry Instructions)
Sample Score Sheets:
- Short Romantic Mystery/Suspense
- Long Romantic Mystery/Suspense
- Historical Romantic Mystery/Suspense
- Novella Mystery/Suspense
- Mainstream Mystery/Suspense
- Paranormal (PTTF) Romantic Mystery/Suspense
Frequently Asked Questions for Entrants and Judges
25th Anniversary of the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense – 2023 Finalists
UNPUBLISHED DIVISION:
MAINSTREAM CATEGORY WINNERS
First Place: Black Mark Paul Spencer
Second Place: Facets of Murder Julie Ciccarelli
Third Place: Nothing But The Truth Caroline Garrod
Honorable Mention: Oriole Mary Keenan
Honorable Mention: Vintage Model TK Sheffield
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE CATEGORY WINNERS
First Place: High Altitude Abduction Elaine Clampitt
Second Place: Tamsin Lee and the Jaguar God Annie R McEwen
Third Place: His Partner Karen White-Owens
Honorable Mention: Murder’s Mistress Eliza Carter
Honorable Mention: Suspended in Darkness Anne Belen
Overall Unpublished
Division Winner:
Elaine Clampitt for
High Altitude Abduction
Overall Published
Division Winner:
Toni Anderson for
Cold Silence
MAINSTREAM CATEGORY WINNERS
First Place: Spirit Daughters Carol Potenza
Second Place: Exposed Anna J Stewart
Third Place: Last Liar Standing Danielle Wong
Honorable Mention: Compromised Vows Nadine Dandorf
Honorable Mention: Hooker Avenue Jode Millman
LONG CATEGORY WINNERS
First Place: Cold Silence Toni Anderson
Second Place: Disarming Caine Janet Oppedisano
Third Place: Crash Site Rachel Grant
Honorable Mention: Flash Point Tracey Devlyn
Honorable Mention: Into the Storm Rachel Grant
NOVELLA CATEGORY WINNERS
First Place: Cold Drip Heather Day Gilbert
Second Place: Justified Vengeance Lori Matthews
Third Place: The Vow DL Wood
Honorable Mention: Roast Date Heather Day Gilbert
Honorable Mention: Christmas Threat Lynn Shannon
SHORT CATEGORY WINNER
First Place: Necessary Peril Lynn Shannon
Second Place: Wyoming Winter Rescue Juno Rushdan
Third Place: Shielding Her Son KD Richards
Honorable Mention: Twin Murder Mix-Up Sami A. Abrams
Honorable Mention: Christmas Baby Rescue Jordyn Redwood
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE CATEGORY FINALISTS
First Place: Fiona and the Enigmatic Earl Grace Callaway
Second Place: The Belle of Belgrave Square Mimi Matthews
Third Place: Heartstone Rose Sartin
Honorable Mention: Connection RL Merrill
Honorable Mention: Forbidden Love Marissa Garner
We asked our 2023 finalists what their favorite writing craft books were, and asked our published finalists to share writing advice. You can read their answers by clicking HERE.
Previous Winners and Finalists:2023 Published and Unpublished
- 2023 Published and Unpublished
- 2022 Published and Unpublished
- 2021 Published and Unpublished
- 2019 Published and Unpublished
- 2018 Published and Unpublished
- 2017 Published and Unpublished
- 2016 Published and Unpublished
- 2015 Published and Unpublished
- 2014 Published and Unpublished
- 2013 Published and Unpublished
- 2012 Published and Unpublished
Sincerely,
Kiss of Death Board