In 1984, the Mystery Writers of America established a new award for the best first mystery short story by an American author. The award was named after the late Robert L. Fish, a mystery writer himself for many years who was always ready and willing to help aspiring writers in the field. Sponsored by Mr. Fish's estate, the award includes both a plaque and a monetary award, and is announced annually at the Edgar Awards banquet. In order to be eligible for the award, a short story must represent the first published mystery or suspense story by an author, even if he or she has previously had other works published outside the genre, and the story must be published in America. Except in special circumstances, the stories must be submitted by the editor of the magazine in which the story first appeared.
And the winners are:
- 1984 - "Locked Doors" by Lilly Carlson (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, October 1983)
- 1985 - "Poor Dumb Mouths" by Bill Crenshaw (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, May 1984)
- 1986 - "Final Rites" by Doug Allyn (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1985)
- 1987 - "Father to the Man" by Mary Kittredge (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, November 1986)
- 1988 - "Roger, Mr. Whilkie!" by Eric M. Heideman (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, July 1987)
- 1989 - "Different Drummers" by Linda O. Johnston (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 1988)
- 1990 - "Hawks" by Connie Colt (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, June 1989)
- 1991 - "Willie's Story" by Jerry F. Skarky (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, June 1990)
- 1993 - "A Will Is a Way" by Steven Saylor (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, March 1992)
- 1994 - "Wicked Twist" by D. A. McGuire (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, October 1993)
- 1995 - "Me and Mr. Harry" by Batya Swift Yasgur (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, mid-December. 1994)
- 1996 - "The Word for Breaking August Sky" by James Sarafin (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, July 1995)
- 1997 - "The Prosecuter of Duprey" by David Vaughn (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, January 1996)
- 1998 - "If Thine Eye Offend Thee" by Rosalind Roland, in Murder x 13 (Crown Valley Press, 1997)
- 1999 - "Clarity" by Bryn Bonner (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, May 1998)
- 2000 - "Cro-Magnon, P.I." by Mike Reiss (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, July/August 1999)
- 2001 - "The Witch and the Relic Thief" by M.J. Jones (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, October 2000)
Sources:
Mystery Writers of America. "The Robert L. Fish Memorial Award." The Mystery Writers of America Web Site. <http://www.mysterywriters.org/awards/fish.html> (December 17, 2002)
----. "Submitting for the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award." The Mystery Writers of America Web Site. <http://www.mysterywriters.org/awards/fish_entry.html> (January 2, 2002)
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