2003 Derringer Award Results

The Short Mystery Fiction Society's 2003 Derringer Awards results were determined by a vote of the membership at large after member-volunteer judges narrowed the submissions to finalists. Winners bolded:

Best Short Short (Up to 1,500 words)

• "A Cut Above" by Del Tinsley (Hardluck Stories, Fall 2002)
• "Sending Out an S.O.S." by Nick Andreychuk (Futures, April 2002)
• "Jumping the Fence" by Stephen D. Rogers (Hardluck Stories, Fall 2002)
• "What A Day" by Seymour Shubin (Futures, January 2002)
• "Shark Infested Pudding" by John Weagly (Judas Ezine, November 2002)

Best Short Story (1,501–6,000 words)

• "Closure" by Dave White (The Thrilling Detective Web Site, Fall 2002)
• "Top of the World" by Bill Crider (Flesh and Blood: Dark Desires, Mysterious Press, May 2002)
• "Just Looking" by Bill Pronzini (Flesh and Blood: Dark Desires, Mysterious Press, May 2002)
• "Mexican Gatsby" by Raymond Steiber (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March 2002)
• "More Than a Scam" by Dave Zeltserman (Mysterical-E, 2002)

Best Long Short Story (More than 6,000 words)

• "The Murder Ballads" by Doug Allyn (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, March 2002)
• "Medicine Water" by David Edgerly Gates (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, September 2002)
• "To Live and Die in Midland, Texas" by Clark Howard (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September-October 2002)
• "Painter of the Seven-Eyed Beast" by Catherine Mambretti (Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, November 2002)
• "Henry's Power" by Bob Stevens (HandHeldCrime, March 2002)