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| Photo by Art Taylor |
The Short Mystery Fiction Society is a community of writers, readers, editors, publishers, and others dedicated to the promotion and celebration of mystery and crime short stories. Since 1998, the SMFS has awarded the annual Derringers to outstanding published stories and people who have greatly advanced or supported the form. The Best Anthology Derringer was presented for the first time in 2025.
The 2026 Derringer Award winners are
Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer
David Dean
David Dean is an Army veteran, a retired Chief of Police, and an accomplished novelist, in addition to being one of the most popular and prolific short story writers working in the crime genre today. His stories have appeared regularly in ELLERY QUEEN MYSTERY MAGAZINE, as well as a number of anthologies, including BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES, since 1990. He has won a Derringer Award and an impressive four EQMM Readers Awards. His stories have also been nominated for the Shamus and Barry Awards and been finalists for an Edgar and multiple Derringer Awards.
Best Flash Story
(Up to 1,000 words)
"The Man Under the Bridge" by Bern Sy Moss (Spillwords, 6/1/2025)
Best Short Story
(1,001 to 4,000 words)
"Blind Pig" by Michael Bracken (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, September/October 2025)
Best Long Story
(4,001 to 8,000 words)
"Whatever Kills the Pain" by C.W. Blackwell (Whatever Kills the Pain, Rock and a Hard Place Press)
Best Novelette
(8,001 to 20,000 words)
"The Temporary Murder of Thomas Monroe" by Tia Tashiro (Clarkesworld, January 2025) (audio version)
Best Anthology (tie)
Hollywood Kills: An Anthology edited by Adam Meyer & Alan Orloff (Level Best Books - Level Short)
On Fire and Under Water: A Climate Change Crime Fiction Anthology edited by Curtis Ippolito (Rock and a Hard Place Press)
The complete list of 2026 finalists may be found here.
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