Derrick Murdoch Award
The Derrick Murdoch is a special achievement award for contributions to the crime genre. It is awarded at the discretion of the Board Chair of Crime Writers of Canada. Known as the Chairman’s Award when first presented in 1984, it was later renamed in honour of its first recipient, Derrick Murdoch.
Murdoch, “the driving force behind the creation of Crime Writers of Canada,” reviewed crime literature for The Globe and Mail for over twenty years—a career he took up in 1963, according to a 1983 interview in the Ottawa Citizen, after failing spectacularly in door-to-door sales and real estate. In addition to his column, he published two books of crime nonfiction. His biography of Agatha Christie, The Agatha Christie Mystery (1976), was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award. Disappearances: True Accounts of Canadians Who Have Vanished (1983) appeared when he was 74. Murdoch served as first president of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Toronto, which also offers an award named in his honour. Born in England in 1909, he immigrated to Canada in 1950 and died in 1985.
Like the man for whom it is named, past winners of the Derrick Murdoch Award have contributed greatly to the development of crime writing in Canada through their work as writers, editors, producers, publicists, and organizers.
The award is presented biennially, alternating with the Grand Master Award.
DERRICK MURDOCH AWARD 2025
The Crime Writers of Canada is pleased to announce its
2025 Derrick Murdoch Award recipient:
William H. Deverell
A distinguished Canadian novelist, activist, and criminal lawyer Deverell’s bibliography includes nineteen novels, many drawing from his extensive legal experience. Notable works include Trial of Passion, which earned the Dashiell Hammett Prize for Literary Excellence in Crime Writing in 1997 and Crime Writers of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best Canadian Crime Novel in 1998. Trial of Passion introduced readers to Arthur Beauchamp, QC, a character who became central to a series that includes titles such as April Fool (2003 Arthur Ellis award winner) and Kill All the Judges. He is the author of A Life on Trial – The Case of Robert Frisbee, based on a notorious murder trial in which he was defense counsel.
Street Legal, which aired on CBC Television from 1987 to 1994, was the longest-running one-hour scripted drama in the history of Canadian television. The show was based on an original pilot, Shellgame, which Deverell authored.
Beyond his writing, he continues to be a pivotal figure in Canadian literature, inspiring readers and mentoring emerging Canadian writers within the crime and mystery genres.
Deverell is the founder and honorary director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. He served as chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada in 1994 and 1999 and is a life member of the Writers Guild of Canada, a Member Emeritous of Crime Writers of Canada and a member of PEN International.
The Derrick Murdoch Award
Past Recipients
2021 Marian Misters (Co-Owner of Sleuth of Baker Street and past Jury Chair)
2019 Vicki Delany (author, Past Chair, co-creator of Women Killing It conference)
2017 Christina Jennings (CEO Shaftsbury Films)
2015 Sylvia McConnell (creator of Rendezvous Crime imprint)
2013 Lyn Hamilton (Author)
2012 Astolfo-Graves: Catherine Astolfo (author and Past President) and Don Graves (reviewer, Hamilton Spectator)
2011 Allin-Grant: Lou Allin (author, CWC director and Membership Chair) and N.A.T. Grant (author, CWC director, Web Maevin)
2010 Peter Robinson (author of the Inspector Banks series; CWC past president)
2009 Gail Bowen (author of the Joanne Kilbourne series; active in CWC)
2008 Edward D. Hoch (author of over 900 crime short stories; CWC supporter)
2006 Mary Jane Maffini (author of three mystery series; CWC past president)
2005 Max Haines (“Crime Flashbacks” columnist for the Toronto Star)
2004 Cheryl Freedman (CWC Executive Director 1999 — 2009)
2003 Margaret Cannon (crime fiction reviewer for The Globe and Mail)
2002 James Dubro (nonfiction crime writer and film producer; CWC past president) and Caro Soles (founder of the Bloody Words mystery conference)
2001 L. R. Wright (author of two series set on the West Coast; CWC past president)
2000 Eddie Barber, Rick Blechta, David Skene-Melvin (secretary-treasurers of CWC) and John North (crime fiction reviewer for the Toronto Star; ed. Best of Cold Blood, Dishes to Die For)
1999 Ted Wood (pioneer crime novelist and short story writer; CWC past president)
1998 Howard Engel (author of the Benny Cooperman series; CWC founding member and past president) and Eric Wright (author of Charlie Salter series, 4 Best Novel awards)
1995 Jim and Margaret McBride (West Coast promoters of CWC, ed. In Cold Blood)
1992 William Bankier, James Powell, Peter Sellers (writers and promoters of Canadian crime short stories)
1990 Eric Wilson (pioneer Canadian mystery series for children)
1988 J. D. Singh (co-owner of Sleuth of Baker Street) and Jim Reicker (founder of Prime Crime Books)
1987 CBC Drama Department (adaptations of Canadian crime books as radio plays)
1986 Margaret Millar (Canadian-born author of some 20 crime novels)
1985 Tony Aspler (author of political thrillers; CWC founding member, first president)
1984 Derrick Murdoch (crime literature reviewer for The Globe and Mail; CWC founding member)
