The Shamus Award is awarded by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) for the best detective fiction (P. I. = Private investigator) genre novels and short stories of the year.
The Prize is given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. Starting in 2003, the Shamus Awards are sometimes (2003, 2007–2009, 2011–2016) announced during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, at the convention's PWA Awards Banquet.[1]