The event is sponsored by Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America (MWA). The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel.

Murder or another serious crime or crimes must be at the heart of the story.

Nominees will be selected by judges chosen by MWA, with the assistance of the editorial staff of Minotaur Books, and the winner will be chosen by Minotaur Books editors on the basis of the originality, creativity and writing skill of the submission.

The winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000.

We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives.