The Mary Higgins Clark Award In recognition of their 25 year partnership in crime with best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark, Simon and Schuster has sponsored an award in her name to be given annually for ten years, starting in 2001. The announcement of this unique award honoring the Queen of Suspense was made at the 55th Annual Edgar Allan Poe Awards®, where Ms. Clark was inducted as a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America.

Nominated books are chosen from those sent to the MWA Edgar Awards® Committees for Best Novel, Best First Novel, and Best Paperback Novel. The winner is selected by a special MWA committee for the book most closely written in the Mary Higgins Clark tradition, according to the following guidelines set forth by Ms. Clark:

• The protagonist is a very nice young woman, 27-38 or so, whose life is suddenly invaded. She is not looking for trouble - she is doing exactly what she should be doing and something cuts across her bow (as in ship).
• She solves her problem by her own courage and intelligence.
• She's in an interesting job.
• She's self-made - independent - has primarily good family relationships.
• No on-scene violence.
• No four-letter words or explicit sex scenes.

Main awards page