Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (EQMM) honors authors each year as voted upon by readers, hence the name, Readers Choice Award. Recipients include many of the most popular authors of thrillers and mysteries.

Presentation

Awards are bestowed in April of the following year, coinciding with the annual Mystery Writers of America conference, at an informal ceremony sponsored by Dell Publishing.

Recipients

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

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2007

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1987

1986

1985

Records

Edward D. Hoch, who contributed a story each month, had so many stories nominated, they kept him from taking first place until 2007. He received notification shortly before his death. Clark Howard often won first place and placed second or third in the same year. Doug Allyn has won more often than any other author. Leigh Lundin (under the pseudonym L. Leigh ) in 2006 became the first first-time writer to take first place in a major Ellery Queen award. Dale Andrews, a student of the Ellery Queen canon, became the first to place with an Ellery Queen story.