Edgar Awards 1972: Complete list of winners

The 1972 Edgar Awards proved once again why the Mystery Writers of America’s annual honors remain the gold standard for detective and crime fiction. Named after Edgar Allan Poe, these prestigious awards have long recognized the genre’s most compelling storytelling, from locked-room mysteries to hard-boiled detective tales that define American crime literature. This particular year’s selections reflected the diverse landscape of mystery writing in the early seventies, when paperback originals were beginning to claim their rightful place alongside traditionally published hardcovers in the award conversation.

Frank McAuliffe’s For Murder I Charge More took home the Edgar for Best Paperback Original, a category that underscored the growing importance of paperback-only publications in the mystery field. The award highlighted how publishers and readers alike were increasingly embracing original crime fiction released directly in paperback format, without the traditional hardcover debut. This recognition signaled a shift in how the literary establishment viewed genre fiction, acknowledging that compelling mysteries could find their audience and critical acclaim regardless of their initial publication format.

Below you’ll find a complete breakdown of the 1972 Edgar Awards honorees and their winning works:

Best Paperback Original

• For Murder I Charge More by Frank McAuliffe