Edgar Awards 1973: Complete list of winners

The 1973 Edgar Awards, presented by the Mystery Writers of America, celebrated another stellar year in the crime fiction genre. Named after Edgar Allan Poe himself, the Edgars have long been considered the gold standard of mystery and thriller writing—the awards that writers and publishers take most seriously. That year saw some compelling work across the various categories, with Richard Wormser’s The Invader taking home the Best Paperback Original award, proving that quality crime fiction thrived in formats beyond hardcover releases.

What made the 1973 Edgar Awards particularly interesting was the recognition of paperback originals as serious contenders in the mystery world. By this point in the early 1970s, the paperback market was booming, and publishers were investing in original crime fiction specifically designed for that format. Wormser’s win acknowledged that talented writers weren’t just rehashing tired tropes for the mass market—they were crafting innovative stories that deserved the same critical respect as their hardcover counterparts. The Edgar Awards’ willingness to honor these works helped legitimize an entire publishing category.

Below you’ll find the complete list of 1973 Edgar Award winners across all categories, showcasing the breadth of excellence recognized by the Mystery Writers of America that year.

Best Paperback Original

• The Invader by Richard Wormser