Edgar Awards 1976: Complete list of winners

The 1976 Edgar Awards, presented by the Mystery Writers of America, showcased the vitality of the mystery and crime fiction genre during a year of remarkable storytelling. Named after the patron saint of mystery writers himself—Edgar Allan Poe—these awards have long served as the gold standard for recognizing excellence in detective fiction, suspense, and crime writing across multiple categories and formats. The Edgar Awards (also known as the Edgars or Edgar Prize) draw submissions from publishers and writers worldwide, making them one of the most prestigious honors a mystery writer can receive.

Among the standout winners that year was John R. Feegel, whose novel Autopsy took home the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original. Feegel’s win highlighted an important aspect of the 1976 awards season: the recognition that exceptional crime fiction thrived not just in hardcover literary circles, but in the paperback market, where readers hungry for gripping mysteries found compelling stories. The paperback category had grown increasingly competitive, reflecting the surge in crime fiction’s popularity and the evolution of publishing itself during the mid-1970s.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of 1976 Edgar Award winners:

Best Paperback Original

• Autopsy by John R. Feegel