Crime Writers of Canada (CWC) have announced the winners of the 2026 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing. Since 1984, Crime Writers of Canada has recognized the best in mystery, crime, suspense fiction, and crime non-fiction by Canadian authors. Sponsored by Superior Shores Press, the Best Juvenile/YA Crime Book was awarded to Charis Cotter for her novel The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, published by Tundra Books.
About The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall
The heart of The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a decades-old love story that ended in tragedy. Charis Cotter pulls in the reader with her gripping storytelling and immersive descriptions of a 1960s bird-watching camp for girls, founded by the elderly Miss Linnet, an austere figure who changes dramatically over the course of the book. The author’s strength lies in her unique characters, both major and minor. Bee, the eccentric, self-deprecating protagonist with no camp experience, meets two girls who become unlikely sidekicks, their friendship growing over time. The writing is gripping as the threesome discover that the older girls in a neighbouring cabin are being lured nightly to a haunted island in the middle of the lake by “fairy music.” The author establishes a connection between the distant past and the present in a powerful tale that engages the reader on an emotional level. A compelling mystery, sparked by a crime, unfolds through an engaging investigative process. Beautifully written, the story blends mystery and the fantastical to create a memorable and poignant novel that stays with the reader.
To see the shortlist for the Best Juvenile/YA Crime Book, click here.
To view the complete listed on winners, visit, crimewriterscanada.com.