About Hugh Holton
Hugh Holton (1947-2001) was a Chicago native and a pioneering Black crime fiction writer. He wrote eight novels featuring Chicago Police Detective Larry Cole, all of which drew on Holton’s experiences as a police officer. Some were traditional thrillers while others blurred genre lines to play with science fiction and fantasy. He wrote monthly columns for Mystery Scene Magazine and was a long-time member of the Mystery Writers of America, Midwest chapter. At the time of his death, Hugh Holton was the highest-ranking active police officer writing novels in the United States. The Hugh Holton Award commemorates his contributions to the Midwestern mystery community.
about the award
Every October, we invite any unpublished writer living within MWA’s Midwest Chapter region to submit the first 25 pages of their novel or short story for consideration for the Hugh Holton Award.
Entries are $15 for MWA members and $25 for non-members. Anyone who participated in the Mystery Mentors program in the same submission year is eligible for a free entry. All submission materials, including payments, must be received by 11:59pm on October 31.
The winner of the member category will receive $500.
The winner of the non-member category will receive a year’s membership to MWA (a $115 value) and $250.
Official rules
Submitting writers must not have any novels commercially published (this includes self-published). Entrants can have published short stories or other short pieces.
Writers must reside in one of the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin.
Only one entry per writer. Previous Holton grand prize winners are not eligible.
Submissions must follow standard manuscript formatting: 12-pt Times New Roman (or similar) font, 1” margins, double-spaced lines, and 0.5” paragraph indents.
One winner will be selected for each category. Non-member submissions and the preliminary round of member submissions are judged by a committee of published Midwest Chapter members; the finalist member submissions are sent on to a special guest judge, announced annually.
Past Winners
2025
Colleen Newquist, Tomfoolery!
2024
Member Category
Sharon P. Lynn, Missing
2023
Member Category
Andy Boyle, The Deep and Forgotten Low
Non-member Category
Sara Braas, The Price You Pay
2022
Member Category
Margo Novotny, The Bone Bracelet
Non-member Category
Kate Michaelson, Hidden Rooms
2021
Member Category
Keith Mulford, Smuggler’s Ridge
Non-member Category
Keith Roysdon, Seven Angels