The EDGARS are awards given out annually by the Mystery Writers of America to recognize excellence in the genre of crime and mystery writing. The awards, which were first presented in 1945, are named after the famous fictional detective, Edgar Allan Poe. They are also known as the 'Whodunit Awards' due to the focus on mystery and suspense stories. The awards are presented in a variety of categories, including Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Short Story, Best Critical/Biographical Work, and Best Television Episode Teleplay.