ers ▁Association ▁of ▁Australia ▁to ▁reward ▁excell ence ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁crime ▁writing ▁within ▁Australia . ▁ ▁The ▁genre ▁of ▁crime ▁writing ▁has ▁long ▁been ▁popular , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁that ▁a ▁local ▁growth ▁of ▁writing ▁within ▁the ▁genre ▁occurred ▁in ▁Australia . ▁By ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁de cade ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁field ▁had ▁grown ▁sufficiently ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁Ned ▁Kelly ▁Awards . ▁ ▁The ▁awards ▁are ▁affection ately ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁' The ▁Ned d ies ' ▁within ▁the ▁community . ▁ ▁C ategories ▁Best ▁First ▁Nov el ▁Best ▁True ▁Crime ▁Best ▁Nov el ▁Best ▁Te en age / You ng ▁Ad ult ▁Read ers ▁V ote ▁Best ▁Non - F iction ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁Awards ▁ ▁Pre vious ▁w inners ▁ ▁Short lists ▁▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁ ▁Best ▁Crime ▁Nov el ▁ ▁Gar ry ▁D isher , ▁Kill ▁Sh ot : ▁A ▁Wy att ▁Th r iller ▁ ▁Cand ice ▁Fox , ▁G one ▁by ▁Mid night ▁ ▁Ker ry ▁Green wood , ▁The ▁Sp otted ▁Dog ▁ ▁Jane ▁Har per , ▁The ▁Lost ▁Man ▁ ▁Michael ▁Rob oth am , ▁The ▁Other ▁W ife ▁ ▁Sue ▁Williams , ▁Live ▁and ▁Let ▁F ry ▁ ▁Best ▁First ▁Crime ▁Nov el ▁ ▁K atherine ▁K ov ac ic , ▁The ▁Port rait ▁of ▁Mol ly ▁Dean ▁ ▁Der v la ▁Mc T ier nan , ▁The ▁Ru in ▁ ▁Em ily