Nominees are listed below the winner(s) for each year.

  • 1987: The Manse by Lisa Cantrell
    • The Damnation Game by Clive Barker
    • Slob by Rex Miller
    • The Harvest Bride by Tony Richards
    • Excavation Steve by Rasnic Tem
  • 1988: The Suiting by Kelley Wilde
  • 1989: Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy A. Collins
    • The Dwelling by Tom Elliot
    • Goat Dance by Douglas Clegg
    • Laying The Music To Rest by Dean Wesley Smith
    • The Lilith Factor by Jean Paiva
  • 1990: The Revelation by Bentley Little
    • Blood of the Children by Alan Rodgers
    • Dark Father by Tom Piccirilli
    • Nightblood by T. Chris Martindale
  • 1991: The Cipher by Kathe Koja (tie)
  • 1991: Prodigal by Melanie Tem (tie)
    • Winter Scream by Chris Curry & L. Dean James
    • ''Wilderness' by Dennis Danvers
    • Unearthed by Ashley McConnell
  • 1992: Sineater by Elizabeth Massie
    • Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite
    • Beauty by Brian D'Amato
    • Less Than Human by Gary Raisor
    • The Holy Terror by Wayne Allen Salee''
  • 1993: The Thread that Binds the Bones by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
    • Afterage by Yvonne Navarro
    • Created By by Richard Christian Matheson
    • Suckers by Anne Billson
    • Wet Work by Philip Nutman
  • 1994: Grave Markings by Michael Arnzen
    • The Black Mariah by Jay R. Bonansinga
    • Deadweight by Robert Devereaux
    • Near Death by Nancy Kilpatrick
  • 1995: The Safety of Unknown Cities by Lucy Taylor
    • Diary of a Vampire by Gary Bowen
    • The Between by Tananarive Due
    • Madeleine's Ghost by Robert Girardi
    • Wyrm Wolf by Edo van Belkolm
  • 1996: Crota by Owl Goingback
    • Flute Song by Donald Burleson
    • Horrow Show by Greg Kihn
    • Dead Heat by Del Stone
  • 1997: Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis
    • The Art of Arrow Cutting by Stephen Dedman
    • Hungry Eyes by Barry Hoffman
    • Drawn to the Grave by Mary Ann Mitchell
    • The Inquisitor by Mary Murrey
  • 1998: Dawn Song by Michael Marano
    • Night Prayers by P.D. Cacek
    • This Symbiotic Fascination by Charlee Jacob
    • Silk by Caitlin R. Kiernan
  • 1999: Wither by J.G. Passarella
  • 2000: The Licking Valley Coon Hunters Club by Brian A. Hopkins
    • Nailed by the Heart by Simon Clark
    • House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielweski
    • Run by Douglas E. Winter
  • 2001: Deadliest of the Species by Michael Oliveri
    • Phantom Feast by Diana Barron
    • Skating on the Edge by d.g.k. goldberg
    • Riverwatch by Joe Nassise
  • 2002: The Lovely Bones by Alive Seybold
    • The Blues Ain't Nothing by Tina Jens
    • Atmosphere by Michael Laimo
    • The Red Church by Scott Nicholson

See also