The Agatha Awards honor traditional mysteries. The awards are named for Agatha Christie and are typically defined as mysteries that contain no explicit sex, excessive gore or gratuitous violence. The stories usually feature an amateur detective, a confined setting and characters that know one another.

Fans and Friends of Malice Domestic who registered for the convention before December 31, 2007 selected the nominees for the Agatha Awards. These participants were eligible to submit nominations in all five categories. Winners were decided at the convention and the results announced at a banquet which also honored Malice's International Guest of Honor Lindsey Davis, Guest of Honor Charlaine Harris, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Peter Lovesey and Toastmaster Dan Stashower.

Malice Domestic XX took place April 25 through April 27, 2008 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

Alos announced at the banquet were the honorees for Malice Domestic 21 to be held May 1-3, 2008 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. The Guest of Honor will be Nancy Pickard, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be Anne Perry, and the Toastmaster will be Elaine Viets. For more information about Malice Domestic visit the website: http://malicedomestic.org.