CrimeFest, a British crime fiction convention in Bristol, announced their 2024 CrimeFest Awards nominees on April 16. These prizes “honour the best crime books released in 2023 in the UK.” The awards will be presented on May 11.

The 2024 CrimeFest Award Shortlists:

SPECSAVERS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL AWARD

In association with headline sponsor, the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award is for debut authors first published in the United Kingdom in 2023. The winning author receives a £1,000 prize. 

• Death Under a Little Sky by Stig Abell (Hemlock Press/HarperCollins)
• In The Blink Of An Eye  by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster)
• The Messenger by Megan Davis  (Zaffre)
• Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Madsen translated by Megan Turney (Orenda Books)
• Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow (Baskerville)
• Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater  (Hodder & Stoughton)

H.R.F. KEATING AWARD

The H.R.F. Keating Award is for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction first published in the United Kingdom in 2023. The award is named after H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating, one of Britain’s most esteemed crime novelists, crime reviewers and writer of books about crime fiction.

• Contemporary European Crime Fiction: Representing History and Politics by M, J, F & A Dall’Asta, Migozzi, Pagello & Pepper (Palgrave)
• Ocular Proof and the Spectacled Detective in British Crime Fiction by Lisa Hopkins (Palgrave)
• How To Survive a Classic Crime Novel  by Kate Jackson (British Library Publishing)
• Love Me Fierce In Danger: The Life of James Ellroy by Steven Powell (Bloomsbury Academic)
• Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare (Harvill Secker)
• The Secret Life of John Le Carré by Adam Sisman (Profile Books)

LAST LAUGH AWARD

The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.

• The Last Dance by Mark Billingham (Sphere)
• The Great Deceiver by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
• The Secret Hours by Mick Herron  (Baskerville)
• Mr Campion’s Memory by Mike Ripley (Severn House)
• Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Sutanto (HQ)
• The Beaver Theory by Antti Tuomianen  (Orenda Books)

eDUNNIT AWARD 

For the best crime fiction ebook first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format in the United Kingdom in 2023.

• Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott (Wildfire)
• The Close by Jane Casey (HarperCollins)
• Sepulchre Street by Martin Edwards(Head of Zeus)
• Murder at Bletchley Park by Christina Koning (Allison & Busby)
• Prom Mom by Laura Lippman (Faber & Faber)
• The Devil’s Playground by Craig Russell (Constable)

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR CHILDREN

This award is for the best crime novel for children (aged 8-12) first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.

• Mysteries At Sea: Peril On The Atlantic by A.M. Howell  (Usborne Publishing)
• The Detention Detectives by Lis Jardine  (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
• The Swifts by Beth Lincoln (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
• The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School by Marcus Rashford (with Alex Falase-Koya) (Macmillan Children’s Books)
• The Ministry of Unladylike Activity 2: The Body in the Blitz by Robin Stevens (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
• The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Portraits and Poison by J.T. Williams (illustrated by Simone Douglas) (Farshore)

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVEL FOR YOUNG ADULTS

This award is for the best crime novel for young adults (aged 12-16) first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.

• The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes  (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
• Promise Boys by Nick Brooks (Macmillan Children’s Books)
• This Book Kills by Ravena Guron (Usborne Publishing)
• Catch Your Death by Ravena Guron (Usborne Publishing)
• One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus (Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
• Stateless by Elizabeth Wein (Bloomsbury YA)

THALIA PROCTOR MEMORIAL AWARD FOR BEST ADAPTED TV CRIME DRAMA

This award is for the best television crime drama based on a book, and first screened in the UK in 2023. 

• Dalgliesh (series 2), based on the Inspector Dalgliesh books by P.D. James (Channel 5)
• Reacher (series 2), based on the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child (Amazon Prime)
• Shetland (series 8), based on the Shetland books by Ann Cleeves (BBC)
• Slow Horses (series 3), based on the Slough House books by Mick Herron (Apple)
• The Serial Killer’s Wife, based on the Serial Killer books by Alice Hunter (Paramount+)
• Vera (series 12), based on the Vera Stanhope books by Ann Cleeves (ITV)