Crime Fiction Awards 2021 News

The shortlist for a Norwegian award and the winner of a British career achievement award have been announced.

SILVER KNIFE

The nominees for the 2021 Norwegian Sølv Kniven [Silver Knife] were announced on February 16. [English title translations via Shotsmag Confidential.]

  • Kjell Ola Dahl for «Assistenten» [The Assistant]
  • Frode Eie Gjørtz-Larsen for «Så ble det kaldt» [So It Got Cold]
  • Sven Petter Myhr Næss for «Skjebnesteinen» [Fate Stone]. 

The Silver Knife is awarded during the crime fiction festival “Blodig alvor i landsbyen” [“Bloody seriousness in the village”]. The winner will be announced on March 16.

DIAMOND DAGGER

The Crime Writers’ Association (UK) has recognized Martina Cole with the 2021 CWA Diamond Dagger, “the highest honour in British crime writing.”

The long-reigning Queen of Crime Drama is a publishing powerhouse. Martina has written 25 novels, all published by Headline, seventeen of which reached No.1 and her books have collectively spent over 4 years in the bestseller charts. Total sales stand at over 17 million copies, making her Britain’s bestselling female crime writer and with The Faithless she became the first British female adult audience novelist to break the £50 million sales mark since Nielsen Bookscan records began.  Her books have been translated into 31 languages and adapted for multiple stage plays and television series.

The Diamond Dagger award goes to authors “whose crime-writing careers have been marked by sustained excellence, and who have made a significant contribution to crime fiction writing.”

Martina Cole acknowledged the award: “It means so much to me to be receiving this prestigious award from my peers at the CWA. I can’t believe it’s nearly thirty years since Dangerous Lady was published – some people dismissed me as an Essex girl and a one-book wonder – but as one of my favourite songs goes: ‘I’m still here’!”

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for the story.]