The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the shortlist for the 2023 CWA Dagger Awards on May 12.

The winners will be presented on July 6.

GOLD DAGGER

This award is for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality.

• The Kingdoms of the Savannah by George Dawes Green
• The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan
• A Killing in November by Simon Mason
• The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola 
• The Winter Guest by William Ryan 
• The Silent Brother by Simon Van der Velde

IAN FLEMING STEEL DAGGER

Eligible books in this category are thrillers set in any period and include, but are not limited to, spy fiction, psychological thrillers and action/adventure stories.

• Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay
• Seventeen by John Brownlow
• The Botanist by MW Craven
• The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
• Alias Emma by Ava Glass
• May God Forgive by Alan Parks

JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

This award is for the best crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality.

• Breaking by Amanda Cassidy 
• The Local by Joey Hartstone
• London in Black by Jack Lutz 
• Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
• No Country for Girls by Emma Styles
• Outback by Patricia Wolf

HISTORICAL DAGGER

This award is for the best historical crime novel, set in any period up to 50 years prior to the year in which the award will be made.

• The Darkest Sin by DV Bishop
• The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola
• The Homes by JB Mylet
• The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra
• Blue Water by Leonora Nattrass
• Hear No Evil by Sarah Smith

ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION

This award is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality.

• The Poisonous Solicitor by Stephen Bates
• The Life of Crime by Martin Edwards
• Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph
• Tremors In The Blood by Amit Katwala
• To Hunt a Killer by Julie Mackay & Robert Murphy
• About A Son by David Whitehouse

CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER

This award is for a crime novel not originally written in English and which has been translated into English for UK publication.

• Good Reasons to Die, by Morgan Audic (tr Sam Taylor)
• The Red Notebook, by Michel Bussi (tr Vineet Lal)
• Even the Darkest Night by Javier Cercas (tr Anne Mclean)
• Bad Kids by Zijin Chen, (tr Michelle Deeter)
• The Bleeding by Johana Gustawsson (tr David Warriner) 
• The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier (tr Adriana Hunter) 

SHORT STORY DAGGER

This award is for any crime short story first published in the UK in English in a publication that pays for contributions, or broadcast in the UK in return for payment.

• The Disappearance by Leigh Bardugo – In ‘Marple’ 
• The Tears of Venus by Victoria and Delilah Dowd – In ‘Unlocked’ 
• The Beautiful Game by Sanjida Kay 
• Paradise Lost by Abir Mukherjee
• Runaway Blues by C J Tudor – In ‘A Sliver of Darkness’ 
• Cast A Long Shadow by Hazell Ward – In ‘Cast A Long Shadow’

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

This prestigious Dagger is awarded annually to the Best Crime and Mystery Publisher of the Year.

• Harper Fiction 
• Mantle 
• Michael Joseph 
• Pushkin Vertigo 
• Quercus 
• Viper

DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY

The Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by an established crime writer who has long been popular with borrowers from libraries, and who has supported libraries and their users.

• Ben Aaronovitch    
• Sophie Hannah 
• Mick Herron  

DIAMOND DAGGER

Awarded every year to an author whose crime-writing career has been marked by sustained excellence, and who has made a significant contribution to the genre. Votes from CWA members go forward to be deliberated on by an independent panel. This year’s recipient is:

• Walter Mosley

DEBUT DAGGER Sponsored by ProWritingAid

• Bulldog Murphy by Chris Corbett
• Male, Unknown by Chris Griffiths
• Sideways by Jeff Marsick
• Heist by James Pierson
• The Line of Least Resistance by Jeff Richards
• Cradle of Storms by Margaret Winslow