The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the shortlist for the 2024 CWA Dagger Awards on May 10.

The winners will be presented on July 4.

GOLD DAGGER

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

• Over My Dead Body by Maz Evans, (Headline)
• The Secret Hours, by Mick Herron (Baskerville, John Murray)
• Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane (Abacus, Little Brown)
• Tell me What I Am, by Una Mannion (Faber & Faber)
• Black River, by Nilanjana Roy (Pushkin Vertigo)
• Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Sutanto (HQ ,Harper Collins)

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.

• All the Sinners Bleed, by S A Cosby (Headline, Hachette)
• Ozark Dogs, by Eli Cranor  (Headline Hachette)
• Everybody Knows, by Jordan Harper (Faber & Faber)
• The Mantis by Kotaro Isaka, (Harvill Secker, Penguin Random House) 
• Gaslight by Femi Kayode (Raven Books, Bloomsbury)
• Drowning, by T J Newman (Simon & Schuster)

ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

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

• In The Blink of An Eye, by Jo Callaghan  (Simon & Schuster UK)
• The Golden Gate by Amy Chua, (Corvus, Atlantic Books)
• The Maiden, by Kate Foster (Mantle Pan Macmillan)
• West Heart Kill, by Dann McDorman (Raven Books)
• Go Seek by Michelle Teahan (Headline)
• The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh, (Gallic Books)

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.

• Clara & Olivia, by Lucy Ashe (Magpie, Oneworld Publications)
• Harlem After Midnight by Louise Hare  (HQ, HarperCollins)
• A Bitter Remedy by Alis Hawkins (Canelo)
• Viper’s Dream by Jake Lamar (No Exit Press)
• Scarlet Town by Leonora Nattrass (Viper, Profile Books)
• Voices of the Dead by Ambrose Parry (Canongate Books)

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.

• Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado, (translated by Nick Caistor,) Macmillan
• The Sins Of Our Fathers by Asa Larsson (translated by Frank Perry), Maclehose Press
• Nothing Is Lost, by Cloé Mehdi (translated by Howard Curtis), Europa Editions UK
• The Consultant, by Im Seong-sun (translated by An Seong Jae,) Raven Books
• The Prey by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (translated by Victoria Cribb), Hodder & Stoughton
• My Husband by Maud Ventura (translated by Emma Ramadan,) Hutchinson Heinemann

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 Art Thief, by Michael Finkel (Simon & Schuster)
• No Ordinary Day by Matt Johnson with John Murray  (Ad Lib Publishers)
• Devil’s Coin by Jennifer McAdam with Douglas Thompson  (Ad Lib Publishers Ltd)
• Seventy Times Seven by Alex Mar (Bedford Square Publishers)
• How Many More Women? By Jennifer Robinson & Keina Yoshida  (Endeavour)
• Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare, (Vintage)

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.

• Safe Enough by Lee Child from An Unnecessary Assassin, edited by Lorraine Stevens, (Rivertree)
• The Last Best Thing by Mia Dalia from Bang!:An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction, edited by Andrew Hook, (Head Shot Press)
• The Also-Rans by Benedict J Jones from Bang!:An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction edited by Andrew Hook, (Head Shot Press)
• The Divide by Sanjida Kay from The Book of Bristol edited by Joe Melia and Heather Marks, (Comma Press)
• The Spendthrift and the Swallow, by Ambrose Parry (Canongate Books)
• Best Served Cold by FD Quinn from An Unnecessary Assassin edited by Lorraine Stevens, (Rivertree)

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.

• Louise Candlish 
• MW Craven
• Cara Hunter
• Anthony Horowitz
• LJ Ross 

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

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

• Canelo
• Headline (Hachette)
• Joffe Books
• Michael Joseph (PenguinRandomHouse)
• Pushkin Press
• Simon & Schuster

DEBUT DAGGER (Sponsored by ProWritingAid)

A competition for the opening of a crime novel and synopsis.

• Burnt Ranch by Katherine Ahlert,
• Unnatural Predators by Caroline Arnoul
• Makoto Murders by Richard Jerram
• Not a Good Mother by Karabi Mitra
• Long Way Home by Lynn Tavernier
• The Last Days of Forever by Jeremy Tinker
• The Blond by Megan Toogood