Crime Fiction Awards 2024 Kickoff

CWA DIAMOND DAGGER

The Crime Writers’ Association has announced the 2024 Diamond Dagger Joint Winners, Lynda La Plante and James Lee Burke.

The Diamond Dagger recognizes authors whose crime writing careers have been marked by sustained excellence, and who have made a significant contribution to the genre, and is regarded as one of the foremost awards hosted in Britain for crime writing.

Lynda La Plante CBE began her career as an actor in TV and theatre. She graduated from RADA, where her fellow students included Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt. 

La Plante wrote her first treatment for TV, Widows, which went on to become one of the highest rating series in the 1980s. She became a sought-after crime writer, with her debut novel, The Legacy, published in 1987. 

In 1990, La Plante began work on Prime Suspect, which was released in 1991, starring Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. In 1993, she received the Dennis Potter Award from BAFTA and was made a fellow of the British Film Institute. The success led to her forming her own television production company, La Plante Productions. 

She also wrote and produced multiple shows in the US, with actors including Vanessa Redgrave, Sam Neill, and Rob Lowe. In 2014, she formed a new global rights and production company – La Plante Global. Her current book series features Detective Jack Warr. She received a CBE for services to Literature, Drama and Charity in 2008. 

James Lee Burke’s first novel was compared to the work of Faulkner and Sartre by the New York Times. Despite this, he was out of hardback print for 13 years until his third novel, The Lost Get-Back Boogie was published and submitted for a Pulitzer Prize, after being rejected over 111 times. Over the years, he’s taught at universities, worked as a case worker with former felons, as a pipeliner for an oil company, a long-distance truck driver, and a newspaper reporter.

James Lee Burke has two Edgar Awards, a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, and has been a Guggenheim Fellow.  

2023 JOFFE BOOKS PRIZE FOR CRIME WRITERS OF COLOUR

The winner of the Joffe Books Prize for Crime Writers of Colour 2023 was announced on December 6, 2023.

The winner is Renita D’Silva, for her compelling psychological thriller, The Neighbour. She receives a two-book publishing deal with Joffe Books, a £1,000 cash prize, and a £25,000 audiobook deal from Audible for the first book. This is one of Britain’s biggest crime prizes.

The Joffe Books Prize for Crime Writers of Colour was established in direct response to the paucity of diverse voices being published in crime fiction. Its explicit aim is to actively seek out writers from communities that are underrepresented in our genre and support them in building sustainable careers, while simultaneously discovering brilliant new talent to join our bestselling list.

Renita D’Silva

2023 CWA Dagger Awards Winners

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the winners of the 2023 CWA Dagger Awards 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

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.

  • Agent Seventeen by John Brownlow

JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

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

  • Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor

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

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.

  • Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph

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.

  • Even the Darkest Night by Javier Cercas (tr Anne Mclean)

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.

  • Cast A Long Shadow by Hazell Ward

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

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

  • 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.

  • Sophie Hannah 

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

  • Sideways by Jeff Marsick

2023 CWA Dagger Awards Shortlist

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

Crime Fiction Awards News for May 2023

2023 THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR

The longlist for the 2023 Theakston old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year has been announced.

The prize was created to celebrate “excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction from UK and Irish authors” whose novels were published in paperback during the eligibility period.

 The winner receives £3,000 and a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculier. 

The public are now invited to vote for a shortlist of six titles here; voting for that closes May 18. Then the shortlist will be posted and winner voting will open June 15. The prize winner will be revealed July 20.

The Longlist in full:

  • The Murder Book by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown Book Group; Little Brown)
  • The Botanist by M.W. Craven (Little, Brown Book Group; Constable)
  • Into The Dark by Fiona Cummins (Pan Macmillan; Macmillan/Pan)
  • The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley (HarperCollins; HarperFiction)
  • The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)
  • The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett (Profile Books; Viper)
  • Bad Actors by Mick Herron (John Murray Press; Baskerville)
  • The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell (Cornerstone; Century Fiction)
  • Black Hearts by Doug Johnstone (Orenda Books)
  • The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan (Hodder & Stoughton)
  • The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh (Little, Brown Book Group; Sphere)
  • All I Said Was True by Imran Mahmood (Bloomsbury Publishing; Raven Books)
  • Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (Penguin Random House; Michael Joseph)
  • 1989 by Val McDermid (Little, Brown Book Group; Little Brown)
  • The Heretic by Liam McIlvanney (HarperCollins; HarperFiction)
  • Blue Water by Leonora Nattrass (Profile Books; Viper)
  • May God Forgive by Alan Parks (Canongate Books)
  • Truly Darkly Deeply by Victoria Selman (Quercus)
  • Reputation by Sarah Vaughan (Simon & Schuster)
  • The It Girl by Ruth Ware (Simon & Schuster)

2023 CWA DAGGER AWARDS

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the longlist for the 2023 CWA Dagger Awards on April 22.

GOLD DAGGER

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

  • Oxblood by Tom Benn
  • Shoot the Moonlight Out by William Boyle
  • The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
  • The Kingdoms of the Savannah by George Dawes Green
  • The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan
  • The Bookseller of Inverness by SG Maclean
  • A Killing in November by Simon Mason
  • The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola 
  • The Winter Guest by William Ryan 
  • A Killing Rain by Faye Snowdon
  • The Bone Road by NE Solomons 
  • 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.

  • Opera by Julie Anderson
  • A Kiss After Dying by Ashok Banker
  • Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay
  • Seventeen by John Brownlow
  • The Match by Harlan Coben
  • The Botanist by MW Craven
  • Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
  • The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
  • Alias Emma by Ava Glass
  • A Loyal Traitor by Tim Glister
  • Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
  • 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.

  • A Good Day to Die by Amen Alonge
  • Better the Blood by Michael Bennett
  • Breaking by Amanda Cassidy 
  • Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor
  • The Local by Joey Hartstone
  • The Truth Will Out by Rosemary Hennigan 
  • London in Black by Jack Lutz 
  • Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
  • No Country for Girls by Emma Styles
  • Nobody But Us by Laure Van Rensburg
  • Outback by Patricia Wolf
  • The Partisan by Patrick Worrall

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
  • Blackstone Fell by Martin Edwards
  • Two Storm Wood by Philip Gray
  • The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys by Jack Jewers
  • The Bookseller of Inverness by SG MacLean
  • The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola
  • Death at the Dolphin by Gretta Mulrooney
  • The Homes by JB Mylet
  • The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra
  • Blue Water by Leonora Nattrass
  • Hear No Evil by Sarah Smith
  • The Mushroom Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu


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
  • Dead in the Water by Matthew Campbell & Kit Chellel
  • What We Fear Most by Ben Cave
  • Scandal at Dolphin Square by Simon Danczuk & Daniel Smith
  • 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
  • The Real Special Relationship by Michael Smith
  • The Life Inside by Andy West
  • About A Son by David Whitehouse
  • Stitched Up by Shahed Yousaf

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)
  • Impossible, by Erri De Luca (tr NS Thompson) 
  • Femicide by Pascal Engman (tr Michael Gallagher)
  • The Bleeding by Johana Gustawsson (tr David Warriner) 
  • The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock (tr Tara Chace) 
  • The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier (tr Adriana Hunter) 
  • The Dark Flood by Deon Meyer (tr KL Seggers) 
  • The Tattoo Murder by Akimitsu Takagi (tr Deborah Boehm)
  • Lady Joker by Kaoru Takamura (tr Allison Markin Powell & Marie Iida)

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’ 
  • Strawberry Moon by John Grisham – In ‘Sparring Partners
  • Clout Chaser by Rachel Howzell Hall
  • The Beautiful Game by Sanjida Kay 
  • Paradise Lost by Abir Mukherjee
  • Death In Darjeeling by Vaseem Khan – In ‘The Perfect Crime’ 
  • Just One More by Laura Lippman – In ‘Seasonal Work & Other Killer Stories
  • Auld Bride by Judith O’Reilly – In ‘Gone’ 
  • The Lake House by Ferdinand von Schirach – In ‘Punishment’ (tr: Katharina Hall) 
  • 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.

  • Bitter Lemon Press 
  • Bookouture 
  • Canelo 
  • Harper Fiction 
  • Hodder & Stoughton 
  • Mantle 
  • Michael Joseph 
  • Raven 
  • Pushkin Vertigo 
  • Quercus 
  • Simon & Schuster 
  • 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  
  • Erin Kelly  
  • Angela Marsons  
  • Brian McGilloway 
  • Tim Weaver

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

2023 MARGERY ALLINGHAM SHORT MYSTERY COMPETITION

The Crime Writers Association also has announced the longlist for the 2023 Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition.

The international competition is open to short stories of up to 3,500 words that have not been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.

  • Off the Rails – Cailey Barker
  • The Mitcham Manor Inquiry – Antony M Brown
  • The Note – Tim Butterworth
  • Confession – Ajay Chowdhury
  • Unlucky for Some – Charlie Cochrane
  • The Key – Christine Curran
  • The Midwinter Murders – Robert Grossmith
  • How to Catch a Bullet in a Plate – Judith O’Reilly
  • Huitzilopochtli – Eugene O’Toole
  • Carême and the Crime of the Century – Emma Seaman
  • The Fifth Element – Mark Thielman
  • The Breast Band Murder – Norman Thomas

2022 ELLERY QUEEN MYSTERY MAGAZINE READER AWARDS

The winners of the 2022 Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Reader Awards have been posted.

  • W. Edward Blain — “The Secret Sharer” (July/August 2022) 
  • Doug Allyn — “Blind Baseball” (May/June 2022)
  • Anna Scotti — “Schrödinger, Cat” (March/April 2022)

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for these stories.]

2022 Dagger Awards

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the 2022 Dagger Awards on June 29.

The Daggers were first given in 1955, but for the first five years CWA called its top honor the Crossed Red Herring Award.

GOLD DAGGER

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

  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)

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.

  • DEAD GROUND by MW CRAVEN (Little, Brown • Constable)

JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

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

  • THE APPEAL by JANICE HALLETT (Profile Books • Viper 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.

  • HOTEL CARTAGENA by SIMONE BUCHHOLZ Translated by RACHEL WARD (Orenda Books)

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 DISAPPEARANCE OF LYDIA HARVEY: A TRUE STORY OF SEX, CRIME AND THE MEANING OF JUSTICE by JULIA LAITE (Profile 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.

  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)

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.

  • FLESH OF A FANCY WOMAN by PAUL MAGRS in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

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

  • FABER & FABER

DEBUT DAGGER

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

  • THE 10:12 by ANNA MALONEY

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.

  • MARK BILLINGHAM

DIAMOND DAGGER

For a lifetime contribution to crime writing in the English language.

  • CJ SANSOM

CWA RED HERRING

Awarded for services to the Association.

  • THALIA PROCTOR

2022 Dagger Awards Shortlists

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the shortlist for the 2022 Dagger Awards on May 13.

The Daggers were first given in 1955, but for the first five years CWA called its top honor the Crossed Red Herring Award.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony on June 29.

GOLD DAGGER

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

  • BEFORE YOU KNEW MY NAME by JACQUELINE BUBLITZ (Little, Brown • Sphere)
  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • RAZORBLADE TEARS by SA COSBY (Headline Publishing Group • Headline)
  • THE UNWILLING by JOHN HART (Bonnier Books UK • Zaffre)
  • THE SHADOWS OF MEN by ABIR MUKHERJEE (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • THE TRAWLERMAN by WILLIAM SHAW (Quercus • riverrun)

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.

  • FIND YOU FIRST by LINWOOD BARCLAY (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • THE PACT by SHARON BOLTON (Orion Publishing Group)
  • THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE by STEVE CAVANAGH (Orion Publishing Group)
  • RAZORBLADE TEARS by SA COSBY (Headline Publishing Group)
  • DEAD GROUND by MW CRAVEN (Little, Brown • Constable)
  • DREAM GIRL by LAURA LIPPMAN (Faber)

JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

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

  • WELCOME TO COOPER by TARIQ ASHKANANI (Thomas & Mercer)
  • REPENTANCE by ELOÍSA DÍAZ (Orion Publishing Group • Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
  • THE MASH HOUSE by ALAN GILLESPIE (Unbound • Unbound Digital)
  • THE APPEAL by JANICE HALLETT (Profile Books • Viper Books)
  • WHERE RAVENS ROOST by KARIN NORDIN (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • HOW TO KIDNAP THE RICH by RAHUL RAINA (Little, Brown)
  • WAKING THE TIGER by MARK WIGHTMAN (Hobeck 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.

  • HOTEL CARTAGENA by SIMONE BUCHHOLZ Translated by RACHEL WARD (Orenda Books)
  • BULLET TRAIN by KŌTARŌ ISAKA Translated by SAM MALISSA (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • OXYGEN by SACHA NASPINI Translated by CLARISSA BOTSFORD (Europa Editions UK)
  • PEOPLE LIKE THEM by SAMIRA SEDIRA Translated by LARA VERGNAUD (Bloomsbury Publishing • Raven Books)
  • THE RABBIT FACTOR by ANTTI TUOMAINEN Translated by DAVID HACKSTON (Orenda Books)

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 DEVIL YOU KNOW: STORIES OF HUMAN CRUELTY AND COMPASSION by DR GWEN ADSHEAD & EILEEN HORNE (Faber)
  • THE DUBLIN RAILWAY MURDER by THOMAS MORRIS (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • THE UNUSUAL SUSPECT by BEN MACHELL (Canongate Books)
  • THE DISAPPEARANCE OF LYDIA HARVEY: A TRUE STORY OF SEX, CRIME AND THE MEANING OF JUSTICE by JULIA LAITE (Profile Books)
  • EMPIRE OF PAIN by PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE (Pan Macmillan • Picador)
  • THE IRISH ASSASSINS: CONSPIRACY, REVENGE AND THE MURDERS THAT STUNNED AN EMPIRE by JULIE KAVANAGH (Atlantic Books • Grove Press UK)

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.

  • APRIL IN SPAIN by JOHN BANVILLE (Faber)
  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • CROW COURT by ANDY CHARMAN (Unbound)
  • NOT ONE OF US by ALIS HAWKINS (Canelo)
  • EDGE OF THE GRAVE by ROBBIE MORRISON (Pan Macmillan • Macmillan)
  • A CORRUPTION OF BLOOD by AMBROSE PARRY (Canongate Books)

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.

  • BLINDSIDED by CAROLINE ENGLAND in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)
  • WITH THE OTHERS by TM LOGAN in Afraid of the Shadows; Editor: Miranda Jewess (Criminal Minds)
  • FLESH OF A FANCY WOMAN by PAUL MAGRS in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)
  • LONDON by JO NESBØ in The Jealousy Man and other stories; Editor: Robert Ferguson (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • CHANGELING by BRYONY PEARCE in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)
  • WHEN I GROW UP by ROBERT SCRAGG in Afraid of the Shadows; Editor: Miranda Jewess (Criminal Minds)

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

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

  • FABER & FABER
  • HARPER FICTION (HARPERCOLLINS imprint)
  • MICHAEL JOSEPH (PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE imprint)
  • TITAN BOOKS
  • VIPER (PROFILE BOOKS imprint)
  • PUSHKIN VERTIGO (PUSHKIN PRESS imprint)

DEBUT DAGGER

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

  • HENRY’S BOMB by KEVIN BARTLETT
  • HOLLOWAY CASTLE by LAURA ASTON HILL
  • THE 10:12 by ANNA MALONEY
  • THE DEAD OF EGYPT by DAVID SMITH
  • THE DIEPPE LETTERS by LIZ RACHEL WALKER

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.

  • LIN ANDERSON
  • MARK BILLINGHAM
  • SUSAN HILL
  • EDWARD MARSTON
  • CATH STAINCLIFFE

2022 Dagger Awards Longlists

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the longlist for the 2022 Dagger Awards on April 23.

The Daggers were first given in 1955, but for the first five years CWA called its top honor the Crossed Red Herring Award.

The award’s shortlist will come out May 13, and the winners will be revealed at a ceremony on June 29.

GOLD DAGGER

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

  • NEXT OF KIN by KIA ABDULLAH (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • THE CHRISTMAS MURDER GAME by ALEXANDRA BENEDICT (Bonnier Books UK • Zaffre)
  • RABBIT HOLE by MARK BILLINGHAM (Little, Brown • Sphere)
  • CITY OF VENGEANCE by DV BISHOP (Pan Macmillan • Macmillan)
  • BEFORE YOU KNEW MY NAME by JACQUELINE BUBLITZ (Little, Brown • Sphere)
  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • RAZORBLADE TEARS by SA COSBY (Headline Publishing Group • Headline)
  • THE LAST THING TO BURN by WILL DEAN (Hodder & Stoughton)
  • THE HOUSE UPTOWN by MELISSA GINSBURG (Faber)
  • THE UNWILLING by JOHN HART (Bonnier Books UK • Zaffre)
  • A SLOW FIRE BURNING by PAULA HAWKINS (Transworld • Doubleday)
  • LIGHTSEEKERS by FEMI KAYODE (Bloomsbury Publishing • Raven)
  • I KNOW WHAT I SAW by IMRAN MAHMOOD (Bloomsbury Publishing • Raven)
  • THE SHADOWS OF MEN by ABIR MUKHERJEE (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • THE KILLING HILLS by CHRIS OFFUTT (No Exit Press)
  • THE STONING by PETER PAPATHANASIOU (Quercus • MacLehose)
  • THE TRAWLERMAN by WILLIAM SHAW (Quercus • riverrun)
  • DAUGHTERS OF NIGHT by LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MURDER by ROSALIND STOPPS (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • BRAZILIAN PSYCHO by JOE THOMAS (Quercus • Arcadia)

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.

  • A MAN NAMED DOLL by JONATHAN AMES (Pushkin Press • Pushkin Vertigo)
  • FIND YOU FIRST by LINWOOD BARCLAY (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • EXIT by BELINDA BAUER (Transworld Publishers • Bantam Press)
  • THE PACT by SHARON BOLTON (Orion Publishing Group)
  • THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE by STEVE CAVANAGH (Orion Publishing Group)
  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • RAZORBLADE TEARS by SA COSBY (Headline Publishing Group)
  • DEAD GROUND by MW CRAVEN (Little, Brown • Constable)
  • THE PLOT by JEAN HANFF KORELITZ (Faber)
  • DREAM GIRL by LAURA LIPPMAN (Faber)
  • RIZZIO by DENISE MINA (Birlinn • Polygon)
  • THE LONELY ONES by HÅKAN NESSER (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)

JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

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

  • WELCOME TO COOPER by TARIQ ASHKANANI (Thomas & Mercer)
  • SIXTEEN HORSES by GREG BUCHANAN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • REPENTANCE by ELOÍSA DÍAZ (Orion Publishing Group • Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
  • HUNTED by ANTONY DUNFORD (Hobeck Books)
  • THE MASH HOUSE by ALAN GILLESPIE (Unbound • Unbound Digital)
  • RAFT OF STARS by ANDREW J GRAFF (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • THE APPEAL by JANICE HALLETT (Profile Books • Viper Books)
  • FALLING by TJ NEWMAN (Simon & Schuster)
  • WHERE RAVENS ROOST by KARIN NORDIN (HarperCollins • HQ)
  • THE STONING by PETER PAPATHANASIOU (Quercus • MacLehose Press)
  • HOW TO KIDNAP THE RICH by RAHUL RAINA (Little, Brown)
  • A MUMBAI MURDER MYSTERY by MEETI SHROFF-SHAH (Joffe Books)
  • THE SOURCE by SARAH SULTOON (Orenda Books)
  • WAKING THE TIGER by MARK WIGHTMAN (Hobeck 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.

  • GIRLS WHO LIE by EVA BJÖRG ÆGISDÓTTIR Translated by VICTORIA CRIBB (Orenda Books)
  • HOTEL CARTAGENA by SIMONE BUCHHOLZ Translated by RACHEL WARD (Orenda Books)
  • RICCARDINO by ANDREA CAMILLERI Translated by STEPHEN SARTARELLI (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • SEAT 7A by SEBASTIAN FITZEK Translated by STEVE ANDERSON (Head of Zeus)
  • BULLET TRAIN by KŌTARŌ ISAKA Translated by SAM MALISSA (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • HEATWAVE by VICTOR JESTIN Translated by SAM TAYLOR (Simon & Schuster • Scribner)
  • OXYGEN by SACHA NASPINI Translated by CLARISSA BOTSFORD (Europa Editions UK)
  • PEOPLE LIKE THEM by SAMIRA SEDIRA Translated by LARA VERGNAUD (Bloomsbury Publishing • Raven Books)
  • THE RABBIT FACTOR by ANTTI TUOMAINEN Translated by DAVID HACKSTON (Orenda Books)
  • THE SCORPION’S HEAD by HILDE VANDERMEEREN Translated by LAURA WATKINSON (Pushkin Press • Pushkin Vertigo)

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 DEVIL YOU KNOW: STORIES OF HUMAN CRUELTY AND COMPASSION by DR GWEN ADSHEAD & EILEEN HORNE (Faber)
  • THE SEVEN AGES OF DEATH by DR RICHARD SHEPHERD (Penguin Random House • Michael Joseph)
  • THE JIGSAW MURDERS by JEREMY CRADDOCK (The History Press)
  • THE DUBLIN RAILWAY MURDER by THOMAS MORRIS (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)
  • WHAT LIES BURIED by KERRY DAYNES (Hachette UK • Octopus)
  • THE UNUSUAL SUSPECT by BEN MACHELL (Canongate Books)
  • THE GOOD GIRLS by SONIA FALEIRO (Bloomsbury Publishing • Bloomsbury Circus)
  • THE DISAPPEARANCE OF LYDIA HARVEY: A TRUE STORY OF SEX, CRIME AND THE MEANING OF JUSTICE by JULIA LAITE (Profile Books)
  • WE ARE BELLINGCAT by ELIOT HIGGINS (Bloomsbury Publishing)
  • EMPIRE OF PAIN by PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE (Pan Macmillan • Picador)
  • THE IRISH ASSASSINS: CONSPIRACY, REVENGE AND THE MURDERS THAT STUNNED AN EMPIRE by JULIE KAVANAGH (Atlantic Books • Grove Press UK)

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.

  • APRIL IN SPAIN by JOHN BANVILLE (Faber)
  • CITY OF VENGEANCE by DV BISHOP (Pan Macmillan • Macmillan)
  • SUNSET SWING by RAY CELESTIN (Pan Macmillan • Mantle)
  • CROW COURT by ANDY CHARMAN (Unbound)
  • NOT ONE OF US by ALIS HAWKINS (Canelo)
  • THE DROWNED CITY by KJ MAITLAND (Headline)
  • WHERE GOD DOES NOT WALK by LUKE McCALLIN (No Exit Press)
  • EDGE OF THE GRAVE by ROBBIE MORRISON (Pan Macmillan • Macmillan)
  • A CORRUPTION OF BLOOD by AMBROSE PARRY (Canongate Books)
  • BLACKOUT by SIMON SCARROW (Headline)
  • THE ROYAL SECRET by ANDREW TAYLOR (HarperCollins • Harper Fiction)
  • THE CANNONBALL TREE MYSTERY by OVIDIA YU (Little, Brown Book Group • Constable)

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.

BLINDSIDED by CAROLINE ENGLAND in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)

THE VICTIM by AWAIS KHAN in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)

NEW TRICKS by MATT WESOLOWSKI in Afraid of the Shadows; Editor: Miranda Jewess (Criminal Minds)

LONDON by JO NESBØ in The Jealousy Man and other stories; Editor: Robert Ferguson (Penguin Random House • Harvill Secker)

WITH THE OTHERS by TM LOGAN in Afraid of the Shadows; Editor: Miranda Jewess (Criminal Minds)

THE CLIFTON VAMPIRE by TEKINSEY in Afraid of the Shadows; Editor: Miranda Jewess (Criminal Minds)

FLESH OF A FANCY WOMAN by PAUL MAGRS in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)

CHANGELING by BRYONY PEARCE in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)

THE WAY OF ALL FLESH by RAVEN DANE in Criminal Pursuits: Crime Through Time; Editor: Samantha Lee Howe (Telos Publishing)

WHEN I GROW UP by ROBERT SCRAGG in Afraid of the Shadows; Editor: Miranda Jewess (Criminal Minds)

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

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

  • AMAZON
  • THOMAS & MERCER
  • BLOOMSBURY
  • RAVEN BOOKS
  • FABER & FABER
  • HACHETTE UK
  • QUERCUS HARPERCOLLINS
  • HARPER FICTION ONEWORLD PUBLICATIONS
  • POINT BLANK PAN
  • MACMILLAN
  • MANTLE
  • PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
  • MICHAEL JOSEPH
  • PROFILE BOOKS
  • VIPER
  • PUSHKIN PRESS
  • PUSHKIN VERTIGO TITAN BOOKS

DEBUT DAGGER

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

  • HENRY’S BOMB by KEVIN BARTLETT
  • LUFKIN, TEXAS by KATHERINE FUTERS HOLLOWAY CASTLE by LAURA ASTON HILL
  • THE 10:12 by ANNA MALONEY
  • THE MERCY SEAT by RACHEL NIXON
  • THE TWO MURDERS AT MANOR PARK by ELIZABETH OPALKA
  • BLOOD CASTE by SHYLASHRI SHANKAR
  • DEAD RECKONING by JENNIFER SLEE and JESSICA SLEE
  • THE DEAD OF EGYPT by DAVID SMITH
  • THE DIEPPE LETTERS by LIZ RACHEL WALKER

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
  • LIN ANDERSON
  • MARK BILLINGHAM
  • SUSAN HILL
  • EDWARD MARSTON
  • KATE RHODES
  • SARA SHERIDAN
  • CATH STAINCLIFFE
  • REBECCA TOPE

MARGERY ALLINGHAM SHORT STORY COMPETITION

  • BLACK TIE FOR MURDER by CRAIG BOWLSBY
  • SECRETS IN THE FAMILY ATTIC by HANNAH BROWN
  • WHEELING AND DEALING by CAREY COOMBS
  • SAY CHEESE by WILLIAM CROTTY
  • UNFOUND by MARY-JANE HARBOTTLE
  • THE EXCEPTIONAL DEATH OF SIR THADDEUS PARKER by TOM HOLROYD
  • LOCKED IN by SCOTT HUNTER
  • THE MISSING PIECE by DEBORAH MANTLE
  • A FACE FOR MURDER by JUDITH O’REILLY
  • WEIGHTS AND BIASES by ALEXANDRE SADEGHI
  • BAD TIMING by PAUL SPENCER
  • BOXED IN by MARK THIELMAN

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 —

  • C J Sansom

Crime Fiction Awards 2022 News

2022 ITW THRILLER AWARDS NOMINEES

The International Thriller Writers have announced the finalists for the 2022 Thriller Awards.

The winners will be revealed at ThrillerFest XVII on Saturday, June 4 in New York City.

BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL

  • Megan Abbott – THE TURNOUT (Penguin/Putnam)
  • S. A. Cosby – RAZORBLADE TEARS (Flatiron Books)
  • Alice Feeney – ROCK PAPER SCISSORS (Flatiron Books)
  • Rachel Howzell Hall – THESE TOXIC THINGS (Thomas & Mercer)
  • Alma Katsu – RED WIDOW (Penguin/Putnam)
  • Eric Rickstad – I AM NOT WHO YOU THINK I AM (Blackstone Publishing)

BEST AUDIOBOOK

  • S. A. Cosby – RAZORBLADE TEARS (Macmillan) — Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White
  • Samantha Downing – SLEEPING DOG LIE (Audible Originals) — Narrated by Melanie Nicholls-King and Lindsey Dorcus
  • Rachel Howzell Hall – HOW IT ENDS (Audible Originals) — Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
  • Gregg Hurwitz – PRODIGAL SON (Macmillan) — Narrated by Scott Brick
  • Nadine Matheson – THE JIGSAW MAN (HarperCollins) — Narrated by Davine Henry

BEST FIRST NOVEL

  • Abigail Dean – GIRL A (HarperCollins)
  • Eloísa Díaz – REPENTANCE (Agora Books)
  • Amanda Jayatissa – MY SWEET GIRL (Berkley)
  • David McCloskey – DAMASCUS STATION (W.W. Norton & Company)
  • Eric Redman – BONES OF HILO (Crooked Lane Books)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL

  • Joy Castro – FLIGHT RISK (Lake Union)
  • Aaron Philip Clark – UNDER COLOR OF LAW (Thomas & Mercer)
  • C. J. Cooke – THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES (Berkley)
  • Jess Lourey – BLOODLINE (Thomas & Mercer)
  • Terry Roberts – MY MISTRESS’ EYES ARE RAVEN BLACK (Turner Publishing Company)

BEST SHORT STORY

  • S.A. Cosby – “Not My Cross to Bear” (Down & Out Books)
  • William Burton McCormick – “Demon in the Depths” (Ellery Queen’s
  • Mystery Magazine)
  • Scott Loring Sanders – “The Lemonade Stand” (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine)
  • Jeff Soloway – “The Interpreter and the Killer” (Ellery Queen’s
  • Mystery Magazine)
  • John Wimer – “Bad Chemistry” (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

  • Maureen Johnson – THE BOX IN THE WOODS (HarperCollins)
  • Nova McBee – CALCULATED (Wolfpack Publishing LLC)
  • Ginny Myers Sain – DARK AND SHALLOW LIES (Penguin Young Readers)
  • Courtney Summers – THE PROJECT (Wednesday Books)
  • Krystal Sutherland – HOUSE OF HOLLOW (Penguin Young Readers)

BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL

  • Greig Beck – THE DARK SIDE: ALEX HUNTER 9 (Pan Macmillan)
  • John Connell – WHERE THE WICKED TREAD (John Connell)
  • Wendy Dranfield – LITTLE GIRL TAKEN (Bookouture)
  • E.J. Findorff – BLOOD PARISH (E.J. Findorff)
  • S. E. Green – MOTHER MAY I (S. E. Green)
  • Andrew Kaplan – BLUE MADAGASCAR (Andrew Kaplan)
  • Karin Nordin – LAST ONE ALIVE (HarperCollins)

WOLFE PACK

The winners of the 2021 Nero Award and Black Orchid Novella Award were announced December 5. These crime fiction awards are given out by a Nero Wolfe fan group called The Wolfe Pack.

2021 NERO AWARD

The Nero Award is presented each year to an author for the best American Mystery written in the tradition of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe stories.

  • Stephen Spotswood for Fortune Favors the Dead (Doubleday).

2021 BLACK ORCHID NOVELLA AWARD

The Black Orchid Novella Award is presented jointly by The Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine to celebrate the novella format popularized by Rex Stout.

  • Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson for “The Man Who Went Down Under.” The novella will be published in the July 2022 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.

Honorable mentions for the Black Orchid Novella Award went to:

  • “Bad Apples” by Kathleen Marple Kalb (writing as Nikki Knight)
  • “The Inside Shake” by Jason Koontz
  • “House of Tigers” by William Burton McCormick
  • “The Mystery of the Missing Woman” by Regina M. Sestak 
  • “Lovely As” by Jacqueline Vick

CWA DIAMOND DAGGER

The Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger Award for 2022 goes to CJ Sansom.

Sansom is the creator of the bestselling Shardlake series, set in the reign of Henry VIII and following the sixteenth-century lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak.

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert and Todd Mason for these stories.]

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.]

2020 Dagger Awards

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) of the United Kingdom announced the winners of the 2020 Dagger Awards at an awards ceremony on October 22.

GOLD DAGGER

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

  • Michael Robotham: Good Girl, Bad Girl (Sphere)

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.

  • Lou Berney: November Road (Harper Fiction)

JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER

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

  • Trevor Wood: The Man on the Street (Quercus Fiction)

SAPERE 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.

  • Abir Mukherjee: Death in the East (Harvill Secker)

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.

  • Hannelore Cayre: The Godmother, translated by Stephanie Smee (Old Street Publishing)

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.

  • Lauren Henderson: #Me Too in Invisible Blood, edited by Maxim Jakubowski (Titan Books)

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.

  • Casey Cep: Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee (William Heinemann)

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.

  • Christopher Brookmyre

DEBUT DAGGER

A competition for the opening of a crime novel and synopsis, chosen by judges: bestselling author Leigh Russell, editor Stephanie Glencross (of Gregory and Company), Editorial Director at Bonnier Zaffre Katherine Armstrong and director of literary agency A.M. Heath and Co. Oli Munson.

  • Josephine Moulds: Revolution Never Lies

Highly Commended

  • Anna Caig: The Spae-Wife

PUBLISHERS’ DAGGER

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

  • Orenda

DIAMOND DAGGER

The most prestigious Dagger of all, the Diamond Dagger for a lifetime contribution to crime writing, is nominated by CWA members and selected by an industry committee.

  • Martin Edwards

Alongside his career as a prolific novelist, Martin Edwards is a renowned editor, reviewer, columnist and versatile writer of non-fiction, and is a leading authority on crime fiction. He has also enjoyed a separate career as a solicitor, and is recognised for his expertise in employment and equal opportunities law.