Dagger winners announced
The Debut Dagger competition opened on 31 October
Philip Kerr wins the Ellis Peters Historical Award
Overview Gold International Steel Non-Fiction John Creasey Library Short Story Debut
Diamond Dagger Historical
New CWA Anthology ID:Crimes of identity
More recent books from CWA members.
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Margaret Murphy, who chairs the CWA, welcomes you to our web site
More about these and other appearances by crime writers
William Brodrick with his dagger.
The Crime Writers’ Association is pleased to announce that: William Brodrick wins the CWA Gold Dagger for A Whispered Name John Hart wins the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for The Last Child Johan Theorin wins the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger for Echoes from The Dead Philip Kerr wins the Ellis Peters Historical Award for If The Dead Rise Not.
The first three announcements were one of the highlights of the first Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009. The evening boasted an array of famous faces from the worlds of screen and books, and was hosted by comedian Alan Davies. The culmination of a six-week season of ITV3 crime and drama programming, the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009 was televised on ITV3 on Tuesday, 27th October at 9pm.
The CWA Dagger Awards are the longest established literary awards in the UK and are internationally recognised as a mark of excellence and achievement. William Brodrick was a Franciscan friar before leaving the order to become a practising barrister and then a writer. In winning the Gold Dagger and the £2500 prize, he joins a long and illustrious line stretching back to 1955 and The Little Walls by Winston Graham, now best known as the author of the Poldark novels.
The judges described A Whispered Name as ‘A moving novel that stretches the parameters of the crime genre, intertwining past and present and throwing light on a neglected aspect of World War One.’ In accepting his award, William Brodrick said I find myself in the hinterland of speechlessness... I would like to dedicate the award to the memory of Harry Patch and the generation he came to represent.
I find myself in the hinterland of speechlessness... I would like to dedicate the award to the memory of Harry Patch and the generation he came to represent.
John Hart, the winner of the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and a £2000 cheque is the Edgar-Award winning author of two international bestsellers, The King of Lies and Down River. The judges said that The Last Child, his third book, was Accomplished and ambitious piece of southern gothic. It is beautifully rendered, with a cast of memorable characters - full of pathos, atmosphere and mystery. A cracking and original story.
Accomplished and ambitious piece of southern gothic. It is beautifully rendered, with a cast of memorable characters - full of pathos, atmosphere and mystery. A cracking and original story.
Johan Theorin, the winner of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and a £1000 cheque, said “Britain is home to most of the greatest mystery writers in the world, from Conan Doyle, Christie and Creasey and up to all the fine writers who are still alive and active today - and as a Swede I couldn’t dream of competing with them. But to my big surprise and honour, I guess I have.” His prizewinning book, Echoes from The Dead, had already been shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger. The judges described it as a finely written intrigue ... in which the island where the action takes place is as much a player in the drama as the people are.
a finely written intrigue ... in which the island where the action takes place is as much a player in the drama as the people are.
Philip Kerr, the author of the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award winning If The Dead Rise Not, learned of his success at a presentation ceremony held at Six Fitzroy Square, London on 29 October 2009. He was born in Edinburgh but now lives in London and in Cornwall. He is the author of five other acclaimed Bernie Gunther novels and is acknowledged as one of today’s finest thriller writers. If the Dead Rise Not recently won the €125,000 RBA international prize for crime writing.
Other news: The 2010 CWA Debut Dagger opened on 31st October.
The Crime Writers’ Association is pleased to announce that it has joined forces with Specsavers, Cactus TV and ITV3 to celebrate the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009. Following the success of last year’s inaugural event on ITV3, the 2009 event has been merged with the Crime Writers’ Association Daggers and the new combined “Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards on ITV3” took place on Wednesday, 21st October, 2009 and was shown on ITV3 on Tuesday, 27th October at 9pm.
Crime Writers’ Association Chair Margaret Murphy commented: “The Crime Writers’ Association Daggers have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over fifty years. This exciting partnership with Cactus TV and ITV3 will enable us to create a mass media platform for the Crime Writers’ Association’s proud heritage in recognising great crime writing talent. We are delighted that the CWA Gold Dagger, Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, and John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger will benefit from this increased exposure and we look forward to reaching a new audience for what is already publishing’s most popular genre.”
The “Daggers” name and Crossed Daggers logo ® are registered Trade Marks of the Crime Writers’ Association.
Colin Cotterill
July 15: The Crime Writers’ Association is delighted to announce the winners of the Dagger in the Library, International, Short Story and Debut Daggers:
Colin Cotterill has won the Dagger in the Library; writer Fred Vargas and translator Sîan Reynolds have triumphed in the International Dagger for the third time in four years; Sean Chercover has won the Short Story Dagger and Catherine O’Keefe the Debut Dagger.
The CWA Dagger Awards celebrate the very best in crime and thriller writing, and are the longest established literary awards in the UK. These premier awards in crime fiction are recognised internationally as a mark of excellence.
CWA Chair Margaret Murphy said: “Yet again, the Daggers have shown the depth of talent that exists within the world of crime writing. All our winning and shortlisted authors have exhibited a terrific talent which augurs well for the continued success of the genre.”
Full details of the winners and shortlists are on the 2009 CWA Dagger pages.
The CWA has more than 450 members, all of us writers of fiction and non-fiction. Our criterion of membership is that an author must have had at least one book published by a bona fide publisher. The Association was formed over fifty years ago as a body committed to the support of professional writers. We organise social events so that writers can meet kindred spirits and have some fun together, while at the same time exchanging their thoughts and ideas, but we also help writing groups, festivals and literary events with specialist teams of writers who can talk about every aspect of the life of a modern novelist.
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