This year’s Crime Writers’ Association The Dagger in the Library has been won by Colin Cotterill. This annual award is given to "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users"; authors are nominated by UK libraries and Readers’ Groups and judged by a panel of librarians. The award is given for the body of an author's work, not for an individual title, and those nominated must be alive at the time of the nomination and should preferably be working in Britain. The broadest definition of the crime novelist is used; it can include authors of thrillers, suspense novels, spy fiction and period fiction as well as more traditional forms like "cosies", "hard-boiled" and police procedurals.
The judges said that this was ‘A very strong and varied list from which it was difficult to select the short list — reflecting the vigour and range of contemporary crime writing.’. The runners up were:
Simon Beckett
R J Ellory
Ariana Franklin
Peter James
Michael Robotham
Here are more details of the nominees:
Simon BeckettJudges’ comments: ‘His books are gripping right from the opening line and notable for descriptions of dead and decaying bodies. Excellently hidden twists and turns. Very sympathetic lead character.’
Bibliography - David Hunter novels:
Whispers of the Dead - Bantam Press (2009)
Written in Bone - Bantam Press (2008)
The Chemistry of Death - Bantam Press (2006)
After an MA in English, Simon Beckett spent several years as a property repairer before teaching in Spain. Back in the UK, he played percussion in several bands. He has been a freelance journalist since 1992, writing for national British newspapers and magazines. Some of his more memorable assignments have included going on police drugs raids, touring brothels with a vice unit and trying to learn how to win a gun fight in Nevada. It was a visit to the Body Farm in Tennessee that was the inspiration behind the internationally bestselling David Hunter novels, which have now been translated into over 20 languages.
Simon Beckett is published by Bantam. His web site is www.simonbeckett.com
R J ElloryJudges’ comments: ‘Sensitively written. Full of depth. Multi-layered and with a real sense of place and an understanding, in the widest sense, of political manoeuverings.’
Bibliography:
Candlemoth - Orion (2003)
Ghostheart - Orion (2004)
A Quiet Vendetta - Orion (2005)
City Of Lies - Orion (2006)
A Quiet Belief In Angels - Orion (2007)
A Simple Act Of Violence - Orion (2008)
The Anniversary Man - Orion (forthcoming 2009)
R.J. Ellory originally studied graphics and photography, he intended to pursue a career in photojournalism, but for many reasons - all of them well within his control - this never came to fruition. He started writing more than twelve years ago and hasn't stopped since. His novels have been translated into Italian, German and Dutch, and include the bestselling A Quiet Belief In Angels, which was a Richard & Judy Book Club selection in 2008 and was shortlisted for the American Barry award for Best British Crime Fiction, the Quebec Booksellers' Prize, The Nouvel Observateur Crime Fiction Prize and the 7th Prix Du Polar Award in the same year. His other novels have been translated into nineteen additional languages and both City of Lies and Candlemoth were shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers' Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger in 2007 and 2003 respectively. He is married with one son, and currently lives in England.
His publisher is Orion and his web site is www.rjellory.com
Photo: ©
Mary Jane Russell
Judges’ comments: ‘Original, lively and colourful. Her novels allow the reader to learn effortlessly about little-known historical backgrounds’
Bibliography - The Mistress of the Art of Death series:
Mistress of the Art of Death - Bantam Press (2007)
The Death Maze (US title: The Serpent's Tale) - Bantam Press (2008)
Grave Goods - Bantam Press (2009)
Ariana Franklin was born in Devon and, like her father, became a journalist. Having invaded Wales dressed in combat uniform with the Royal Marines for one of their military exercises, accompanied the Queen on a royal visit, missed her own twenty-first birthday party because she had to cover a murder, she married, almost inevitably, another journalist. At this point she decided that staying married was a good idea so she abandoned her career in national newspapers and has settled down in the country to bring up two daughters, study medieval history and write. Mistress of the Art of Death won the 2007 CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award and the follow-up, The Death Maze, was shortlisted in 2008 for the same award. The third in the series, Grave Goods, will be published in August.
Her publisher is Bantam Press / Bantam and her web site is www.arianafranklin.com
Bibliography - 19 books, the most recently the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series:
Dead Simple - Macmillan (2005)
Looking Good Dead - Macmillan (2006)
Not Dead Enough - Macmillan (2007)
Dead Man's Footsteps - Macmillan (2008)
Dead Tomorrow - Macmillan (2009)
Peter James was educated at Charterhouse then at film school. He lived in North America for a number of years, working as a screenwriter and film producer before returning to England. His novels, including the number one bestseller Possession, have been translated into thirty languages and three have been filmed. All his novels reflect his deep interest in the world of the police, with whom he does in-depth research, as well as science, medicine and the paranormal. He has produced numerous films, including the The Merchant Of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. He divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill in London and near Brighton in Sussex.
His publisher is Pan Macmillan and his web site is www.peterjames.com
Bibliography:
The Suspect - Sphere (2004)
The Drowning Man - Sphere (2005)
The Night Ferry - Sphere (2007)
Shatter - Sphere (2008)
Michael Robotham was born in Australia in 1960, and grew up in small country towns before starting a career as a journalist in 1979 on a newspaper in Sydney. For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies.
His first novel The Suspect, acieved international success and his second The Drowning Man, won the Ned Kelly Award in 2005, his third, The Night Ferry, was shortlisted for the 2007 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller and for the 2007 Ned Kelly Award in Australia, and the fourth, Shatter, was also shortlisted for the Steel Dagger, in 2008.
Michael can most often be found working in his 'pit of despair' (basement office) on Sydney's northern beaches where he funds the extravagent lifestyles of a wife and three daughters.
His publisher is Sphere and his website www.michaelrobotham.com
Chair: Mark Benjamin, formerly Team Librarian with Northumberland County Council
Vice-Chair: Cheney Gardner, Reading Development Manager, London Borough of Richmond on Thames
Wendy Molyneux, Community Access Librarian, Warrington Borough Council
Jonathan Gibbs, I.T. and Operations Librarian, Barbican Library, City of London
Karen Fraser, Customer Services Librarian, Shetland Library
Helen McNabb, Bibliographic Services Officer, Vale of Glamorgan Council
Deb Ryan, Senior Librarian Reader Services, RNIB National Library Services