Val McDermid wins the Cartier Diamond Dagger
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Tuesday January 12: Bestselling author Val McDermid has been named as the recipient of this year’s prestigious CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger Award, which honours outstanding achievement in the field of crime writing. The announcement has been made by the Crime Writers’ Association in recognition of Val’s work over more than 20 years.
Margaret Murphy, chair of the CWA, said: “The CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger award acknowledges the work of an author who has made an outstanding contribution to the genre.
“Val McDermid is a worthy winner whose work has entertained and thrilled millions of readers as well as many more who have enjoyed the TV adaptations her books have inspired.”
The CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger is the latest accolade in a highly successful career which last year saw Val inducted into the Hall of Fame at the ITV3 Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards, whose partners include the CWA.
In 1995 she won the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year for The Mermaids Singing, which first introduced her readership to Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, and went on to become an international bestseller. Fever of the Bone is the sixth novel of this series which inspired the popular ITV series Wire in the Blood.
Val is a top 10 bestseller who has been translated into 40 languages, with more than two million copies sold in the UK and 10 million worldwide. She has written 23 bestselling novels.
More about this award on the Cartier Diamond Dagger page.
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 CWA Dagger Awards are the longest established literary awards in the UK and are internationally recognised as a mark of excellence and achievement. In winning the Gold Dagger and the £2500 prize, William Brodrick 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.” The judges described Echoes from The Dead 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 is the author of five other acclaimed Bernie Gunther novels and is acknowledged as one of today’s finest thriller writers. He learned of his success at a presentation ceremony held at Six Fitzroy Square, London on 29 October 2009.
Other news: The 2010 CWA Debut Dagger opened on 31st October and closed on 6th February.
The Crime Writers’ Association has joined forces with Specsavers, Cactus TV and ITV3 to celebrate the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards. Following the success of the 2008 inaugural event on ITV3, the 2009 event was merged with the Crime Writers’ Association Daggers and the new combined “Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards on ITV3” took place on Wednesday, 21st October. The evening boasted an array of famous faces from the worlds of screen and books, and was hosted by comedian Alan Davies.
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.
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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