The Crime Writers’ Association is pleased to announce that Victorian crime specialist Linda Stratmann was elected as its new Chair in April 2019 and takes over her duties immediately.

Linda writes two fiction series, both set in Victorian times: the Frances Doughty Mysteries set in 1880s Bayswater, featuring a clever and determined lady detective, who battles wily criminals and prejudices about suitable roles for women. In the second series, set in 1870s Brighton, Mina Scarletti, who has scoliosis, is a diminutive writer of horror stories who exposes the activities of fraudulent spirit mediums.

Linda has given many public talks on true crimes. She has been a guest panellist at Crimefest Bristol since 2011, a guest on radio shows and appeared in two television documentaries on the history of anaesthesia and two editions of the Fred Dinenage Murder Casebook. She also writes non-fiction.

Linda said: “I’m delighted to become Chair of an association which continues to grow and now has more members, in the UK and overseas, than ever before. It’s an honour to follow in the footsteps of Martin Edwards, who deservedly earned a special vote of thanks at the AGM for his dedicated work for the CWA, and many other distinguished writers including Lindsey Davies, Peter Lovesey and Simon Brett.”

Linda has many plans for developing the CWA and looks forward to putting these into practice with the help of new Vice Chair Jean Briggs as well as the other members of the Board and officers of the association.

Martin Edwards, outgoing Chair and award-winning writer of both contemporary and 1930s-set fiction as well as award-winning non-fiction, was the longest-serving CWA chair since John Creasey, who founded the CWA in 1953. During his time as Chair, from January 2017 until April 2019, Martin was widely recognised as not only making significant changes to the way the CWA operates, putting the association on a more business-like footing, but also spearheading initiatives which bring the CWA into closer supportive contact with libraries, booksellers, festivals, publishers and other organisations at home and overseas that focus on writing. Martin continues as the archivist and anthology editor of the CWA as well as archivist and President of the Detection Club. He says: “Congratulations to Linda on taking over as Chair of the CWA. I know she’ll be a great asset, as she’s already demonstrated with her tireless work for the CWA over the last decade, and wish her every success.”