Maxim Jakubowski (Chair)
Maxim worked for many years in book publishing as an editor and launched the Murder One Bookshop, which he owned and ran for over 20 years. He now writes, edits and translates full-time in London. The series The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime, which he edits and now at Volume 13, has printed many winners of the CWA Short Story Dagger. His website is maximjakubowski.co.uk.

Duncan Beattie
Duncan is a keen reader of literature in translation, in particular crime fiction and psychological thrillers. He previously submitted music reviews for publications including Classic Rock Magazine and Blues Matters and was a co-founding director of the Edinburgh Blues Club. Keen to engage with fellow international crime fiction aficionados Duncan established the Crime Fiction In Translation Facebook group. He reviews novels under the name “Fiction From Afar.”

Ignaty Dyakov-Richmond

Ignaty Dyakov-Richmond has published a series of language textbooks (in the form of detective stories) and authored a number of other educational materials, including games, for adult learners and children. He is now moving into writing fiction. In his day job, he runs a life and health coaching practice in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and talks publicly and writes about healthy lifestyles. In 2019-2023 Ignaty was Chair of the Society of Authors’ Educational Writers Group, since 2020 he co-chairs the Society of Authors Warwickshire group and in 2021 he co-founded ‘Middleway Words’, the Midlands Book Festival. His website is http://www.lifesensei.uk

Liz Robinson
Liz, a previous Gold Dagger judge, has been writing reviews and content for LoveReading since 2014. Her video reviews and author interviews also feature on the LoveReading LitFest. Reading has always played a huge part in her life and she could quite happily chat books all day. “I would describe myself as a reader and a lover of all things books.” Liz can be found on Twitter and Instagram as @LRLizRobinson

Meggy Roussel

Meggy Roussel’s love of languages led her to study professional translation before her love for books took over. She began reviewing books in 2016 on Chocolate’n’Waffles Blog and enjoys featuring novels from all over the world. She became a publishing professional to help books find their readers and support translated works of fiction. Most evenings, you are sure to find her on her favourite side of the couch with a crime fiction novel in one hand, a cup of tea in the other, and a slice of cake next to her.

Sarah Ward

Sarah Ward is the author of four DC Childs novels set in the Derbyshire Peak District where she lives. She also writes Gothic historical thrillers under the name Rhiannon Ward. Her first, The Quickening, was a 2020 Radio Times book of the year and her second historical novel The Shadowing was a Daily Express critic’s favourite. She has also written Doctor Who audio dramas. She was an inaugural judge of the Petrona Award for tranlsated Scandinavian crime fiction.