The Crime Writers’ Association is delighted to announce that Michael Connelly is to receive the 2018 CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing. The Dagger award recognises authors whose crime writing careers have been marked by sustained excellence, and who have made a significant contribution to the genre.

Martin Edwards, Chair of the CWA, said: “Michael Connelly’s crime novels have won international acclaim for more than a quarter century, and have given readers, television viewers, and film fans rich entertainment. A combination of wonderful characters, vivid settings, and gripping storylines characterises his work. The CWA is delighted to celebrate his achievements with the award of the Diamond Dagger.”

Michael Connelly said: “This is truly exciting. How can a writer who writes about a guy trying make sense of things in Los Angeles ever expect to receive recognition from such a fine group from so far away? It’s beyond anything I could have imagined, and I am very honoured and humbled.”

Michael Connelly will be presented with the CWA Diamond Dagger at the CWA’s Dagger Awards ceremony in London on 25 October. Previous winners of the CWA Diamond Dagger include P.D. James, John le Carré, Dick Francis, Ruth Rendell, Lee Child and Ann Cleeves.

Connelly’s first novel, The Black Echo, published in 1992, introduced Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch and won an Edgar for the best first novel. Connelly has penned over 30 novels in total, and Blood Work was made into a film in 2002, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as Harry Bosch. The Lincoln Lawyer also made it to celluloid in 2011, starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. In 2016 Connelly produced his own TV series, Bosch, for Amazon – the show is now in its fourth season.

The CWA Diamond Dagger is selected from nominations provided by CWA members. Nominees have to meet two essential criteria: first, their careers must be marked by sustained excellence, and second, they must have made a significant contribution to crime writing published in the English language.

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Michael Connelly follows a strong tradition of American authors winning the Diamond Dagger, with Lawrence Block (2004), Elmore Leonard (2006) and most recently Sue Grafton (2008) taking the honours across the Atlantic.

Photo of Michael Connelly: thanks to Nancy Pastor/Polaris.