In a move away from tradition, the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has appointed not one but two Vice Chairs for the year 2017-2018.

This follows Martin Edwards’ assumption of the role of Chair after serving as Vice Chair since 2015. The two new Vice Chairs are Linda Stratmann, the current Membership Secretary, and Maxim Jakubowski, also a long-term committee member.

Linda Stratmann says, ‘After seven years on committee including five as Membership Secretary, I am delighted to be able to continue serving the interests of the CWA as Vice Chair. My aim will be to promote and strengthen the CWA in all its endeavours.’

Linda is author of several non-fiction books and also of two detective series, one concerning a Victorian lady detective called Frances Doughty based in London, and another starring Mina Scarletti, who debunks fraudulent spirit mediums in Victorian Brighton.

Maxim Jakubowski worked in publishing as Publishing Director of the Rainbird Group, Editorial Director of Ebury Press and Managing Director of Virgin Books, before opening London’s Murder One bookstore which he ran for 20 years. He is the author of 20 novels, four short story collections and countless anthologies.

Maxim says, ‘Having been involved in publishing, editing, selling, translating, judging, reviewing and writing crime fiction for most of my life, I feel particularly proud to have been elected to the Vice Chairmanship of the Crime Writers’ Association after almost 35 years as a member, providing me with a chance to give back to a genre that I love so much.’

Martin Edwards, Chair of the CWA, said: ‘As the CWA grows, so do the management demands. The complementary skills of Linda and Maxim are a great asset, and I very much look forward to working with them.’