The Crime Writers’ Association

Crime Writers in Residence – at home with SM Hardy

The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. I live in Torquay with my husband and spent twenty-eight years working for a major bank. After taking voluntary redundancy in 2001 I spent another fourteen or so years working ...


Celebrate National Crime Reading Month on 8 May with Rachel Abbott and Sharon Bolton

Celebrate National Crime Reading Month with Bolton Central Library and Museum as Bestselling, Award winning crime writers Rachel Abbott and Sharon Bolton will be talking about their exciting new books. Rachel's new book "Come a Little Closer" has be...


Submitting for CWA Competitions: In at the Kill

The deadline’s getting close! So here’s some last-minute advice for you on the practicalities of submitting. Please remember the rule: if you have any problems with your Debut Dagger submission, you must let us know on comps@thecwa.co.uk befor...


2021 winning story

Heartbridge Homicides - Camilla Macpherson ‘Haven’t seen you before,’ said Janet, as she approached the thin, nervy-looking man waiting at the red and white parking barrier. Beyond the barrier (so near, but yet so far) lay the studio where H...


Chilterns Heritage Festival. Author Talk – Dave Sivers: ‘Chiltern Thrills – Making Crime Pay’.

Dave Sivers, crime fiction author, will take you on his journey from lifelong scribbler to minor bestseller, the seismic changes in the publishing industry in the past ten years and the challenges of setting gritty crime fiction in a pleasant rural a...


Debut Dagger Writing Tips

Here are tips from recent newsletters compiled for you by Dea Parkin, the CWA’s Competitions Coordinator (and professional editor). If you’re at the stage where your entry is finished and you’re into the all-important revision and editing pr...


2020 winning story

A Time to Confess - Della Millward “In my experience, those who beg for mercy seldom deserve it.” Alex Mason’s clear voice carried across the dry air of the cavern and Peter was glad there weren’t many people around to hear her. Sometim...


2020 highly commended story

Sting in the Tail - Laila Murphy Did you know that insects are among the most successful species on Earth? They outlived dinosaurs. They’ll outlive us. My speciality is wasps. Vespology. Wasps get a bad deal. People are afraid of them but the...


2020 highly commended story

Voices - Lauren Everdell “Someone do the handoff?” “Jane Doe, Patient Foxtrot Alpha One One, found semi-conscious in an alley. Multiple stab wounds to the torso and apparent blunt force trauma to the back of the skull. Query traumatic brai...


2019 winning story

A Perfect Murderer - Ray Bazowski “There’s something that needs to be said at the start.” This forbidding sentence was how Mother always began family meetings. Since flight was impractical and fight inconceivable, we all looked for ways to b...


Join the CWA

Become part of a thriving community of successful crime writers with invaluable support, expertise and marketing opportunities for all our members.


Advertise with us