The Crime Writers’ Association

2016 winning story

A Box-Shaped Mystery - Peter Guttridge ‘The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.’ Margery Allingham P...


2016 shortlisted story

The Blockage - Ian Cowmeadow Fine drops of rain bloomed on the van’s windscreen. The engine clicked as the heat drifted from it and Shelly Wrench was beginning to feel the cold. Across the street, a strip light flickered behind a frosted window ...


2015 winning story

Game Over - Lesley Mace The feel of the skateboard rumbles up through the bones of his feet. He is enclosed within the sound of wheels. He concentrates on contracting muscles, on making his body into the correct shape to fly over the top of the co...


WRITERS’ BLOCK by Sarah Rayne

We’ve all been there. It doesn’t matter if we’re in the best-selling lists, or just starting out with a hopeful eye on the CWA Debut Dagger as a stepping-stone to great things (which, of course, it can often be) – we’ve all sat dismally in...


Bookshop of the Month – August 2022: Imagined Things Bookshop

Georgia Eckert from Imagined Things Bookshop in conversation with William Shaw. In 2018, Imagined Things Bookshop, in Harrogate, became known as the bookshop that was saved by a tweet.  On 25 June 2018, bookshop owner, Georgia Eckert, let the wor...


Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

The Margery Allingham Short Mystery CompetitionHow to Write a Winning Story We asked Martin Edwards, the inaugural winner of the CWA/Margery Allingham Short Story competition for 6 great tips and here they are: Read the great short stories (not...


2022 CWA Dagger Awards Announced

Ray Celestin, MW Craven, Janice Hallett and Mark Billingham awarded 2022 CWA Daggers. The winners of the 2022 CWA Daggers, which honour the very best in the crime writing genre, have been announced. [For photos of the event, see: https://thecw...


Staying Accountable

Even writers don’t feel like writing all of the time. When you’re part-way through your book and the rest of it stretches out ahead of you like an insurmountable task, the temptation to do something else instead can become strong, and if you’ve...


Daggers announced in glittering gala dinner evening

M.W. Craven has won the CWA Gold Dagger for his novel The Puppet Show. The Daggers, which were announced (24 October) at a glittering awards ceremony at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, London, are regarded by the publishing world as the foremost British aw...


Historical Dagger

Historical Dagger This award is for the best historical crime novel, first published in the UK in English during the judging period, set in any period up to 50 years prior to the year in which the award will be made. For novels that involve passages...


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