The Crime Writers’ Association

CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition – Winner Announced

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has announced the winner of its Margery Allingham Short Mystery Prize. Camilla Macpherson beat strong competition with her short story, ‘Heartbridge Homicides’. Camilla lives in The Hague in the Nether...


Notes on Word Count for CWA Writing Competitions

Different competitions have different rules – and different levels of rigour in the way they apply them. For the Debut Dagger we are super-strict. We ask for entries not to exceed 3,000 words (1,500 words for the synopsis) by even a word. The ti...


Discounts for Members

Discounts for Members Your membership of the CWA brings many benefits, including discounts on selected festival tickets, memberships with sister organisations, editing services, and more. Discounts available to CWA members include:The CWA Daggers E...


Crime Writers Emerging from Lockdown with JG Harlond

Escaping through a picture window... My study has a sliding picture window opening onto a balcony. From my desk I can see the Sierra de Las Nieves in the Province of Málaga, Spain. This was where the Moors of al-Ándalus harvested snow for sherbet ...


Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Masterclass

In association with the University of Stirling, this masterclass for writers features Booker shortlisted Graeme Macrae Burnet; author (& Slice Girl!) A K Benedict; and advice on writing a synopsis and pitch by Alison Belsham (who won Pitch Perfec...


CWA Dagger Awards Dinner

Thursday 25 October Grange City Hotel, 8-14 Cooper's Row, London EC3N 2BQ 7pm - late   The publishing world gathers to celebrate the very best in crime writing. Whether your interest is professional or simply through a love of crime fiction ...


Crime and the City Talk

Duncan Campbell – Crime and the City - City of London Police Museum, Guildhall Library December 8th, 6pm, Drinks reception 7pm From Thief-taker General to the Krays, from the world’s first crime reporter to the trial of the News of the World pho...


Crime Writers at the Oxford Indie Book Fair

POSTPONED UNTIL 13 JUNE. Crime writers and CWA members Peter Tickler, Debrah Martin and Jake Lynch will be joining other indie and hybrid authors in a celebration of independent writing and publishing in Oxford on Saturday 13th June. There will be fr...


Daggers Announced Online in Daggers Live!

CWA Dagger Awards 2020 Winners Announced Michael Robotham, Lou Berney, Trevor Wood, Casey Cep, and Abir Mukherjee win 2020 CWA Dagger awards. The winners of the 2020 CWA Daggers, which honour the very best in the crime writing genre, were announced ...


Dagger in the Library

Dagger in the Library  The Dagger in the Library 2024 is closed. Thank you for voting! The Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by an established writer of crime fiction or non-fiction who has long been popular with borrowers from...


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