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 ...


2023 Debut Dagger Competition Opens for Entries

The most hotly contended competition for would-be crime novelists is now open for entries. Aspiring crime novelists have until the end of February 2023 to enter the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Debut Dagger, renowned for opening doors for as...


Whodunnit Dagger

Whodunnit Dagger The Whodunnit Dagger celebrates books where the sex, swearing, and bloodletting take place offstage--books that focus on the intellectual challenge at the heart of a good mystery, and which revolve around often quirky characters. Bo...


CWA Debut Dagger Competition Now Open

The Crime Writers’ Association have opened their popular Debut Dagger competition for 2018. The competition is for the opening of a crime novel and any writer who has never had a traditional publishing contract for a full-length novel can enter, ev...


CWA Responds to Incident at Conference

"It has come to my attention that at the recent CWA conference, some members behaved in a way that was not in line with our aim to be an organisation that is welcoming to all writers, no matter their background or experience. This is incredibly disap...



CWA Conference York 2023

An Overview by Matthew Booth The old adage says that time flies when you’re having fun and, like many old sayings, it is true. And that probably explains why this year’s conference, held primarily in the Park Inn by Radisson in York, seemed to f...


CWA Opens Membership to Self-Published Authors

For the first time in its 68-year history, the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association will allow self-published authors to join its ranks. The move comes after the CWA consulted its members, who voted with an 84% majority in favour to accept self-p...


Walter Mosley Awarded CWA Diamond Dagger 2023

Walter Mosley is the 2023 recipient of the highest honour in crime writing, the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Diamond Dagger. The CWA Daggers are now regarded by the publishing world as the foremost awards hosted in Britain for crime writing....


2022 winning story

Locked In - Scott Hunter There’s something singularly evil about a crime carried out in secret, don’t you think? Especially if it is repeated on a regular basis. And especially if the victim is powerless to prevent it. Let me explain my cir...


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