The Crime Writers’ Association

After 20 years, would-be crime novelists find it more rewarding than ever to enter the CWA Debut Dagger Competition

Amended 8.12.17 The CWA Debut Dagger for the opening of a crime novel, established in 1998, is renowned within the crime writing world as a way for unpublished authors to get known, with former winners and shortlisted entrants going on to win publish...


Crime Time at Clapham Book Festival

CWA Diamond Dagger winner Simon Brett, OBE and author, barrister and Crown Court Judge Nicola Williams open the eight-day Clapham Book Festival with Crime Time, a discussion of Williams's fiction and her new book, Until Proven Innocent. Thriller wr...


How are Independent Publishers Shaking Up the Book Industry?

Byte the Book's last event of the year, sponsored by the Publishers Association, looks at the rise of independent publishers. Discussion: Independent publishers have been transforming the publishing industry in recent times, by winning prizes and se...


Crime Writers in Residence – at home with Helen Sedgwick

The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. I am a research physicist turned author and I live in the Scottish highlands. I’ve recently moved to crime writing after publishing two novels that could be called literary ...


Johnston’s cosy crime debut wins Barker Book Award

Congratulations to CWA member Antony Johnston, whose 2023 novel The Dog Sitter Detective has won the Barker Book Award for fiction. Antony’s previous work includes the film Atomic Blonde and the Brigitte Sharp spy thrillers, which are ...


Clapham Book Festival

Clapham Book Festival is Back! The Clapham Book Festival is back this autumn with a special celebratory day on Saturday 16 October 2021. Crime writer and CWA member Julie Anderson is a co-founder of the festival and will be leading a literary walk a...


Harry Navinski Book Launch


Traditionally Published membership

Join the CWA - Traditionally Published author membership Thank you for your interest in joining the CWA. Membership is subject to meeting the membership criteria and completing the application form does not guarantee membership. Please fill in your ...


Book Launch

Join @Jennie_Ensor for the online book launch of her thrilling book Silenced by @Jennie_Ensor and of The Dark Side of Christmas, an anthology of twisted winter tales by @hobeckbooks authors. Crime fiction and thriller fans, bloggers and authors, plea...


William Ryan at Chiswick Book Festival

William Ryan, author of the acclaimed Inspector Korolev series set in Russia in the 1930s and of the forthcoming The Constant Soldier, is a featured author at the Chiswick Book Festival. Savage Continent: Fiction and the Fall of Nazi Germany Toge...


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