The Crime Writers’ Association

In Memory of Helen Cadbury – by Marnie Riches

The world of crime fiction mourns one of its brightest and best this month. Those in the crime-writing community who were lucky enough to call Helen Cadbury a friend knew that she had secondary cancer. But we didn’t expect her to depart this world ...


Gold Dagger 2022

Winner


Ray Celestin

Sunset Swing

Pan Macmillan, Mantle


New Chair for the Crime Writers’ Association

The Crime Writers’ Association is pleased to announce that Victorian crime specialist Linda Stratmann was elected as its new Chair in April 2019 and takes over her duties immediately. Linda writes two fiction series, both set in Victorian times: th...


Bookshop of the Month – May 2022: Beccles Books

In conversation with Elly Griffiths  Beccles Books 1 Exchange House, Exchange Square, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 9HH Tel: 01502 716806 https://www.facebook.com/becclesbooks/ It’s 11 years since Lee Mason founded Beccles Books. He had been work...


The Victorian Fear of Poison Murder

In the nineteenth century the prospect of being poisoned was a very real fear, and the poisoner has frequently been denounced as the worst kind of criminal. Poison is secret and treacherous, administered by someone close to the victim, hidden in food...


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...


International Literary Properties (ILP) to sponsor the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2023

International Literary Properties (ILP), the global company that invests in, acquires, and manages the intellectual property rights to books, plays and other literary works, has announced their sponsorship of the 2023 Crime Writers' Association John ...


Victorian Mysteries: Murder, Marvels and Morality

The CWA presents "Victorian Mysteries: Murder, Marvels, and Morality", a talk by Linda Stratmann, Anna Mazzola and Kate Griffin! Linda Stratmann has a virtually life-long interest in true crime, and a large collection of books on the subject. She ha...


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...


Emerging Author Dagger Rules

Rules and Submission Guidelines Emerging Author Dagger The Emerging Author Dagger (formerly the Debut Dagger), an international competition for the opening of an adult/YA crime novel and synopsis, is aimed at debut writers. The CWA defines a de...


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