The Crime Writers’ Association

Emerging Author Dagger

Emerging Author Dagger The Emerging Author Dagger (formerly the Debut Dagger) opens 1 October and the deadline for entry is Friday 28 February at 6pm GMT. Please return here after 1 October for the full rules and terms of entry. The internationa...


Twisted Dagger

Twisted Dagger The Twisted Dagger celebrates psychological thrillers, dark and twisty tales that often feature unreliable narrators, disturbed emotions, a healthy dose of moral ambiguity, and a sting in the tail. Books in this category include psych...


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....


Robert Richardson R.I.P.

The CWA announces with great sadness the death of author Robert Richardson, one of the most popular and respected figures in the CWA over recent decades. Uniquely, Robert served two distinct terms as Chair of the CWA; in 1993-1994 and 2006-2007, and ...


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...


National Crime Reading Month off to a blazing start!

National Crime Reading Month kicked off with simultaneous launches in London, Belfast and Edinburgh - appropriately in one of Waterstones flagship stores in Piccadilly; No Alibis, an independent bookshop, and in Edinburgh Central Library. In Londo...


Crime Writers in Residence – at home with PJ Quinn

The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. As half of PJ Quinn I (Pauline Kirk) write the DI Ambrose mysteries with my daughter, Jo Summers. To date, we’ve collaborated on four novels: Foul Play, Poison Pen, Close Dis...


The Great Summer Crime Fiction Debate

CrimeTime.FM introduces 'The Great Summer Crime Fiction Debate' about the best crime books from 2010 to 2020. On Thursday 8 July at 7.30pm Barry Forshaw will be grilling CWA Chair Maxim Jakubowski, Laura Wilson, Victoria Selman, Paul Burke and Ayo O...


Private: Dagger Awards to Carry Cash Prizes and Open to Authors to Self-Nominate from 2023

The CWA Daggers – synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century – is set to again award cash prizes beginning in 2023, for titles published and nominated in 2022. Detail of the amounts will be announced next year. The CWA is delig...


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