The Crime Writers’ Association

2018 winning story

The Value of Vermin Control - Russell Day I took my hat off and cleared my throat. The young man behind the armour glass and the steel bars didn’t look up, even though I was his only customer. I wasn’t especially surprised. In my experience, p...


2017 winning story

Box Clever - Sam Hepburn I’ve always been a dreamer – the nerdy kid hunched over his Playstation dreaming of being popular, the geeky teenager in sweaty boxers dreaming of hitting the big time with his latest bit of software, the broke student...


2016 winning story

A Box-Shaped Mystery - Peter Guttridge ‘The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.’ Margery Allingham P...


2016 shortlisted story

The Blockage - Ian Cowmeadow Fine drops of rain bloomed on the van’s windscreen. The engine clicked as the heat drifted from it and Shelly Wrench was beginning to feel the cold. Across the street, a strip light flickered behind a frosted window ...


2015 winning story

Game Over - Lesley Mace The feel of the skateboard rumbles up through the bones of his feet. He is enclosed within the sound of wheels. He concentrates on contracting muscles, on making his body into the correct shape to fly over the top of the co...


Prestige Dagger Sponsorship

Prestige Sponsorship Package Historical Dagger Gold Dagger for Nonfiction* Dagger in the Library Crime Fiction in Translation* Short Story Dagger Emerging Author Dagger   *indicates that this award has a current sponsor...


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About the CWA The CWA promotes, supports and celebrates crime writing, and writers of all crime fiction and non-fiction from across the globe. We’re proud to be a growing, thriving community with membership encompassing authors of all ages and at ...


Corporate and Associate Members

Corporate and Associate Members Associate membership is open to those who, in their profession or occupation, are associated with the crime genre – including publishers, editors, literary agents, crime reviewers, booksellers and those connected wi...


CWA Daggers 2017 Awarded to The Dry, Spook Street and Tall Oaks

The 2017 winners of the prestigious CWA Daggers were announced at a gala dinner sponsored by publishers Pan Macmillan at the Grange City Hotel, Cooper’s Row, London on Thursday 26 October. The CWA Daggers, the crème de la crème of crime-writing a...


Debut Dagger

Emerging Author Dagger (Debut Dagger) Announcements Congratulations to our 2024 Shortlist Authors! See below for details. Winner: Dagger Awards Dinner, evening of Thursday 4 July, Leonardo City Hotel, London. All announcements will also appe...


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