The Crime Writers’ Association

CWA Diamond Dagger Winner 2015

The Crime Writer’s Association is delighted to announce that the recipient of this year’s prestigious Diamond Dagger is Catherine Aird. Following in the footsteps of luminaries such as Simon Brett, P.D James, Lee Child and Frederick Forsyth, Cath...


CWA Dagger Longlists Announced

We are delighted to reveal the long listed authors for the CWA Goldsboro Gold Dagger, the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. The results were revealed mid-way through National Crime Reading Month and the shortli...


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...


ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger

ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger This Dagger is for the best crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality with their first novel of any kind published in the UK in English during the judging period.  ‘Best crime novel by a first-ti...


CWA Daggers Awarded in Glittering Ceremony

All 10 winners of this year’s CWA Daggers were announced at a glittering black-tie occasion at the Grange City Hotel in Cooper’s Row, London on Tuesday October 11. The CWA Daggers, which are probably the awards crime writers and publishers alike ...



Crime Writers in Residence: at home with Holly Watt

The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. My name is Holly Watt, and I write novels about a journalist called Casey Benedict who investigates stories that take her all over the world. The first one - To The Lions, whi...


12 Criminally Good Hints for Crime Writing by Laraine Stephens

by Laraine Stephens   Start with reading in the crime genre. You'll pick up how different authors approach their craft. You’ll learn to recognise good writing and bad writing. Also, there’s great advice in books and blogs about how to ...


Kemptown Bookshop

Cathy Hayward of Kemptown Bookshop talks to Elly Griffiths Cathy Hayward is only the third owner of Kemptown Bookshop, Brighton’s oldest independent bookstore. She was a long-time fan of the shop, which has been on St George’s Road since 1976,...


CWA Dagger Awards Longlists Announced

The 2021 longlists for the prestigious CWA Dagger awards, which honour the very best in the crime writing genre, have been announced. The world-famous Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Daggers are the oldest awards in the genre, and have been synony...


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