The Crime Writers’ Association

About the CWA

About the CWA The Crime Writers’ Association was founded in 1953 by John Creasey (pictured). Our overall aim is to support, promote and celebrate this most durable, adaptable and successful of genres. The CWA’s everyday aim is to support writers...


ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction This Dagger is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality as long as the book was first published in the UK in English during the judging period. The Dagger encompasses, tho...


CWA Announces new Debut Dagger Sponsor

The Crime Writers’ Association has announced a new sponsor for its annual international writing competition for unpublished writers. The CWA Debut Dagger is to be sponsored by ProWritingAid, a platform that operates as a grammar checker, style edi...


Private: Into the River: how a last-minute decision led to an award-winning bestseller, by Mark Brandi

In a river, on the outskirts of an isolated country town, two young brothers discover a wheelie bin, partly submerged beneath a fallen tree. Curious, the older brother goes closer to investigate. He steps carefully across the tree’s smooth trunk, ...


Private: Trust your gut: how a Debut Dagger longlisting led to a publishing deal

People often ask me where the initial idea for “Trust Me, I’m Dead” came from, and I talk about an article I read many years ago where one snippet caught my eye, and then stuck in my brain. It was a small thing, about a man who’d left behind ...


The Secrets of Successful Crime Writing with Pauline Rowson

Acclaimed Crime Author Pauline Rowson is the author of nineteen crime novels set against the backdrop of the sea on the South Coast of England. Fourteen of these feature the rugged and flawed Portsmouth copper, Inspector Andy Horton with Dead Passage...


Crime Writers in Residence – at home with Marissa De Luna

The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. I grew up in Goa and moved to England when I was a teenager. I now live in Oxford with my husband and two children and work as a Development Manager for a housing association i...


Hunt for the Margery Allingham Short Mystery Prize Winner 2022

The hunt for the best unpublished short mystery story is on. Entrants have until 6pm GMT on Monday 28 February to enter the international Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Margery Allingham Short Mystery competition, 2022. The Margery Allingha...


Norfolk & Norwich Festival – Jeffery Deaver – The Cutting Edge

Thursday 22 May, 7.30pm The Adnams Spiegeltent, Chapelfield Gardens £12 / concessions from £7.50 We welcome number-one Sunday Times bestselling author and master of suspense Jeffery Deaver to Norwich UNESCO City of Literature. The Cutting Edge s...


CWA Conference 2023 – Booking Form

CWA Conference 2023 - Booking Form York Conference 2023 - gala dinner is FULL! Although a month before registration deadline, our annual get together - this year in York - has proved hugely popular. As a result, places for our Saturday night gala d...


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