The Eternal Life of Ezra Ben Simeon
Bill Crotty
Debut Dagger
This year's winner
The Eternal Life of Ezra Ben Simeon
Bill Crotty
Georgia Malone is a brilliant young American expert in ancient documents. Lecturing in Rome she is confronted with the devastating news of her father’s suicide. As she tries to make sense of his legacy she is drawn into a centuries-old intrigue which puts her in grave danger even as it forces her to re-evaluate her life and beliefs.
Highly Commended
Riverine Blood by Joseph James
For 20 years the CWA has been encouraging new writing with its Debut Dagger competition for unpublished writers. The submissions are judged by a panel of top crime editors and agents, and the short listed entries are sent to publishers and agents.
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Shortlist
The Last Googling of Beth Bailly
Luke Melia
Riverine Blood
Joseph James
Original Sins
Linda Duncan McLaughlin
Trust Me, I’m Dead
Sherryl Clark
The judges
Leigh Russell
Hailed as ‘a brilliant talent’ by Jeffery Deaver and ‘a deeply human voice’ by Peter James, Leigh Russell writes the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series of psychological crime thrillers.
As well as receiving rave reviews on numerous renowned sites like CrimeTime,Crimesquad and
Eurocrime, her books have attracted glowing reviews in journals as diverse as The Times, The New York Journal of Books and Star Magazine, to name just a few.
Frankie Gray
Frankie is Publishing Director for Commercial Fiction at Transworld. As Editorial Director, Frankie was responsible for last year’s much talked-about The Widow by Fiona Barton.
Katherine Armstrong
Katherine Armstrong is Editorial Director for crime & thrillers at Bonnier Zaffre. She has worked in publishing for twelve years, first at Faber and Faber and then at Sphere, before joining Bonnier Zaffre in summer 2016.
Her main interest is crime fiction.
Stephanie Glencross
Stephanie Glencross is a literary agent with Gregory & Company. Her main task is editing and her special interest crime fiction.
Debut Dagger 2018 Longlist
| Title | Author |
| The Eternal Life of Ezra Ben Simeon | Bill Crotty |
| The Infant of Prague | Nicole Wells |
| Sharps and Flats | Chris Dixon |
| Orange612 | Martin Ungless |
| Grabbed | Peter Lewenstein |
| The Last Googling of Beth Bailly | Luke Melia |
| Riverine Blood | Joseph James |
| Death Be Drammed | Coleen Steele |
| Original Sins | Linda McLaughlin |
| Trust Me, I’m Dead | Sherryl Clark |