The Crime Writers' Association

Debut Dagger

This Year's Winner

Revolution Never Lies
Josephine Moulds

Revolution Never Lies

It’s 2011 and surviving in Cuba is a challenge even without murder.

Josephine Moulds lived in Cuba in 2010, where she studied politics and wrote for The Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph, among others. She first visited the island in 1998 and wrote her dissertation on politics and literature in Cuba, as part of her degree at the University of Manchester. She lives in Brighton and continues to work as a freelance journalist, writing about a broad range of topics, from domestic violence, to poverty, and business. She completed Revolution Never Lies during a period of huge upheaval in Cuba and the novel is a snapshot of a country in flux. She has also written a picture book manuscript – When Grandma Turned Into a Parrot – a story for early years children about dementia.

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A competition for the opening of a crime novel by an uncontracted writer.

Entries from shortlisted writers are sent to UK literary agents and publishers. Every year, authors find representation this way.

Highly commended

Shortlist

The Judges 2021

Leigh Russell

Leigh Russell has sold over a million books in her Geraldine Steel crime series which has  been translated into several languages, including Chinese. Leigh has been shortlisted for two CWA Dagger Awards, and has twice been a finalist for The People’s Book Prize. She serves on the board of the Crime Writers’ Association, co-ordinates their Criminal Critiques service, and chairs the Debut Dagger judges. She is a Royal Literary Fellow.

Stephanie Glencross

Stephanie is an Editor at Gregory and Company Authors’ Agents, which is now part of David Higham Associates. Stephanie works with clients on their manuscripts before they are submitted to publishers and also looks for new talent. Clients include Val McDermid and Belinda Bauer.

Katherine Armstrong

Katherine Armstrong is Editorial Director for crime & thrillers at Bonnier Zaffre, part of Bonnier Books UK. She has worked in publishing since 2005, first at Faber and Faber and then at Sphere (Little, Brown), before joining Bonnier Zaffre in 2016. She is also one of the co-founders of the First Monday crime nights in London. 

Oli Munson

Oli Munson is a director at literary agency A.M. Heath & Co. His list includes award-winning writers of crime, thrillers and suspense.

2020 Shortlist

  • The Spae-Wife – Anna Caig
  • Whipstick – Leanne Fry
  • Pesticide – Kim Hays
  • Emergency Drill – Nicholas Morrish
  • Revolution Never Lies – Josephine Moulds
  • Bitter Lake – Michael Munro

2020 Longlist

  • Lowlands – Barbara Austin
  • The Spae-Wife – Anna Caig
  • Undercut – Loraine Fowlow
  • Whipstick – Leanne Fry
  • Pesticide – Kim Hays
  • Blogger’s End – Jack Kapica
  • Emergency Drill – Nicholas Morrish
  • Revolution Never Lies – Josephine Moulds
  • Bitter Lake – Michael Munro
  • Grim Fairy Tale – Karen Taylor
  • Dark Pastimes – Jane Wing
  • A Generation of Vipers – Sarah Yarwood-Lovett