CWA Dagger Awards

CWA (Crime Writers' Association) announces Winners!

Dagger in the Library: Colin Cotterill
This annual award is given to "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users"; authors are nominated by UK libraries and Readers’ Groups and judged by a panel of librarians. In making the award to Colin, the judges said An unusual hero in an unusual setting. Quirky, funny and very appealing. His books are a truly beautiful read.

International Dagger: Fred Vargas and translator Sian Reynolds, with the first in the series of Adamsberg novels, The Chalk Circle Man
This Dagger is awarded for crime, thriller, suspense novels or spy fiction which have been translated into English from their original language, for UK publication. The Dagger and cheque for £1000 prize money for the author and £500 for the translator was presented at a drinks reception held at the Tiger Tiger nightspot in London on the evening of July 15. The judges commented ‘This first Adamsberg novel is already a remarkable demonstration of Vargas’s ability to open with an odd event and follow it into an unhappy past.’

Short Story Dagger: Sean Chercover for "One Serving of Bad Luck" from Killer Year, edited by Lee Child (Mira)
The judges commented that his story was Neat, tight and economical, this is a new take on the private eye; the auguries are good for a major crime writing career for this writer.

Debut Dagger: Catherine O'Keefe for The Pathologist.
The judges described it as An uncomfortable, sophisticated, read that also manages to be suspenseful.

Congratulations to All!!