CWA reveals longlist for Dagger in the Library prize
The Crime Writers’ Association has unveiled the longlist for this year’s Dagger in the Library prize, recognising an author not for a single book but for their complete body of work. Nominations came from votes cast by readers online, this year through the award’s sponsor, Penguin Random House crime imprint/community Dead Good.
This year’s longlisted authors are Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves, Christopher Fowler, Elly Griffiths, Elizabeth Haynes, Susan Hill, Peter James, Simon Kernick, Peter May, Phil Rickman and Tim Weaver. The list is based on 2,844 votes, more than double those cast last year.
The shortlist and winner will now be decided by a panel of judges consisting of librarians Mobeena Khan, Stewart Bain, Jennifer Stewart and Sue Wilkinson, alongside last year’s winner, Sharon Bolton, and Lucy Santos, director of the Crime Writer’s Association. The shortlist is to be made public on 8 June, while the judges’ final decision will be revealed on 30 June.
The prize was first awarded in 1994, and was known as the Golden Handcuffs for its first three years. Prior winners include Mo Hayder, Peter Robinson, Alexander McCall Smith, Stuart McBride and Belinda Bauer. It is one of ten categories in the annual CWA Dagger Awards.