2020 CWA Daggers – Shortlists to be Announced!

The shortlists for the coveted 2020 CWA Daggers will be revealed at 9am on Thursday 6 August 2020.

At Cause UK, we are partners in crime with the Crime Writers’ Association!

The CWA was established by John Creasey, the prolific author of over 500 novels with worldwide sales in the 1970’s of over 80 million copies in 28 different languages. The long-standing membership organisation is for authors at all stages of their career and works to promote, support and celebrate the diverse crime genre, from psychological thrillers, paranormal crossovers to police procedurals.

The CWA has for over 50 years ran the prestigious, world-famed CWA Dagger Awards, which celebrate the best writing in the genre. It’s also renowned for supporting aspiring and debut writers with its annual Debut Dagger competition and Margery Allingham Short Mystery competition.

The world-famous Daggers have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century.

Categories include the CWA Gold Dagger, awarded to the best crime novel, and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller.

Past winners of the Gold Dagger include Jane Harper, Ann Cleeves, Ian Rankin and Val McDermid. The Daggers are also renowned for showcasing new authors. The much-anticipated John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger for best debut novel has throughout the years recognised major new talent including Dreda Say Mitchell, Louise Welsh and Gillian Flynn.

The shortlists are whittled down from the Longlists by the diverse judging panels, which consist of leading and respected journalists, publishers, academics, literary critics and authors.

Judges include former Guardian crime correspondent turned author, Duncan Campbell, leading book blogger and Daily Express reviewer Anne Cater, popular culture chronicler Woody Haut, broadcaster Angela Rippon and head reviewer for Love Reading, Liz Robinson.

The winners of the 2020 Daggers will be announced at an awards ceremony on 22 October.

The shortlists will be available on the CWA website from 9am on 6 August, as well as via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube with the hashtag #CWADaggers.

For further media info please contact Ann Chadwick, ann@causeuk.com M: 07534 892715.