The CWA Gold Dagger Shortlist 2009

The Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger is one of the most coveted prizes in thriller writing, awarded annually to the author of the year's best crime novel. The winner will be announced at the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards on October 21st, and the writers in the running this year are an eclectic mix. Below is a little bit about each of them, with links to reviews from the media and bookarmy members.

Other prestigious awards to be won at the Crime Thriller Awards include the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, the CWA (John Creasey) New Blood Dagger and the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award. Follow the links to find out more!

Kate Atkinson for When Will There Be Good News?
Although her love of a good mystery is very much in evidence in all of her writing, it’s only with her latest three novels that Kate Atkinson has decisively turned her attention towards crime fiction. When Will There Be Good News? is the third novel to feature her private investigator Jackson Brodie. Read Synopsis for When Will There Be Good News?

What the reviews say
Bookarmy member Bookangel2: I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was intriguing and although it took a while for the connections between characters and events to become clear, it only added to my interest. Kate Atkinson writes so well that I didn't want to put it down!


Mark Billingham for In the Dark
Stand-up comic Mark Billingham is already the proud owner of a host of literary awards, and this is the second time he has made the Gold Dagger shortlist. With In the Dark, Billingham has taken a risk; it's his first stand-alone thriller, so doesn't feature his much-loved protagonist, DI Tom Thorne. Read Synopsis for In The Dark

What the reviews say
The Sunday Telegraph: Billingham's depiction of the daily lives of the youthful gang members, especially the boy who fired the gun, is believable and utterly depressing and he produces an astonishing final twist to complete his most ambitious and most accomplished book.


Lawrence Block for Hit and Run
A living legend of crime fiction, Lawrence Block has been writing since the sixties. Amongst the many honours he's received are the Gumshoe Award for Lifetime Achievement, which he won in 2005, and the 2004 CWA Diamond Dagger. Hit and Run is the fourth book in his Keller series, which follows the adventures of a lonely, stamp-collecting hitman. Read Synopsis for Hit and Run

What the reviews say
The New York Sun: Maybe the greatest way a writer can display his skill is to make a subject of which you thought you had not the slightest interest appear compelling — and you can be certain you will find in "Hit and Run" numerous paragraphs about philately suddenly to be too brief, as you just need to know more about the Swedish three-skilling orange.


William Brodrick for A Whispered Name
The facts of William Brodrick’s life are as fascinating as the fiction he writes. Originally an Augustinian friar, he left the church to pursue a career as a barrister. His recurring protagonist is Father Anselm, and the character’s life is an exact negative of the author’s; Anselm gives up the legal profession to become a monk. A Whispered Name is Brodrick’s third novel. Read synopsis for A Whispered Name

What the reviews say
The Scotsman: Brodrick's books are characterised by deeply complex moral questions. Here, he examines the human soul in the direst of circumstances, wisely steering clear of sweeping concepts such as "honour" and "courage". Though he admits that there is "romance" in "hardship and patriotic suffering", even noble men return full of self-disgust at the things war required them to do.


M. R. Hall for The Coroner
The Coroner is M R Hall’s debut novel, but he is already highly regarded as a screenwriter and has an impressive string of writing credits to his name, including hit British crime series Dalziel and Pascoe and Kavanagh QC. He is a former barrister, and his work is enriched by his intimate knowledge of the law. The Coroner is the first instalment of a planned trilogy. Read synopsis for The Coroner

What the reviews say
Bookarmy member flip18 An intriguing debut for coroner Jenny Cooper. Could have done without all the family trauma - unsympathetic ex-husband, stoner teenage son, etc - but there was enough in this to make me want to read more. Wait for the paperback or borrow from the library though, I wouldn't say it was worth splashing out the extra cash on the hardback :)


Gene Kerrigan for Dark Times in the City
Gene Kerrigan is an Irish writer better known as a political commentator than a thriller author. His first two novels, though low-profile, were well-received by crime fans. A win at the Crime Thriller Awards this year would mean a taste of the type of recognition Kerrigan has previously only received for his journalism. Read synopsis for Dark Times in the City

What the reviews say
The Times: Coincidentally, two Dublin-based novels, published at the same time, contain equally appealing principal characters and cover much the same territory - the capital's underworld [...] Kerrigan and Hughes share muscular writing, a smart line in self-deprecating humour, terrific dialogue and an engrossing portrayal of the sights and sounds of Dublin Noir.

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