More Daggers in the Wind

Following last week’s announcement of nominees for the 2006 Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award (formerly known as the Gold Dagger), the British Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) now brings forth its shortlists for half a dozen other prestigious annual commendations. And the contenders are …

Duncan Lawrie International Dagger
(“For crime, thriller, suspense novels or spy fiction which have been translated into English from their original language, for UK publication.”)

● Excursion to Tindari, by Andrea Camilleri; translated by Stephen Sartarelli (Picador)
● Autumn of the Phantoms, by Yasmina Khadra; translated by Aubrey Botsford (Toby Crime)
● Dead Horsemeat, by Dominique Manotti; translated by Amanda Hopkinson and Ros Schwartz (Eurocrime)
● Borkmann’s Point, by Håkan Nesser; translated by Laurie Thompson (Macmillan)
● Blood on the Saddle, by Rafael Reig; translated by Paul Hammond (Serpent’s Tail)
● The Three Evangelists, by Fred Vargas; translated by Sian Reynolds (Harvill)

The Ian Fleming Steel Dagger
(“[F]or the best adventure/thriller novel in the vein of James Bond.” Sponsored by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.)

● The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly (Orion UK)
● Sweet Gum, by Jo-Ann Goodwin (Bantam Press)
● Pig Island, by Mo Hayder (Bantam Press)
● The English Assassin, by Daniel Silva (Penguin)
● Mr. Clarinet, by Nick Stone (Penguin)
● The Mercy Seat, by Martyn Waites (Pocket)
● Contact Zero, by David Wolstencroft (Hodder & Stoughton)

The CWA Non-Fiction Gold Dagger
● A Death in Belmont, by Sebastian Junger (Fourth Estate)
● The Story of Chicago May, by Nuala O’Faolain (Michael Joseph)
● The Death of Innocents, by Sister Helen Prejean (Canterbury Press)
● Under and Alone, by William Queen (Mainstream)
● The Dagenham Murder, by Linda Rhodes, Lee Sheldon, and Kathryn Abnett (Borough of Barking and Dagenham)
● And Then the Darkness, by Sue Williams (John Blake)

The New Blood Dagger
(“[A]warded in memory of CWA founder John Creasey, for first books by previously unpublished writers.” Sponsored by BBC Audiobooks.)

● Immoral, by Brian Freeman (Headline)
● Still Life, by Louise Penny (Headline)
● Ice Trap, by Kitty Sewell (Honno Welsh Women’s Press)

The Dagger in the Library
(“[A]warded to ‘the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to readers.’” Sponsored by Random House.)

● Anthony Horowitz
● Lesley Horton
● Jim Kelly
● Margaret Murphy
● Danuta Reah (aka Carla Banks)
● C.J. Sansom
● Cath Staincliffe

CWA Debut Dagger
(“[O]pen to anyone who has not yet had a novel published commercially.” Sponsored by Orion.)

● Celina Alcock (UK), The House on Fever Street
● Paul Curd (UK), The Belfast Boy
● Diane Janes (UK), Moonshadow
● Sarah Kotler (USA), Special Delivery
● Iain Rowan (UK), One of Us
● Elizabeth Saccente (UK), Ikumo
● Michael Sears (South Africa) and Stanley Trollip (USA), A Carrion Death
● Richard A. Thompson (USA), Fiddle Game
● Megan Toogood (UK), A Random Act of Generosity
● D.V. Wesselmann (aka Otis Twelve) (USA), Imp

The winners of these awards are to be announced during a black tie/evening dress dinner on June 29 at London’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel. Still to come are the shortlists for this year’s Ellis Peters Award and Short Story Award. Both of those commendations will be presented to winners later in the year.