Daggers Details Due

I don’t remember, if I ever knew, what it was like in the era before so many awards were given out annually for crime, mystery, and thriller fiction. These days, it seems we’re constantly absorbing news of another book, another author, another publisher being commended for having delivered above-average reading material to the masses. It is hard to be excited about each and every such notice.

Building up anticipation for this sort of news may be one way to increase attention. And may explain why the British Crime Writers’ Association announced today that it will be making public its longlists of nominees for the 2020 Dagger Awards next Friday, June 5, in 10 categories. Here’s part of the CWA press release:

Judging year 2019-2020 has seen a major reorganisation of the Daggers’ judging panels with an infusion of new blood to create a diverse cross-section of jurors.

CWA Honorary Vice Chair, Maxim Jakubowski, said the refreshed juries were to “move with the times and reflect the diversity of tastes and choices of the reading public.”

Linda Stratmann, Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association, added: “It’s been an exciting period after a recent review and refreshing of the judging panels with existing judges moved to different categories, and new judges brought in. We are committed to ensuring the awards remain exciting, relevant and independent.”

New 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.

Under normal circumstances, the CWA would’ve divulged these Dagger longlists during CrimeFest. However, that annual convention was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So instead, the news will be posted on the CWA Web site, as well as on that organization’s Facebook and Twitter pages, and its YouTube channel.