Shortlists announced for six Daggers, the most prestigious crime writing awards in the UK, on Friday at CrimeFest in Bristol.

The Crime Writers Association has revealed the eagerly anticipated shortlists for six Daggers, the most prestigious crime writing awards in the UK.

CWA Chair Peter James (left - phto Gil Hanly) declared, “The Crime Writers’ Association Daggers are the most coveted of all awards in the UK crime writing calendar and this year’s shortlist entries have all been of an exceptionally high standard.  I'm delighted to see that the world of quality crime writing is thriving in our new electronic age."

The winners will be announced at the CWA Awards Ceremony on July 5^th in the Library at One Birdcage Walk in London, along with the Daggers longlist announcements for the Gold, Steel and John Creasey (for first novels) categories. Crime fiction legend Frederick Forsyth will be awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger.

CrimeFest also represents the launch venue for the CWA’s Crime Writing Month, with events and competitions round the UK. Info - www.crimewritingmonth.co.uk

The Dagger in the Library - Sponsored by Random House

Steve Mosby
Belinda Bauer
Imogen Robertson
S.J. Bolton
Susan Hill
Peter May

The Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction - Sponsored by the ALCS

To Live Outside the Law - Leaf Fielding, published by Serpent’s Tail
DarkMarket - Misha Glenny, published by Vintage
Hood Rat - Gavin Knight, published by Pan Macmillan
The Negotiator - Ben Lopez, published by Little, Brown
Witness - David Smith with Carol Ann Lee, published by Mainstream
The Eleventh Day - Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan, published by Doubleday

The Debut Dagger - Sponsored by Orion

Beached - Sandy Gingras (USA)
Broken Winged Bird - Renata Hill (Canada)
Chasing Shadows - Lesley McLaren (France)
Death by Glasgow - Jon Breakfield (UK)
Death Knell - Rob Lowe (UK)
Easy to Die - Sean Carpenter (UK)
Message from Panama – Britt Vasarhelyi (Panama)
One Man Army – Bram E. Gieben (UK)
Port of Spain – Elizabeth Wells (Canada)
The Watchers – Karen Catalona (USA)
The Wrong Domino – Simon Miller (UK)
Trick – Sean Hancock (UK)

The Ellis Peters Historical Dagger

A Willing Victim - Laura Wilson, published by Quercus
Bitter Water - Gordon Ferris, published by Corvus
Icelight - Aly Monroe, published by John Murray
I Will Have Vengeance - Maurizio de Giovanni, published by Hersilia Press
Prague Fatale - Philip Kerr, published by Quercus
Sacrilege – S. J. Parris, published by HarperCollins
The Crown - Nancy Bilyeau, published Orion

The International Dagger for crime fiction in translation

The Potter’s Field - Andrea Camilleri & tr. Stephen Sartarelli, Mantle
I Will Have Vengeance - Maurizio de Giovanni & tr. Anne Milano Appel, Hersilia Press
Until Thy Wrath Be Past - Åsa Larsson & tr. Laurie Thompson, MacLehose Press
Trackers - Deon Meyer & tr. K. L. Seegers, Hodder & Stoughton 

Phantom - Jo Nesbø & tr. Don Bartlett, Harvill Secker
The Dark Valley - Valerio Varesi & tr. Joseph Farrell, MacLehose Press

The Short Story Dagger

The Golden Hour - Bernie Crosthwaite
From… Guilty Consciences - Edited by Martin Edwards, Severn House
Hixton - William Kent Krueger
From… Crimes by Moonlight - Edited by Charlaine Harris, Gollancz
The Message - Margaret Murphy
From… Murder Squad: Best Eaten Cold and Other Stories - Edited by Martin Edwards, Mystery Press
He Did Not Always See Her - Claire Seeber
From… Guilty Consciences - Edited by Martin Edwards, Severn House
A Long Time Dead - Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins
From… The Best American Mystery Stories 2011 - Edited by Harlan Coben, Corvus
Laptop - Cath Staincliffe
From… Murder Squad: Best Eaten Cold and Other Stories - Edited by Martin Edwards, Mystery Press