Aftermath wins Dagger award

The first set of winners of the Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger Awards was announced in July. The CWA also announced the shortlists for its remaining Daggers, which will be awarded in October at the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2010.

Ruth Dudley-Edwards took home the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction for Aftermath: the Omagh Bombing and the Families’ Pursuit of Justice. This is the story of how the families of ten of those killed in the bombing decided to pursue those suspected of their murder through the civil courts. The book is an account of how these families – who had no knowledge of the law and no money, and included a cleaner, a mechanic and a bookie – became internationally recognised, formidable campaigners and surmounted countless daunting obstacles to win a famous victory.

Ariana Franklin won the CWA Dagger in the Library for her Mistress of the Art of Death series. The award is given for the body of an author's work, not for an individual title and is awarded to a writer nominated by library users and chosen by a panel of librarians, all of whom work with the public.

Johan Theorin won the CWA International Dagger for The Darkest Room, translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy. The Crime Writers’ Association’s International Dagger is a competition for crime, thriller, suspense or spy fiction novels which have been translated into English from their original language, for UK publication. Theorin beat off competition from best-selling author Stieg Larsson to claim the award.

Earlier in the year Val McDermid was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger Award in recognition of her work over more than 20 years. For the shortlists for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger, Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and Gold Dagger see http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2010/index.html