The Daggers 2006 - the Crime Writers Association UK

Last night's British Daggers were awarded as follows:

The Duncan Lawrie Dagger (formerly called "The CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Fiction"): Ann Cleeves - Raven Black (Macmillan);

The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger: Nick Stone - Mr Clarinet (Penguin);

The Duncan Lawrie International Dagger: Fred Vargas (author) and Siân Reynolds (translator) - The Three Evangelists (Harvill);

The CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction: Linda Rhodes, Lee Sheldon and Kathryn Abnett - The Dagenham Murder (The Borough of Barking and Dagenham);

The CWA New Blood Dagger: Louise Penny - Still Life (Headline);

The CWA Dagger in the Library: Jim Kelly;

The Dèbut Dagger: Otis Twelve – the pseudonym of US writer D V Wesselmann – Imp.

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Also: Simon Beckett's The Chemistry of Death (Bantam Press) was highly commended in the Duncan Lawrie Dagger category.

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Elmore Leonard was awarded the 2006 Cartier Diamond Dagger earlier this year.

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Congratulations to all the winners!

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Note: Thanks to the CWA for noting there's a circumflex in the name Siân, but you have it over the wrong vowel!

Comments

[crimeficreader]

Chris,
Any chance of comments on the books you've read to help out Maxine?

Minx,
LOL I thought you were serious there for a moment. I even Googled that sentence. Doh!

[Chris]

I've read of the winning authors, and have the actual winner in my ever-growing TBR pile. With another six books adding to said pile in July, I need to quit work and do nothing but read!

It's good to see Ann Cleeves win the major prize; unpredicatble works for me, and I have high hopes with Raven Black!

[Minx]

Off topic I know, but just wanted to say thanks for popping over. Please don't worry about my shelves, they are part of my ancient house and are built to last.

Headline in 'Crime Daily'....
BUDDING AUTHOR KILLED BY BRASS SHIVA - POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING SUSPICIOUS BLOGGERS

[crimeficreader]

Sorry Maxine,

I missed a point you made there. "What does one do when one's pile of unread books is longer than one's life could be?"

Well, one might work on one's own estimate of life expectancy, with a vengeance; reviewing one's shelves and thinking that it's worth living a little longer than current estimated expectancy, in order to enjoy what's out there, and then making the effort required to live that much longer...

But please, don't get too stressed about it. I too, have many books on the shelves, or in boxes, that I am yet to read. When eventually, it comes to retirement, of a sort for me, I will have the chance to read them, if I can't find the opportunity right now.

But that's a standard of life at the moment - there are so many authors out there producing such good books, it's hard to keep up!

I have to admit that I was really stressed about the same problem once, but then I reverted to a consideration of life as a whole. Reading is my hobby and escape; if I apply the ethos of my working life to my reading, I'd be dead tomorrow.

Reading is always leisure, relaxation and escapism time. Never let it push you to more than that - then you're on the downslide of a rollercoaster, with no control.

Above all - no pressure - reading is for enjoyment.

[crimeficreader]

Hi Maxine,

I can only comment on Beckett's "highly commended" book, see here: http://itsacrime.typepad.com/its_a_crime_or_a_mystery/2006/06/simon_becketts_.html
That's a really good read and it makes East Anglia not such a pleasant place in which to seek refuge, as the protagonist does...

Plus, I love Jim Kelly's books. He was up against Margaret Murphy (http://itsacrime.typepad.com/its_a_crime_or_a_mystery/2006/02/now_you_see_me_.html) and others for the "Dagger in the Library" and I love her books also.

Kelly's patch is The Fens and Murphy's patch is Liverpool, in her most recent series. Both authors have an uncanny ability to create a setting that believably hits home and puts the location into another perspective. Where the mists of The Fens become cloying and ever so oppressive, Liverpool's city life is examined "under the cover", "warts and all".

Where Murphy's characters are "day to day" ordinary folk and acutely observed, Kelly's characters have quirks. Kelly's protagonist is working as a local journalist, but living a life in limbo as his wife lies in hospital bed suffering from "locked in syndrome".

Further than that, Maxine, I cannot comment. Beckett, Kelly and Murphy make excellent additions to your shelves, or library borrowings.

[Maxine]

Oh blimey! I am a crime fiction addict and have reached a "certain age" but I have not read any of these except most of Elmore Leonard. I have got the "highly commended" in my TBR pile.
What does one do when one's pile of unread books is longer than one's life could be?
Have you read any of these, Crimefic? Recommended?