Ian Fleming Steel Dagger
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association for best thriller of the year. The award is sponsored by the estate of Ian Fleming. It is given to a title that fits the broadest definition of the thriller novel; these can be set in any period and include, but are not limited to, spy fiction and/or action/ adventure stories. Ian Fleming said there was one essential criterion for a good thriller – that “one simply has to turn the pages”; this is one of the main characteristics that the judges will be looking for.


Winners


2020s

;2021 *Winner:
Michael Robotham Michael Robotham (born 9 November 1960) is an Australian crime fiction writer who has twice won the CWA Gold Dagger award for best novel and twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for best novel. His eldest child is Alexandra Hope Robotham, ...
, ''When She Was Good'' ** Robert Galbraith, ''
Troubled Blood ''Troubled Blood'' is the fifth novel in the ''Cormoran Strike'' series, written by J. K. Rowling and published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The novel was released on 15 September 2020. Plot ''Troubled Blood'' begins in August 2013 a ...
'' ** Catherine Ryan Howard, ''The Nothing Man'' **
Stuart Turton Stuart Turton (born 1980) is an English author and journalist. His first novel, ''The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle'' (2018) was a bestseller internationally and won a number of awards including the First Novel Award at the 2018 Costa Book ...
, ''The Devil and the Dark Water'' **
Ruth Ware Ruth Ware (born 1977), alias for Ruth Warburton, is a British psychological crime thriller author. Her novels include ''In a Dark, Dark Wood'' (2015), ''The Woman in Cabin 10'' (2016), ''The Lying Game'' (2017), ''The Death of Mrs Westaway'' (201 ...
, ''One by One'' **
Chris Whitaker Chris Whitaker (born 19 October 1974) is an Australian professional rugby union coach and former international player. he is head coach of the Sydney Rays in Australia's National Rugby Championship, and the interim head coach of Super Rugby si ...
, ''We Begin at the End'' ;2020 * Winner:
Lou Berney Lou Berney (born 1964) is an American crime fiction author who has published four books since 2010. For his works, Berney has won multiple awards including an Anthony, Barry and Edgar for '' The Long and Faraway Gone''. With ''November Road'', Be ...
, ''November Road'' **
Tom Chatfield Tom Chatfield (born 1980) is a British author, broadcaster and tech philosopher. Biography Chatfield took his Bachelor of Arts, BA, Master of Philosophy, MPhil and Doctor of Philosophy, doctorate degrees and taught at St John's College, Oxford ...
, ''This is Gomorrah{{Cite web, last=, first=, date=, title=The Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, url=https://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/categories/ian-fleming-steel, url-status=live, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706141021/http://thecwa.co.uk:80/the-daggers/categories/ian-fleming-steel/ , archive-date=2014-07-06 , access-date=2020-08-16, website=The Crime Writers' Association'' ** A. A. Dhand, ''One Way Out'' ** Eva Dolan, ''Between Two Evils'' **
David Koepp David Koepp (; born June 9, 1963) is an American filmmaker. Koepp is the ninth most successful screenwriter of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $2.3 billion. Koepp has achieved both critical and commercial ...
, ''Cold Storage'' ** Alex North, ''The Whisper Man''


2010s

;2019 * Winner:
Holly Watt ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The speci ...
, ''To The Lions'' **
Megan Abbott Megan Abbott (born August 21, 1971) is an American author of crime fiction and of non-fiction analyses of hardboiled crime fiction. Her novels and short stories have drawn from and re-worked classic subgenres of crime writing from a female perspec ...
, ''Give Me Your Hand'' **
Dan Fesperman Dan Fesperman (born September 15, 1955, in Charlotte, North Carolina) is a former reporter for ''The Baltimore Sun'' and the author of several thrillers. The plots were inspired by the author's own international assignments in Germany, Bosnia, ...
, ''Safe Houses'' ** Luke Jennings, ''Killing Eve: No Tomorrow'' **
Stephen Mack Jones Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
, ''Lives Laid Away'' **
Tim Willocks Tim Willocks is a British physician and novelist (Born 27 October 1957) in Stalybridge, Cheshire, England. Willocks studied medicine at the University College Hospital Medical School and has worked for some years on the rehabilitation of suffere ...
, ''Memo From Turner'' ;2018 * Winner:
Attica Locke Attica Locke (born 1974 in Houston, Texas) is an American fiction author and writer/producer for television and film. Career A 1995 graduate of Northwestern University School of Communication, Locke was a fellow at the Sundance Institute's Featu ...
, ''
Bluebird, Bluebird ''Bluebird, Bluebird'' is a 2017 novel by Attica Locke. Its main character is an African-American Texas Ranger, Darren Matthews, from the eastern part of the state. He investigates the death of another African-American, a Chicago lawyer named Mic ...
'' **
Mick Herron Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the ''Slough House'' series, early novels of which have been adapted for the ''Slow Horses'' television series. He won the Crime Writers' Association 2013 Gold Dagger aw ...
, ''London Rules'' ** Emily Koch, ''If I Die Before I Wake'' ** Colette McBeth, ''An Act of Silence'' ** C.J. Tudor, ''The Chalk Man'' **
Don Winslow Don Winslow (born October 31, 1953) is an American retired author best known for his award-winning and internationally bestselling crime novels, including '' Savages'', ''The Force'' and the Cartel Trilogy. Early life Winslow was born on Oct ...
, ''The Force'' ; 2017 * Winner:
Mick Herron Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the ''Slough House'' series, early novels of which have been adapted for the ''Slow Horses'' television series. He won the Crime Writers' Association 2013 Gold Dagger aw ...
, ''Spook Street'' ** William Ryan, ''The Constant Soldier'' ** John Hart, ''Redemption Road'' ** J S Carol, ''The Killing Game'' ** Jules Grant, ''We Go Around in the Night and Are Consumed by Fire'' **
Megan Abbott Megan Abbott (born August 21, 1971) is an American author of crime fiction and of non-fiction analyses of hardboiled crime fiction. Her novels and short stories have drawn from and re-worked classic subgenres of crime writing from a female perspec ...
, ''You Will Know Me'' ;2016 * Winner:
Don Winslow Don Winslow (born October 31, 1953) is an American retired author best known for his award-winning and internationally bestselling crime novels, including '' Savages'', ''The Force'' and the Cartel Trilogy. Early life Winslow was born on Oct ...
, ''The Cartel'' **
Lee Child James Dover Grant (born 29 October 1954), primarily known by his pen name Lee Child, is a British author who writes thriller novels, and is best known for his ''Jack Reacher'' novel series. The books follow the adventures of a former America ...
, ''Make Me'' **
Adrian McKinty Adrian McKinty is a Northern Irish writer of crime and mystery novels and young adult fiction, best known for his 2020 award-winning thriller, ''The Chain'', and the Sean Duffy novels set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. He is a winner ...
, ''Rain Dogs'' **
Mick Herron Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the ''Slough House'' series, early novels of which have been adapted for the ''Slow Horses'' television series. He won the Crime Writers' Association 2013 Gold Dagger aw ...
, ''Real Tigers'' ** Daniel Silva, ''The English Spy'' ; 2015 * Winner:
Karin Slaughter Karin Slaughter (born January 6, 1971) is an American crime writer. She has written 21 novels, which have sold more than 40 million copies and have been published in 120 countries. Her first novel, ''Blindsighted'' (2001), was published in 27 l ...
, ''Cop Town'' ** Peter Swanson, ''The Kind Worth Killing'' ** Malcolm Mackay, ''The Night the Rich Men Burned'' ** Patrick Hoffman, ''The White Van'' **
Mick Herron Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the ''Slough House'' series, early novels of which have been adapted for the ''Slow Horses'' television series. He won the Crime Writers' Association 2013 Gold Dagger aw ...
, ''Nobody Walks'' ** Paula Hawkins, ''The Girl on the Train'' ** Sam Hawken, ''Missing'' ; 2014 * Winner: Robert Harris, ''An Officer and a Spy'' **
Louise Doughty Louise Doughty is the author of nine novels, five plays for radio and a TV mini-series. Her most recent book is ''Platform Seven'' (2019), currently being adapted as a four-part drama. The previous book, ''Black Water'', (2016) was nominated as ...
, ''Apple Tree Yard'' **
Greg Iles Greg Iles (born 1960) is a novelist who lives in Mississippi. He has published seventeen novels and one novella, spanning a variety of genres. Early life Iles was born in 1960 in Stuttgart, West Germany, where his physician father ran the US Emb ...
, ''Natchez Burning'' ; 2013 * Winner: Roger Hobbs, ''Ghostman'' ** Stuart Neville, ''Ratlines'' ** Mark Oldfield, ''The Sentinel'' ** Robert Wilson, ''Capital Punishment'' ; 2012 * Winner: Charles Cumming, ''A Foreign Country'' **
Megan Abbott Megan Abbott (born August 21, 1971) is an American author of crime fiction and of non-fiction analyses of hardboiled crime fiction. Her novels and short stories have drawn from and re-worked classic subgenres of crime writing from a female perspec ...
, ''Dare Me'' ** Robert Harris, ''The Fear Index'' ** Neal Stephenson, '' Reamde'' ; 2011 * Winner: Steve Hamilton, ''
The Lock Artist ''The Lock Artist'' is a standalone crime novel by American novelist Steve Hamilton. It was first published in 2010 by Minotaur Books. The story centers on a young man with a talent for lock picking. ''The Lock Artist'' has won several awards ...
'' ** Michael Gruber, ''The Good Son'' ** Craig Smith, ''Cold Rain'' **
S.J. Watson Steve "S. J." Watson (born 1971)
, ''Before I Go to Sleep'' ; 2010 * Winner: Simon Conway, ''A Loyal Spy'' **
Scott Turow Scott Frederick Turow (born April 12, 1949) is an American author and lawyer. Turow has written 13 fiction and three nonfiction books, which have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 30 million copies. Turow’s novel ...
, ''Innocent'' ** Henry Porter, ''The Dying Light'' ** Don Winslow, ''The Gentlemen’s Hour'' **
Lee Child James Dover Grant (born 29 October 1954), primarily known by his pen name Lee Child, is a British author who writes thriller novels, and is best known for his ''Jack Reacher'' novel series. The books follow the adventures of a former America ...
, ''
61 Hours ''61 Hours'' is the fourteenth book in the Jack Reacher thriller series written by Lee Child. It was published on 18 March 2010 both in the United Kingdom and in the USA. It is written in the third person. In the story, former military police o ...
'' **
Mo Hayder Beatrice Clare Dunkel (born Clare Damaris Bastin; pen names, Mo Hayder and Theo Clare; 2 January 1962 – 27 July 2021) was a British author. Earlier in her life she worked as an actress and model under the name Candy Davis. She went on to wr ...
, ''Gone'' **
Mick Herron Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the ''Slough House'' series, early novels of which have been adapted for the ''Slow Horses'' television series. He won the Crime Writers' Association 2013 Gold Dagger aw ...
, ''Slow Horses''


2000s

;2009 * Winner: John Hart, ''
The Last Child ''The Last Child'' is a suspense thriller by American novelist John Hart. It was first published in 2009 by Minotaur Books. Awards and distinctions *2010 Edgar Award winner for Best Novel *2010 Anthony Award nominee for Best Novel *2010 Barr ...
'' **
Michael Connelly Michael Joseph Connelly (born July 21, 1956) is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bes ...
, '' The Brass Verdict'' **
Gillian Flynn Gillian Schieber Flynn (; born February 24, 1971) is an American author, screenwriter, and producer. She is known for writing the thriller and mystery novels, ''Sharp Objects'' (2006), '' Dark Places'' (2009), and '' Gone Girl'' (2012), which are ...
, ''Dark Places'' ** Charlie Newton, ''Calumet City'' ** Daniel Silva, '' Moscow Rules'' **
Olen Steinhauer Olen Steinhauer (born June 21, 1970 in Baltimore) is an American writer of spy fiction novels, including '' The Tourist'', part of the Milo Weaver series, and the Yalta Boulevard Sequence. Steinhauer also created the TV series '' Berlin Station ...
, ''The Tourist'' ** Andrew Williams, ''The Interrogator'' ; 2008 * Winner:
Tom Rob Smith Tom Rob Smith (born February 19, 1979) is an English author, screenwriter and producer. Personal life and education The son of Swedish mother Barbro and English father Ron, both antiques dealers, Smith was born and raised at Norbury, South Lo ...
, '' Child 44'' **
Mo Hayder Beatrice Clare Dunkel (born Clare Damaris Bastin; pen names, Mo Hayder and Theo Clare; 2 January 1962 – 27 July 2021) was a British author. Earlier in her life she worked as an actress and model under the name Candy Davis. She went on to wr ...
, ''Ritual'' **
Gregg Hurwitz Gregg Andrew Hurwitz is an American novelist, screenwriter, and comic book writer. Most of his novels are in the thriller fiction genre. His script writing work includes a film adaptation of his book '' Orphan X'', a TV adaptation of Joby Warri ...
, ''I See You'' **
Michael Robotham Michael Robotham (born 9 November 1960) is an Australian crime fiction writer who has twice won the CWA Gold Dagger award for best novel and twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for best novel. His eldest child is Alexandra Hope Robotham, ...
, '' Shatter'' ** David Stone, ''The Echelon Vendetta'' ; 2007 * Winner:
Gillian Flynn Gillian Schieber Flynn (; born February 24, 1971) is an American author, screenwriter, and producer. She is known for writing the thriller and mystery novels, ''Sharp Objects'' (2006), '' Dark Places'' (2009), and '' Gone Girl'' (2012), which are ...
, ''Sharp Objects'' ** Alex Berenson, ''
The Faithful Spy ''The Faithful Spy'' is a novel by ''New York Times'' reporter Alex Berenson. The novel won an Edgar award for Best First novel. It was published in 2006 by Random House and tells the story of a CIA agent who has infiltrated Al Qaeda and, years a ...
'' ** Harlan Coben, ''The Woods'' ** R. J. Ellory, ''City of Lies'' ** Michael Marshall, ''The Intruders'' **
Michael Robotham Michael Robotham (born 9 November 1960) is an Australian crime fiction writer who has twice won the CWA Gold Dagger award for best novel and twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for best novel. His eldest child is Alexandra Hope Robotham, ...
, ''The Night Ferry'' **
Karin Slaughter Karin Slaughter (born January 6, 1971) is an American crime writer. She has written 21 novels, which have sold more than 40 million copies and have been published in 120 countries. Her first novel, ''Blindsighted'' (2001), was published in 27 l ...
, ''
Triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided ...
'' ; 2006 * Winner: Nick Stone, ''Mr Clarinet'' **
Michael Connelly Michael Joseph Connelly (born July 21, 1956) is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bes ...
, ''
The Lincoln Lawyer ''The Lincoln Lawyer'' is a 2005 novel, the 16th by American crime writer Michael Connelly. It introduces Los Angeles attorney Mickey Haller, half-brother of Connelly's mainstay character Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch. It was adapted as ...
'' ** Jo-Ann Goodwin, ''Sweet Gum'' **
Mo Hayder Beatrice Clare Dunkel (born Clare Damaris Bastin; pen names, Mo Hayder and Theo Clare; 2 January 1962 – 27 July 2021) was a British author. Earlier in her life she worked as an actress and model under the name Candy Davis. She went on to wr ...
, '' Pig Island'' ** Daniel Silva, '' The English Assassin'' ** Martyn Waites, ''The Mercy Seat'' **
David Wolstencroft David Wolstencroft (born 16 July 1969), is an American-born British screenwriter and author. He is best known as creator of the BAFTA award-winning TV spy drama '' Spooks'' and its spin-off series, '' Spooks: Code 9''. Early life Wolstencroft wa ...
, ''Contact Zero'' ; 2005 * Winner: Henry Porter, ''Brandenburg'' **
G. M. Ford Gerald Moody Ford (1945 – December 1, 2021) was an American crime and thriller novelist, writing as G. M. Ford. Biography Ford's father died when he was young and as such he was brought up solely by his mother, who worked as a secretary. Ford ...
, ''A Blind Eye'' **
Simon Kernick Simon Kernick (born February 1967 in Slough, Buckinghamshire) is a British thriller/crime writer now living in Oxfordshire with his two daughters. Kernick attended Gillotts School, a comprehensive in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Whilst he wa ...
, ''A Good Day to Die'' ** Adrian Matthews, ''The Apothecary's House'' **
Kate Mosse Katharine Mosse (born 20 October 1961) is a British novelist, non-fiction and short story writer and Television presenter, broadcaster. She is best known for her 2005 novel ''Labyrinth (novel), Labyrinth'', which has been translated into more ...
, ''
Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by t ...
'' ** Joel Ross, ''Double Cross Blind'' ** Daniel Silva, ''A Death in Vienna'' ; 2004 * Winner:
Jeffery Deaver Jeffery Deaver (born May 6, 1950) is an American mystery and crime writer. He has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a J.D. degree from Fordham University and originally started working as a journalist. He late ...
, ''Garden of Beasts'' **
Dan Fesperman Dan Fesperman (born September 15, 1955, in Charlotte, North Carolina) is a former reporter for ''The Baltimore Sun'' and the author of several thrillers. The plots were inspired by the author's own international assignments in Germany, Bosnia, ...
, ''The Warlord's Son'' **
Joseph Finder Joseph Finder (born October 6, 1958) is an American thriller writer. His books include ''Paranoia'', '' Company Man'', '' The Fixer'', ''Killer Instinct'', ''Power Play'', and the Nick Heller series of thrillers. His novel ''High Crimes'' was mad ...
, ''Paranoia'' **
Mo Hayder Beatrice Clare Dunkel (born Clare Damaris Bastin; pen names, Mo Hayder and Theo Clare; 2 January 1962 – 27 July 2021) was a British author. Earlier in her life she worked as an actress and model under the name Candy Davis. She went on to wr ...
, ''
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
'' ** Stephen Leather, ''Hard Landing'' **
Adrian McKinty Adrian McKinty is a Northern Irish writer of crime and mystery novels and young adult fiction, best known for his 2020 award-winning thriller, ''The Chain'', and the Sean Duffy novels set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. He is a winner ...
, ''Dead I Well May Be'' ** Daniel Silva, ''The Confessor'' ; 2003 * Winner:
Dan Fesperman Dan Fesperman (born September 15, 1955, in Charlotte, North Carolina) is a former reporter for ''The Baltimore Sun'' and the author of several thrillers. The plots were inspired by the author's own international assignments in Germany, Bosnia, ...
, ''The Small Boat of Great Sorrows'' **
Lee Child James Dover Grant (born 29 October 1954), primarily known by his pen name Lee Child, is a British author who writes thriller novels, and is best known for his ''Jack Reacher'' novel series. The books follow the adventures of a former America ...
, '' Persuader'' ** R. J. Ellory, ''Candlemoth'' **
Lucretia Grindle Lucretia Walsh Grindle (born May 10, 1960) is an American author of mystery fiction. She is signed to Macmillan Publishers. Early life Lucretia Grindle is one of four children of newspaper reporter turned entrepreneur Paul Davidson Grindle and hi ...
, ''The Nightspinners'' ** Robert Littell, '' The Company'' ** Henry Porter, ''Empire State'' **
Gerald Seymour Gerald Seymour (born 25 November 1941 in Guildford, Surrey) is a British writer of crime and espionage novels. Early life Gerald Seymour was born to William Kean Seymour and his second wife, Rosalind Wade.John Creed, ''The Sirius Crossing'' **
Tom Bradby Thomas Matthew Bradby (born 13 January 1967) is a British journalist and novelist who currently presents the ''ITV News at Ten''. He was previously political editor for ITV News from 2005 to 2015, and presented '' The Agenda with Tom Bradby'', ...
, ''The Master of Rain'' **
Lee Child James Dover Grant (born 29 October 1954), primarily known by his pen name Lee Child, is a British author who writes thriller novels, and is best known for his ''Jack Reacher'' novel series. The books follow the adventures of a former America ...
, '' Without Fail'' **
Robert Crais Robert Crais (pronounced ) (born June 20, 1953) is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Cagney & Lacey'', '' Quincy'', ''Miami Vice'' and ''L.A. Law ...
, ''Hostage'' **
Leif Davidsen Leif Davidsen (born 25 July 1950 in Otterup) is a Danish author and journalist. Career Educated as a journalist, in 1977 he started working in Spain as a freelance journalist for Danmarks Radio. In 1980 he began covering Soviet news with fre ...
, ''Lime's Photograph'' ** CC Humphreys, ''The French Executioner'' ** Stephen Leather, ''Tango One''


References

Crime Writers' Association awards Awards established in 2002 2002 establishments in the United Kingdom Mystery and detective fiction awards