CWA Historical Dagger
DescriptionBest historical crime novel set at least 35 years in the past
PresenterCrime Writers' Association (CWA)
CountryUnited Kingdom
Websitethecwa.co.uk/awards-and-competitions/the-daggers/historical-dagger

The CWA Historical Dagger (currently called the CWA Endeavor Historical Dagger) is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association to the author of the best historical crime novel of the year.[1] Established in 1999, it is presented to a novel "with a crime theme and a historical background of any period up to 35 years before the current year".[1]

The award was called the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger from 1999 to 2005, and was known as the Ellis Peters Historical Award from 2006 to 2012, to commemorate the life and work of historical crime writer Ellis Peters,[1] whose Cadfael Chronicles (1977–1994) are generally credited with popularizing the genre that would become known as the historical mystery.[2][3]

Starting in 2014, the award became known as the CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger through sponsorship by Endeavor Press.[4][5]

Honourees

YearAuthorTitlePublisherResultRef.
1999Two for the LionsCenturyWinner[6]
Falconer and the Great BeastShortlist
Wings of FireShortlist
2000Absent FriendsVirago PressWinner
River of DarknessShortlist
Guilty KnowledgeShortlist
The Murdered HouseShortlist
The Devil’s HighwayShortlist
Death of an EffendiShortlist
A Little DeathShortlist
2001The Office Of The DeadHarperCollinsWinner
Michael PearceA Cold Touch of IceRunner Up
Lindsey DavisOde to a BankerShortlist
Hannah MarchA Distinction of BloodShortlist
Steven SaylorLast Seen in MassiliaShortlist
Penn WilliamsonMortal SinsShortlist
2002FingersmithVirago PressWinner
Lindsey DavisThe Jupiter MythShortlist
Philip GoodenThe Pale CompanionShortlist
Gillian LinscottDead Man RidingShortlist
José Carlos SomozaThe Athenian MurdersShortlist
Martin StephenThe Desperate RemedyShortlist
2003The American BoyFlamingoWinner
Tom BradbyThe White RussianShortlist
Marcello FoisThe AdvocateShortlist
Lee JacksonLondon DustShortlist
Gillian LinscottBlood on the WoodShortlist
C. J. SansomDissolutionShortlist
The Bridge of SighsShortlist
2004The Damascened BladeConstable & RobinsonWinner
Marjorie EcclesThe Shape of SandShortlist
Tom FranklinHell at the BreechShortlist
Janet GleesonThe Thief TakerShortlist
Matthew PearlThe Dante ClubShortlist
Steven SaylorThe Judgment of CaesarShortlist
The LoverShortlist
2005Dark FireMacmillanWinner
Tom BradbyThe God of ChaosShortlist
Barbara CleverlyThe Palace TigerShortlist
Catriona McPhersonAfter the Armistice BallShortlist
Iain PearsThe PortraitShortlist
Frank TallisMortal MischiefShortlist
2006Red Sky LamentOrionWinner
The Pale Blue EyeShortlist
Nefertiti: The Book of the DeadShortlist
The Janissary TreeShortlist
SovereignShortlist
The Sultan’s SealShortlist
2007Mistress of the Art of DeathBantam PressWinner
The Snake StoneShortlist
The One from the OtherShortlist
Murder at Deviation JunctionShortlist
The Savage GardenShortlist
The Tenderness of WolvesShortlist
2008Stratton’s WarOrionWinner
The Death MazeShortlist
A Quiet FlameShortlist
Death on a Branch LineShortlist
RevelationShortlist
Bleeding Heart SquareShortlist
2009If The Dead Rise NotQuercusWinner
The Dead of WinterShortlist
The Redemption of Alexander SeatonShortlist
The Information OfficerShortlist
The InterrogatorShortlist
An Empty DeathShortlist
2010RevengerJohn MurrayWinner
Washington ShadowShortlist
HeresyShortlist
HeartstoneShortlist
The Anatomy of GhostsShortlist
To Kill a TsarShortlist
2011The Somme StationsFaber and FaberWinner
PrinceShortlist
The Red CoffinShortlist
The Hanging ShedShortlist
The Cleansing FlamesShortlist
Island of BonesShortlist
2012IcelightJohn MurrayWinner[7]
The CrownShortlist
I Will Have VengeanceShortlist
Bitter WaterShortlist
Prague FataleShortlist
SacrilegeShortlist
A Willing VictimShortlist
2013The Scent of DeathHarperCollinsWinner[8]
The HereticsShortlist
Pilgrim SoulShortlist
The Paris WinterShortlist
Dead Men and Broken HeartsShortlist
The Twelfth DepartmentShortlist
2014The Devil in the MarshalseaHodder & StoughtonWinner[9]
Kitty Peck and the Music Hall MurdersShortlist
TreacheryShortlist
The Late ScholarShortlist
The City of StrangersShortlist
Theft of LifeShortlist
The Dead Can WaitShortlist
2015The SeekerQuercusWinner[10][11]
Havana SleepingShortlist
The Man From BerlinShortlist
LamentationShortlist
The Silent BoyShortlist
2016Stasi ChildTwenty7BooksWinner
The House at Baker StreetShortlist
The Other Side of SilenceShortlist
A Book of ScarsShortlist[12]
The Jazz FilesShortlist
Striking MurderShortlist
2017A Rising ManHarvill SeckerWinner
The Devil’s FeastShortlist
The Ashes of BerlinShortlist
The Long DropShortlist
By GaslightShortlist
The City in DarknessShortlist
2018NucleusZaffre PublishingWinner[13]
A Necessary EvilHarvill SeckerShortlist[14]
FireConstableShortlist[14]
Lightning MenLittle, Brown & Co.Shortlist[14]
and Stella DuffyMoney in the MorgueHarperCollinsShortlist[14]
Nine LessonsFaber & FaberShortlist[14]
2019Destroying AngelQuercusWinner[15]
The QuakerShortlist
Smoke and AshesShortlist
The House on Half Moon StreetShortlist
TomblandShortlist
Blood & SugarShortlist
2020Death in the EastHarvill SeckerWinner[16][17][18]
In Two MindsShortlist
MetropolisShortlist
The Bear PitShortlist
The Anarchists’ ClubShortlist
The Paper Bark Tree MysteryShortlist
2021Midnight at Malabar HouseHodder & StoughtonWinner[19][20][21]
SnowFaber and FaberShortlist[22]
The Unwanted DeadOrionShortlist[22]
The City Under SiegeConstable; Little, Brown Book GroupShortlist[22]
Skelton’s Guide to Domestic PoisonsAllison & BusbyShortlist[22]
The Mimosa Tree MysteryConstable; Little, Brown Book GroupShortlist[22]
2022Sunset SwingPan Macmillan; MantleWinner[23][24]
April in SpainFaber and FaberShortlist[25]
Crow CourtUnboundShortlist[25]
Not One of UsCaneloShortlist[25]
Edge of the GravePan Macmillan; MacmillanShortlist[25]
A Corruption of BloodCanongate BooksShortlist[25]
2023The Darkest SinPan Macmillan; MacmillanWinner[26]
The Clockwork GirlOrionShortlist[27]
The HomesViperShortlist[27]
The Bangalore Detectives ClubLittle, Brown Book Group, ConstableShortlist[27]
Blue WaterViperShortlist[27]
Hear No EvilJohn MurrayShortlist[27]
2024Jake LamarViper's DreamNo Exit PressWinner[28]
Lucy AsheClara & OliviaOneworldShortlist[29]
Louise HareHarlem After MidnightHarperCollinsShortlist[29]
Alis HawkinsA Bitter RemedyCaneloShortlist[29]
Leonora NattrassScarlet TownViperShortlist[29]
Ambrose ParryVoices of the DeadCannongate BooksShortlist[29]
2025A.J. WestThe Betrayal of Thomas TrueOrendaWinner[30][31]
D V BishopA Divine FuryMacmillanShortlist
Chris LloydBanquet of BeggarsOrion
Anna MazzolaThe Book of SecretsOrion
Clare WhitfieldPoor GirlsHead of Zeus

References

  1. ^ "CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger". The Crime Writers' Association. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  2. ^ Picker, Lenny (March 3, 2010). "Mysteries of History". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  3. ^ Rivkin Jr., David B. (February 27, 2010). "Five Best Historical Mystery Novels". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 2013-12-04. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  4. ^ "Endeavour Press sponsors the CWA Historical Dagger Award". Endeavour Press. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Who Wunnit? CWA Dagger Winners Announced". The Crime Writers' Association. June 30, 2014. Archived May 29, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  6. ^ Lee, Richard. "The CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger for Historical Detective Fiction 1999/2000". Historical Novel Society. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  7. ^ "Awards: Frank O'Connor Short Story; CWA Daggers". Shelf Awareness. July 10, 2012. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  8. ^ "Awards: SCBWI Late Bloomer; CWA Daggers". Shelf Awareness. July 17, 2013. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  9. ^ "Awards: CWA Daggers". Shelf Awareness. July 2, 2014. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  10. ^ "CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger: This Year's Winner 2015". The Crime Writers' Association. Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Awards: Desmond Elliott; CWA Daggers". Shelf Awareness. July 2, 2015. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  12. ^ "William Shaw shortlisted for CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger Award". Curtis Brown. 2016-07-28. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  13. ^ "2018 CWA Dagger Winners Announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  14. ^ "2018 Daggers Shortlists Announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  15. ^ "2019 CWA Daggers Announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  16. ^ "Michael Robotham wins the 2020 Gold Dagger". The Booktopian. 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  17. ^ "CWA Dagger Awards 2020 Winners Announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  18. ^ "CWA Dagger Awards 2020 Winners Announced". Crime Time. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  19. ^ "2021 CWA Daggers Announced". The Crime Writers’ Association. 2021-07-01. Archived from the original on 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  20. ^ "CWA Dagger Awards 2021 winners announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  21. ^ Mabee, Megan (2021-07-08). "Looking Sharp: Announcing the 2021 CWA Dagger Award Winners". BOOK RIOT. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  22. ^ "Dagger Shortlists Announced". The Crime Writers’ Association. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  23. ^ "CWA Dagger Awards 2022: winners announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  24. ^ Smith, Fiona Veitch (2022-07-01). "CWA Daggers 2022 announced". The Crime Readers' Association. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  25. ^ "CWA Dagger Award Shortlists announced". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  26. ^ "2023 Dagger Award Winners Announced". The Crime Writers’ Association. Archived from the original on 2023-08-28. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  27. ^ Mitchell, Erin (2023-05-12). "2023 CWA Dagger Shortlists Revealed". Crimespree Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  28. ^ Cooper-Fiske, Casey (2024-07-04). "James Bond author among winners of crime writing awards". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  29. ^ "Historical Dagger". The Crime Writers’ Association. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  30. ^ Brown, Lauren (29 May 2025). "Asako Yuzuki, Anna Mazzola and MW Craven shortlisted for CWA Daggers 2025". The Bookseller. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  31. ^ "The 2025 Dagger Awards". The Poisoned Pen. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.