THE INNOCENTS by Bridget Walsh makes CWA Gold Dagger longlist

THE INNOCENTS by Bridget Walsh has been longlisted for the 2025 Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Gold Dagger award.

This award is for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality, originally written in English and first published in the UK during the judging period. It was originally created in 1955, under the name of the Crossed Red Herrings Award. It was renamed the Gold Dagger in 1960 and has been awarded ever since with variations in its name depending on sponsorship. Past winners include Chris Whitaker, Belinda Bauer and Mick Herron. The other titles on this year’s longlist are: A DIVINE FURY by D. V. Bishop, MAN OF BONES by Ben Creed, THE BELL TOWER by R. J. Ellory, THE HUNTER by Tana French, GUIDE ME HOME by Attica Locke, BOOK OF SECRETS by Anna Mazzola, I DIED AT FALLOW HALL by Bonnie Burke-Patel, HOW TO SOLVE YOUR OWN MURDER by Kristen Perrin, NIGHTWATCHING by Tracy Sierra, DEADLY ANIMALS by Marie Tierney and D IS FOR DEATH by Harriet F. Townson.

The shortlist will be announced on Thursday 29th May, with the winner revealed in a ceremony on the Thursday 3rd July at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, 61-65 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5DA.

THE INNOCENTS is the second in Bridget’s award-winning Variety Palace Mystery Series, now published by Pushkin Vertigo. When a new string of murders tears through London, Minnie and Albert are thrown together once more. Strangely, the crimes seem to link back to a tragedy that took place fourteen years ago, leaving 183 children dead. And given that the incident touched so many people’s lives, everyone is a suspect...

The third in the series, THE SPIRIT GUIDE, will be published by Pushkin Vertigo in April 2026. THE SPIRIT GUIDE sees Minnie and Albert uncovering the dark secrets behind a female-only spiritualist group that purports to help its members commune with deceased loved ones… Bridget is busy working on the fourth series title.

 About Bridget Walsh

Bridget Walsh lives in Norwich. She has a PhD in ‘Murder in the Victorian Domestic Sphere’ and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

The manuscript for the first book in the Variety Palace Mystery series, THE TUMBLING GIRL, won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction 2019, and was published by Gallic Books in May 2023, garnering starred reviews in Publishers Weekly (where it was also a ‘Book of the Week’ pick) and the Library Journal. It also reached No. 1 in the US Amazon Kindle Historical Thriller chart, and was a ‘Best Historical Fiction’ pick for May 2023 in The Times. It was shortlisted for the CWA’s 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and won the HWA Debut Crown Award in 2024.

 Praise for THE INNOCENTS

‘Historical crime fiction at its most beguiling.’ – Barry Forshaw, The Financial Times, ‘Best New Crime Books’

‘Walsh, who clearly knows her Victorians, writes with gusto. Whether she’s detailing the sweat, greasepaint and trickery behind theatrical illusion, the bloody savagery of the dog-fighting pit, or the creepily anthropomorphic world of the taxidermy diorama, time past is so vividly evoked that one can almost smell it. Highly recommended.’ – Laura Wilson, The Guardian, ‘The best recent crime and thrillers’

‘In Walsh’s triumphant sequel to THE TUMBLING GIRL… Walsh once again seamlessly combines vivid period detail, clever plotting, and thoughtful characterizations. This series merits a long run.’ – Publishers Weekly, starred review

‘Bridget Walsh does it again – this series has so much personality. THE INNOCENTS is pacy, captivating and accomplished and I loved it. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was book twenty-two and not book two. More Minnie and Albert, please – I miss them already.’ – Emma Styles

‘From the first dramatic and heart-breaking pages to the breathless final scenes, THE INNOCENTS by Bridget Walsh is the superb second novel in the Variety Palace Mysteries series. Victorian crime at its exciting and grittiest best. Don’t miss it’ – Essie Fox, author of THE FASCINATION

 Visit Bridget’s website.

Follow Bridget on BlueSky, X (previously Twitter) and Instagram.

THE TUMBLING GIRL by Bridget Walsh makes 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger shortlist

We’re thrilled to share the news that THE TUMBLING GIRL by Bridget Walsh has been shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2024.

Nick Rennison picked THE TUMBLING GIRL for The Sunday Times list of ‘The best historical fiction books of May 2023’, saying ‘Bridget Walsh’s THE TUMBLING GIRL is the first in what promises to be an entertaining series of historical mysteries… a narrative that neatly weds historical detail and quiet wit’ – and the CWA shortlisting is another accolade confirming this promise and the pleasure Walsh’s series is bringing to readers.

One of the annual, highly esteemed CWA prizes, the 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger is awarded to the best UK-published crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality. Previous winners include BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S. J. Watson, THE CUTTING ROOM by Louise Welsh and THE AXEMAN’S JAZZ by Ray Celestin.

The other shortlisted titles for this year’s prize are: IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Jo Callaghan, THE GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua, THE MAIDEN by Kate Foster, WEST HEART KILL by Dann McDorman and GO SEEK by Michelle Teahan.

The shortlists for all the 2024 CWA prizes were announced on 10th May at Bristol’s CrimeFest, the UK’s largest crime fiction convention, and the winners will be announced at the award ceremony at the CWA Gala Dinner on 4th July.

Maxim Jakubowski, chair of the CWA Daggers’ committee, commented: ‘Once again, our independent judges across all the Dagger categories have come up trumps. Their selections feature well-established authors and new faces, a refreshingly diverse palette highlighting the talent of writers from all origins and publishers large and small, and a steadfast affirmation of how healthy the crime and mystery field is right now.’

The first of the sharp and sparkling Variety Palace Mysteries, THE TUMBLING GIRL sees an unlikely duo team up to solve a grisly spate of murders in Victorian London. It won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction in 2019, and was first published by Gallic Books in May 2023, garnering starred reviews in Publishers Weekly (where it was also a ‘Book of the Week’ pick) and the Library Journal. It also reached No. 1 in the US Amazon Kindle Historical Thriller chart. 

The second in the series, THE INNOCENTS, was published in April 2024. It also achieved a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was included in The Guardian’s ‘The best recent crime and thrillers’ round-up as well as The Financial Times’ ‘Best New Crime Books’ list. Bridget is currently working on the next in the series, THE SPIRIT GUIDE, which sees Minnie and Albert uncovering the dark secrets behind a female-only spiritualist group that purports to help its members commune with deceased loved ones. It will be published by Gallic Books in Spring 2025.

About Bridget Walsh

Bridget Walsh lives in Norwich. She has a PhD in ‘Murder in the Victorian Domestic Sphere’ and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

More Praise for THE TUMBLING GIRL

‘Ms. Walsh does a splendid job depicting Minnie’s flea-bitten yet appealing theatrical world and Albert’s monied yet treacherous milieu.’ – Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

‘Walsh impresses in this series launch featuring an unlikely pair of investigators in 1876 London… diligent research pays off in spades here, and her rich and nuanced portrayal of the period will leave readers feeling like they’re on the soggy streets of London. Imogen Robertson readers will be eager for a sequel to this un-put-downable mystery.’ – Publishers Weekly, starred review and a ‘Books of the Week’ pick

‘Walsh resurrects the culture and crimes of Victoriana without cliché or condescension, but with warmth, wit, remarkable texture and rare authority.’ – Tom Benn

‘Such an accomplished crime murder mystery, with an addictively gritty plot and truly remarkable cast of characters. I fell in love with this deliciously dark and compelling Victorian read.’ – Essie Fox

 Visit Bridget’s website.

 Follow Bridget on X (previously Twitter) and Instagram.

THE TUMBLING GIRL longlisted for 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger

THE TUMBLING GIRL by Bridget Walsh has been longlisted for the 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger.

One of the annual, much sought after Crime Writers’ Association prizes, The 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger is awarded to the best UK-published crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality. Previous winners include THE APPEAL by Janice Hallett, SHARP OBJECTS by Gillian Flynn and DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS by Walter Mosley.

The other titles in contention this year are: A MOST UNUSUAL DEMISE by Kathryn Black, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Jo Callaghan, THE GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua, SCORCHED GRACE by Margot Douaihy, MURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES by Helen Erichsen, THE MAIDEN by Kate Foster, THE GOLDEN SPOON by Jessa Maxwell, WEST HEART KILL by Dann McDorman, OBSESSED by Liza North, GO SEEK by Michelle Teahan, and THE OTHER HALF by Charlotte Vassell.

The shortlist will be announced on 10th May at the CrimeFest convention in Bristol, and the winners will be revealed at the CWA gala dinner on 4th July.

Photo credit: Isobel Dixon

The first of the sharp, witty Variety Palace Mysteries, THE TUMBLING GIRL sees an unlikely duo team up to solve a grisly spate of murders in Victorian London. It won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction in 2019, and was first published by Gallic Books in May 2023, garnering starred reviews in Publishers Weekly (where it was also a ‘Book of the Week’ pick) and the Library Journal. It also reached No. 1 in the US Amazon Kindle Historical Thriller chart, and was a ‘Best Historical Fiction’ pick for May 2023 in The Times. 

The second in the series, THE INNOCENTS, was published earlier this month to excellent reviews from publications such as The Guardian and The Financial Times – with the latter including it in their ‘Best New Crime Books’ list and describing it as ‘historical crime fiction at its most beguiling’. Gallic Books held a lively publication launch at Stanford’s Travel and you can read about Bridget’s inspiration for the novel in her article in The Scotsman here.

Bridget is currently working on the next in the series, THE SPIRIT GUIDE, which sees Minnie and Albert uncovering the dark secrets behind a female-only spiritualist group that purports to help its members commune with deceased loved ones. It will be published by Gallic Books in Spring 2025.

You can catch Bridget at Leicester Library on World Book Night (Tuesday 23rd April, 7pm) in conversation with Tom Benn, ahead of her taking part in the programme at Crimefest in May and Harrogate Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July.

About Bridget Walsh

Bridget Walsh lives in Norwich. She has a PhD in ‘Murder in the Victorian Domestic Sphere’ and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

Praise for THE TUMBLING GIRL

‘Bridget Walsh’s THE TUMBLING GIRL is the first in what promises to be an entertaining series of historical mysteries… a narrative that neatly weds historical detail and quiet wit.’ – Nick Rennison, The Sunday Times, ‘The best historical fiction books of May 2023’

‘Ms. Walsh does a splendid job depicting Minnie’s flea-bitten yet appealing theatrical world and Albert’s monied yet treacherous milieu.’ – Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

‘Walsh impresses in this series launch featuring an unlikely pair of investigators in 1876 London… diligent research pays off in spades here, and her rich and nuanced portrayal of the period will leave readers feeling like they’re on the soggy streets of London. Imogen Robertson readers will be eager for a sequel to this un-put-downable mystery.’ – Publishers Weekly, starred review and a ‘Books of the Week’ pick

‘A brilliantly written page-turner. A bravura performance tumbling us into a compelling mystery in a vivid, richly imagined world. You can smell the greasepaint and hear the roar of the crowd on every page.’ – Imogen Robertson

‘Smart, funny and expertly plotted, THE TUMBLING GIRL cartwheels off the page. I loved my time with these characters. A cracking start to a charismatic and distinctive series.’ – Emma Styles

‘Walsh resurrects the culture and crimes of Victoriana without cliché or condescension, but with warmth, wit, remarkable texture and rare authority.’ – Tom Benn

Visit Bridget’s website.

Follow Bridget on X (previously Twitter) and Instagram.

Alan Parks shortlisted for the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger at the CWA Daggers 2023

Credit: CWA

Congratulations to Alan Parks, whose novel MAY GOD FORGIVE has been shortlisted for the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger at the Crime Writers’ Association annual Daggers Awards! The Steel Dagger recognises the best espionage, psychological, or adventure thriller of the year, and sees Alan nominated alongside Linwood Barclay, John Brownlow, M. W. Craven, Robert Galbraith and Ava Glass. The winner will be picked by a jury chaired by Corinne Turner, the managing director of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, and announced at the CWA’s gala dinner on 6 July.

The Crime Writers’ Association is this year celebrating its 70th anniversary, and the Daggers are the oldest awards of the genre and among the most prestigious.

MAY GOD FORGIVE is the fifth title in Alan Parks’ highly acclaimed Harry McCoy series. It won the McIlvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year award and was recently longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year (for which voting is still open to the public until this Thursday, 18 May).

After a fatal arson attack leaves tempers frayed in Glasgow, McCoy finds himself in a race against time to find the suspects before they turn up dead one by one. In 2022 MAY GOD FORGIVE was published in the UK by Canongate and in the US by Europa. The series is sold in more than ten countries around the world and the paperback was published in the UK last month. The next book in the series, TO DIE IN JUNE, will be released in the UK on 25 May.

Praise for MAY GOD FORGIVE

‘MAY GOD FORGIVE is the fifth instalment in a remarkable series that began with BLOODY JANUARY. The novels, as someone once said, can be read in any order; the important thing is to read them all.’ – Mark Sanderson, The Times

‘MAY GOD FORGIVE is a bleak and violent book, full of grisly details not for the squeamish, but also tenderness, poignance and hard-earned wisdom.’ – Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal

‘Noir has long been the dominant colour in the palette of such Scottish writers as Ian Rankin and Denise Mina, but Parks manages to find a deeper shade of black, only slightly attenuated by Harry's willingness to go far off the grid to extract a wee bit of justice. A must for those who take their noir straight, no chaser; others should keep the Pepto handy.’ – Bill Ott, Booklist

‘Enjoyably readable… Parks is a gifted story-teller’ – Allan Massie, The Scotsman

‘Harry McCoy is the brightest dark star on the Tartan Noir scene for some time and in future critics of Scottish crime fiction will surely be referring to the triumvirate of Laidlaw, Rebus and McCoy … MAY GOD FORGIVE is crime fiction which pulls no punches, powerfully told and, at times, heartbreakingly poignant. One of the crime novels of 2022.’ – Mike Ripley, Getting Away With Murder

About Alan Parks

Credit: Euan Robertson

Alan Parks worked in the music industry for over twenty years before turning to crime writing.

His debut BLOODY JANUARY was shortlisted for the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, FEBRUARY’S SON was nominated for an Edgar Award, BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER won the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, the Prix Mystère de la critique in the foreign fiction category, and was shortlisted for the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel and THE APRIL DEAD was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year. The latest Harry McCoy book, MAY GOD FORGIVE, was published in April 2022 and won the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2022. It has also been shortlisted for the 2023 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award and longlisted for the 2023 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award . The Harry McCoy series is optioned for television.

Alan was born in Scotland and attended The University of Glasgow where he was awarded a M.A. in Moral Philosophy. He still lives and works in the city as well as spending time in London.

Visit Alan’s website

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THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean longlisted for CWA Gold Dagger Award

We are delighted that THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean has been longlisted for The Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger. The Gold Dagger is an award for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality, originally published in the UK.  The shortlist will be revealed on 13th May 2022 at CrimeFest in Bristol, and winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 29th June 2022 in London.

THE LAST THING TO BURN is Will Dean’s first standalone thriller, published by Hodder in January 2021 in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US.  A word-of-mouth sensation, it garnered praise from readers and reviewers alike. THE LAST THING TO BURN was a pick of the year in multiple publications, including  New Statesman, Daily Express and Culturefly. It was also voted International Book of the Year by the Rick O’Shea Book Club. 

Will’s most recent standalone, FIRST BORN, was published by Hodder on 14th April 2022. He is also the author of the Tuva Moodyson Mysteries, a crime series set in Sweden and published by Oneworld.

THE LAST THING TO BURN
He is her husband. She is his captive. Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name. She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen. Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished.

For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting . . .

Praise for THE LAST THING TO BURN

'Brilliantly written... Terrifying' — Ruth Ware

‘Outstanding. The best thriller in years’ — Martina Cole

‘A short, sharp shocker, burning with righteous anger, intended to highlight the evils of human trafficking.’ — The best crime fiction for January 2021, Mark Sanderson, The Times

‘The tone remains unremittingly grim throughout, but this is a true nail-biter; you’ll be rooting for the astonishingly resilient heroine all the way.’ — Guardian

‘You will not so much read as breathlessly inhale this standalone novel from the author of the Tuva Moodyson mystery series... What happens over the course of this book will haunt you long after you finish reading it. Brilliant - and one of the best books of 2021.’ — Isabelle Broom, Women & Home

About Will Dean

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

DARK PINES, the first in the Tuva Moodyson series, was published to huge critical acclaim in 2018, was shortlisted for Not the Booker prize, selected for Zoe Ball’s TV Book Club and named as a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. He is currently writing his third standalone novel for Hodder.

Follow Will on Twitter