BritCrime's Steve Cavanagh On CWA Steel Dagger Longlist

by Steve Cavanagh

Something fantastic happened to me last week. A big, shiny, amazing thing.

Did I win the lottery?

Did Angus Young from AC/DC call me and tell me that Brian Johnson just wasn't cutting it and would I step in as front man for the band's last tour?

Did David Cameron have a tragic and embarrassing accident with a vacuum cleaner?

Unfortunately, none of those wonderful things happened. This was something better.

During an adjournment in court, I checked my phone and found I had a notification on twitter. I got a tweet from my mate and fellow Northern Ireland author, Stuart Neville, congratulating me on the Dagger nomination. Susi Holliday had also got in contact. I'd got no official message, so I wondered what the hell they were talking about, but then I followed the links to the CWA website and there it was - my debut novel, The Defence, had been longlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.

Even as I type this, I'm still not convinced it's true. I've checked a few times now, so I know it's correct. In fact, here's the link for the full list CWA Steel Dagger.

I'm truly stunned to be on the longlist with such brilliant authors so a huge thank you to the Judges and to the CWA.

And if you want to know more about me, or the book, head over to my website stevecavanaghbooks.com and make sure to come and say hello on Saturday 11th July as I take part in the fantastic BritCrime Festival.

It's going to be very good indeed. In fact, almost as good and David Cameron getting caught with a Hoover...(Woah! Blog Admin)

Sorry about that.

As you were.


Steve Cavanagh is a lawyer and writer from Belfast. The Defence, published by Orion Books in the UK, is his first novel. He's probably mentioned that already. You can find out all about The Defence on Steve's website or head over to The Amazon page  and check out The Defence (has he mentioned that enough yet?)

Someone Else's Skin shortlisted for Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year

Four years ago, when I first rocked up at Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, my favourite moment was the opening night, as the winner of the Crime Novel of the Year is announced. The buzz in the ballroom, the speeches, the shortlisted authors, all heroes of mine... I was starry-eyed all night. I didn't have a book deal, or even an agent, although I was stalking the Queen of Harrogate herself, the stupendous Jane Gregory.

At Harrogate the following year, I'd been signed by Jane, but was still working my way towards a book deal. Anyone who's on that leg of this journey will tell you that it's agony. You daren't hope, in case you jinx it. You want to dream, but that too can be dangerous. It was a rarefied form of torture going to Harrogate, getting within sniffing distance of all those famous writers and debut novelists. (I didn't actually sniff any of them.)

Denise Mina scooped the Crime Novel of the Year Award that year, and the next. The second time she won, I had a book deal. A proof copy of Someone Else's Skin was in the delegate bags. Last year, I was with Belinda Bauer and her agent (my agent!) Jane Gregory celebrating Belinda winning the Crime Novel of the Year with her astoundingly good book, Rubbernecker.

This year...

This year, Someone Else's Skin has been nominated for the same award. It was on a long list that included so many of my writing heroes, my head was spinning. Ian Rankin, John Harvey, Belinda Bauer... And then the shortlist was announced yesterday, and I was on the shortlist and that sound you heard? Was my head exploding.

On Thursday 16 July, I'll be on the stage with Mark Lawson, and five amazing writers including two other debut novelists (Ray Celestin and Antonia Hodgson). I'll be on the stage with Belinda Blacklands Bauer.

The dream just got crazy-real.

I'll be talking more about the Theakstons festival during BritCrime. BritCrime! Where there's no long schlep to Harrogate, no mosh-pitting in the ballroom. You can stay in your pjs and catch all the news and gossip free online.

See you there.

Sarah Hilary

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The six titles shortlisted for Crime Novel of the Year 2015

"The Girl Who Wouldn't Die" is shortlisted for a Dead Good Readers' Award - most exotic location!

Available on Amazon for 99p!

by Marnie Riches
I almost fell off the rickety old chair in my writing cave the other day, when I discovered that my debut crime-thriller, "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die" had been shortlisted for a Dead Good Readers' Award - namely The Patricia Highsmith Award for Most Exotic Location.

This first installment in the George McKenzie series only came out in early April 2015. I've been bowled over with delight by how well the book has been received by BritCrime readers. It seems that I'm not the only one who was waiting to read a thriller that was reminiscent of successful Scandi-noir series, but set somewhere with a little sweet and sour - zoet-zuur - flavour to it.

I chose Amsterdam as the main location for my series, because I used to live in The Netherlands when I was the same age as George. Like her, I was intoxicated by the heady mix of period architecture, grandeur and sleaze. Amsterdam's red light district is like nowhere else on earth. To see the thong-clad women in their red-lit booths; to stroll along the cobbled streets that flank the city's inky canals and pop into a coffee shop for a joint; to spend your tourist Euros on some strap-on erotic contraption in a sex-shop and then make your way to the galleries, eateries and museums all within the same twenty four hours is nothing short of bonkers! For me, it presented the perfect exotic location in which to set a crime-thriller!

So, if you agree that Amsterdam would be the best contender for this prestigious Patricia Highsmith Award for the most exotic location in a crime novel, I'd be so grateful if you'd cast your vote in The Girl's direction. There is a smorgasbord of exotic settings also up for the award in this category - huge names in the crime world. I wish them the best of luck too, of course. But if "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die" takes the award, it will be nothing short of a minor miracle, since I normally can't even win an argument.

Happy voting for your favourite contender, BritCrime lovelies!

Marnie Riches

Six BritCrime authors shortlisted for the Dead Good Readers Awards!

Congratulations to BritCrime authors Steve Cavanagh, Julia Crouch, Sarah Hilary, Clare Mackintosh, Marnie Riches and CL Taylor. They have been shortlisted in the Dead Good Reader Awards.

You can vote for your favourite books here: deadgoodbooks.co.uk/category/news/

The awards will be presented at Harrogate on Friday 17th July.