‘The Dry’ wins CWA Gold Dagger

Australian author Jane Harper has won the 2017 UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Gold Dagger for her debut novel The Dry (Pan).

The Dry was one of seven titles shortlisted for this year’s Gold Dagger, which is presented to ‘the best crime novel of the year’.

Harper is the third Australian to win the Gold Dagger since it was first awarded in 1955. She follows Michael Robotham, who won in 2015 for Life or Death (Sphere), and Peter Temple in 2007 for The Broken Shore (Text).

Judges praised The Dry for being a ‘perfectly-paced page-turner’ and Harper for her ‘razor-sharp characterisation’.

In her acceptance speech, Harper said she was honoured to be following in the footsteps of the ‘many wonderful authors’ who have previously won the award. ‘I would also like to express my deep gratitude to all the fantastic booksellers and readers who have embraced and championed the novel so whole-heartedly over the past year,’ said Harper.

The award was announced at a dinner in London on 26 October. Also announced were the winners of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller, which was presented to Mick Herron for Spook Street (Hachette), and the John Creasey New Blood Dagger, which went to Chris Whitaker for Tall Oaks (Twenty7), among others.

For the full list of winners, click here.

Category: Awards Local news