Robotham wins Gold Dagger

Michael Robotham has won the 2020 UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Gold Dagger for Good Girl Bad Girl (Hachette).

Good Girl Bad Girl was one of six titles shortlisted for this year’s Gold Dagger, which is presented for ‘the best crime novel of the year’.

Robotham, who also won in 2015 for Life or Death, is one of only a few writers, and the only Australian, to have won the award twice. In response to his win, Robotham said: ‘What thrills me the most is that since 2007 Australians have won [the Gold Dagger] four times. It reflects how far Australian crime writing has come.’

CWA judges said of Good Girl Bad Girl: ‘Robotham is an absolute master of the impactful opening and draws you effortlessly in before seamlessly ratcheting up the tension and jeopardy.’

The award was announced during a virtual ceremony on 22 October. Also announced were the winners of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller, which was presented to Lou Berney for November Road (Harper), and the John Creasey New Blood Dagger, which went to Trevor Wood for The Man on the Street (Quercus).

For the full list of winners, click here.

Category: Awards Local news