{{Short description|British annual award for crime fiction}} The '''Dagger in the Library''' ('''Golden Handcuffs''' in 1992–1994) is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association to a particular "living author who has given the most pleasure to readers".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/index.html |title=The CWA Dagger Awards |publisher=CWA |access-date=17 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723043537/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/index.html |archivedate=23 July 2012 }}]</ref> Yearly shortlists are drawn up of the ten authors most nominated, online, by readers, and the final decision is made by a panel of librarians. It was sponsored by Random House until 2015.
==Winners== === 2020s === * 2025 – Richard Osman<ref>{{Cite web |title=Richard Osman |url=https://thecwa.co.uk/past-winners/richard-osman/ |access-date=November 19, 2025 |website=The Crime Writer's Association}}</ref> * 2024 – Anthony Horowitz<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper-Fiske |first=Casey |date=2024-07-04 |title=James Bond author among winners of crime writing awards |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/alex-rider-anthony-horowitz-faber-midsomer-murders-nicholas-shakespeare-b1168774.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref> * 2023 – Sophie Hannah<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Dagger Award Winners Announced |url=https://thecwa.co.uk/news/2023-dagger-award-winners-announced |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=The Crime Writers’ Association |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828144542/https://thecwa.co.uk/news/2023-dagger-award-winners-announced |url-status=dead }}</ref> * 2022 – Mark Billingham<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 CWA Dagger Awards Announced |url=https://thecwa.co.uk/news/2022-cwa-dagger-awards-announced |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=The Crime Writers’ Association |language=en |archive-date=2023-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710080231/https://thecwa.co.uk/news/2022-cwa-dagger-awards-announced |url-status=dead }}</ref> * 2021 – Peter May<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thecwa.co.uk/awards-and-competitions/the-daggers/dagger-in-the-library|title=Dagger in the Library|website=The Crime Writers’ Association|access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref> * 2020 – Christopher Brookmyre<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The Crime Writers' Association Dagger Awards 2020|url=https://thecwa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Dagger-winners-2020-poster.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026220803/https://thecwa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Dagger-winners-2020-poster.pdf |archive-date=2020-10-26 |access-date=2020-10-24|website=The Crime Writers' Association}}</ref>
===2010s=== * 2019 – Kate Ellis *2018 – Martin Edwards *2017 – Mari Hannah<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/winners-archive/?awardsyear=2017&dagger=library&accolade=winner&s=|title=Winners archive — The Crime Writers' Association|website=Thecwa.co.uk|access-date=1 April 2022|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304133500/https://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/winners-archive?awardsyear=2017&dagger=library&accolade=winner&s=|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2016 – Elly Griffiths<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thecwa.co.uk/dashboard/login|title=Login|website=Thecwa.co.uk|access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref> * 2015 – Christopher Fowler * 2014 – Sharon Bolton<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/winners-archive/?awardsyear=2014&dagger=library&accolade=winner|title=Winners archive — The Crime Writers' Association|website=Thecwa.co.uk|access-date=2 March 2017|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304122140/https://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/winners-archive?awardsyear=2014&dagger=library&accolade=winner|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2013 – Belinda Bauer<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/winners-archive/?awardsyear=2013&dagger=library&accolade=winner|title=Winners archive — The Crime Writers' Association|website=Thecwa.co.uk|access-date=2 March 2017|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304132734/https://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/winners-archive?awardsyear=2013&dagger=library&accolade=winner|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2012 – Steve Mosby<ref>{{cite web |title=Steve Mosby wins The CWA Dagger in the Library |url=http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2012/library.html |publisher=CWA |access-date=17 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728121920/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2012/library.html |archive-date=28 July 2012 }}</ref> * 2011 – Mo Hayder<ref>{{cite web|title=Mo Hayder wins the CWA Dagger in the Library, 2011 |url=http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2011/library.html |publisher=CWA |access-date=17 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111080734/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2011/library.html |archive-date=11 January 2012 }}</ref> * 2010 – Ariana Franklin<ref>{{cite web|title=Ariana Franklin: winner of the 2010 CWA Dagger in the Library|url=http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2010/library.html|publisher=CWA|access-date=17 August 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527234650/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2010/library.html|archive-date=27 May 2012}}</ref>
===2000s=== *2009 – Colin Cotterill<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2009/index.html|title=The CWA Dagger awards 2009|date=15 July 2009|work=Crime Writers Association|access-date=2009-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111123952/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2009/index.html|archive-date=11 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> *2008 – Craig Russell *2007 – Stuart MacBride *2006 – Jim Kelly *2005 – Jake Arnott *2004 – Alexander McCall Smith *2003 – Stephen Booth *2002 – Peter Robinson *2000 – 2001 – in abeyance
===1990s=== *1997 – 1999 – in abeyance *1996 – Marian Babson *1995 – Lindsey Davis *1994 – Robert Barnard *1993 – Margaret Yorke *1992 – Catherine Aird
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120723043537/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/index.html#gold Crime Writers' Association website]
Category:Crime Writers' Association awards<!-- see this cat for other cats--> Category:Awards established in 1994 Category:1994 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Mystery and detective fiction awards