The CWA Historical Dagger (currently called the CWA Endeavor Historical Dagger) is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association to the author of the best historical crime novel of the year. Established in 1999, it is presented to a novel "with a crime theme and a historical background of any period up to 35 years before the current year".
The award was called the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger from 1999 to 2005, and was known as the Ellis Peters Historical Award from 2006 to 2012, to commemorate the life and work of historical crime writer Ellis Peters, whose Cadfael Chronicles (1977–1994) are generally credited with popularizing the genre that would become known as the historical mystery.
Starting in 2014, the award became known as the CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger through sponsorship by Endeavor Press.
Honorees YearAuthorTitlePublisherResultRef.1999 Two for the LionsCenturyWinnerFalconer and the Great Beast ShortlistWings of Fire Shortlist2000 Absent FriendsVirago PressWinnerRiver of DarknessShortlistGuilty Knowledge ShortlistShortlistShortlistDeath of an Effendi ShortlistShortlist2001HarperCollinsWinnerRunner UpOde to a Banker ShortlistShortlistLast Seen in MassiliaShortlistMortal Sins Shortlist2002FingersmithVirago PressWinner ShortlistShortlistDead Man Riding ShortlistShortlistShortlist2003FlamingoWinnerShortlist ShortlistLondon Dust ShortlistBlood on the Wood ShortlistDissolution ShortlistShortlist2004Constable & RobinsonWinnerShortlistHell at the Breech ShortlistShortlistShortlistShortlistShortlist2005Dark FireMacmillanWinnerShortlistShortlistAfter the Armistice Ball ShortlistShortlistMortal MischiefShortlist2006Red Sky LamentOrionWinnerShortlistNefertiti: The Book of the Dead ShortlistShortlistSovereign ShortlistShortlist2007Mistress of the Art of DeathBantam PressWinnerShortlistThe One from the OtherShortlistMurder at Deviation Junction ShortlistShortlistShortlist2008Stratton’s WarOrionWinnerShortlistShortlistDeath on a Branch Line ShortlistRevelation ShortlistBleeding Heart Square Shortlist2009If The Dead Rise NotQuercusWinnerShortlistShortlistShortlistShortlistShortlist2010RevengerJohn MurrayWinnerWashington ShadowShortlistHeresy ShortlistHeartstone ShortlistShortlistTo Kill a Tsar Shortlist2011Faber and FaberWinnerPrince ShortlistShortlistShortlistShortlistIsland of Bones Shortlist2012IcelightJohn MurrayWinnerShortlistI Will Have Vengeance ShortlistBitter Water ShortlistPrague FataleShortlistSacrilege ShortlistShortlist2013HarperCollinsWinnerShortlistPilgrim SoulShortlistShortlistDead Men and Broken Hearts ShortlistShortlist2014Hodder & StoughtonWinnerKitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders ShortlistTreachery ShortlistShortlistShortlistTheft of Life ShortlistShortlist2015QuercusWinnerHavana Sleeping ShortlistShortlistLamentation ShortlistShortlist2016Stasi ChildTwenty7BooksWinnerShortlistThe Other Side of SilenceShortlistShortlistShortlistStriking Murder Shortlist2017Harvill SeckerWinnerShortlistShortlistShortlistBy Gaslight ShortlistShortlist2018NucleusZaffre PublishingWinnerHarvill SeckerShortlistFireConstableShortlistLightning MenLittle, Brown & Co.Shortlist and Stella DuffyMoney in the MorgueHarperCollinsShortlistNine LessonsFaber & FaberShortlist2019Destroying AngelQuercusWinnerShortlistSmoke and Ashes ShortlistShortlistTombland ShortlistBlood & Sugar Shortlist2020Death in the EastHarvill SeckerWinnerIn Two MindsShortlistMetropolisShortlistShortlist ShortlistShortlist2021Midnight at Malabar HouseHodder & StoughtonWinnerSnowFaber and FaberShortlistOrionShortlistConstable; Little, Brown Book GroupShortlistSkelton’s Guide to Domestic PoisonsAllison & BusbyShortlistConstable; Little, Brown Book GroupShortlist2022Sunset SwingPan Macmillan; MantleWinnerApril in Spain Faber and FaberShortlistCrow Court UnboundShortlistNot One of Us CaneloShortlistEdge of the GravePan Macmillan; MacmillanShortlistCanongate BooksShortlist2023Pan Macmillan; MacmillanWinnerOrionShortlistViperShortlistLittle, Brown Book Group, ConstableShortlistBlue WaterViperShortlistHear No EvilJohn MurrayShortlist2024Viper's DreamNo Exit PressWinnerClara & OliviaOneworldShortlistHarlem After MidnightHarperCollinsShortlistA Bitter RemedyCaneloShortlistScarlet TownViperShortlistVoices of the DeadCannongate BooksShortlist 2025 A.J. West The Betrayal of Thomas True Orenda Winner D V Bishop A Divine Fury Macmillan Shortlist Chris Lloyd Banquet of Beggars Orion Anna Mazzola The Book of Secrets Orion Clare Whitfield Poor Girls Head of Zeus
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