Sapere Books are proud to have sponsored the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented.
The 2021 shortlist featured domestic poisons, sinister former spies, military occupations and more.
The wonderful Vaseem Khan has now been announced as this year’s winner. His winning novel, Midnight at Malabar House, is the first book in his latest historical crime series.
Compelling and cleverly plotted, Midnight at Malabar House opens on New Year’s Eve in Bombay, 1949. The first female detective in India, Persis Wadia has been repeatedly overlooked and struggles against a hostile, all-male environment. As a new decade dawns, she stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, consigned to the midnight shift.
But when an English diplomat is murdered, Persis finds herself on the case of a lifetime. Against the backdrop of social and political turmoil, she teams up with Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch to uncover the truth — at any cost…
We would like to send a huge congratulations to Vaseem, and to all of the wonderful authors who were longlisted and shortlisted this year.
Sapere Books are proud to be sponsoring the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented.
The 2021 shortlist has now been announced, and features secretive aristocrats, murdered diplomats, dramatic public trials and more.
Snow, John Banville, Faber
A deftly woven country house mystery, Snow immerses us in the wintry depths of 1950s Ireland. The body of a priest has been found in Ballyglass House in County Wexford, the family seat of the mysterious aristocratic Osborne family.
Called in from Dublin to investigate, Detective Inspector St. John Strafford faces opposition at every turn as he attempts to unravel what happened. Up against the secretive attitude of the local community and the fast-falling snow, Strafford must hurry to apprehend the murderer before they can cover their tracks…
Click here to find out more about Snow
Midnight at Malabar House, Vaseem Khan, Hodder & Stoughton
Compelling and cleverly plotted, Midnight at Malabar House opens on New Year’s Eve in Bombay, 1949. The first female detective in India, Persis Wadia has been repeatedly overlooked and struggles against a hostile, all-male environment. As a new decade dawns, she stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, consigned to the midnight shift.
But when an English diplomat is murdered, Persis is finds herself on the case of a lifetime. Against the backdrop of social and political turmoil, she teams up with Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch to uncover the truth — at any cost…
Click here to find out more about Midnight at Malabar House
The Unwanted Dead, Chris Lloyd, Orion
A haunting thriller set in 1940s France under German occupation, The Unwanted Dead follows police detective Eddie Giral, a survivor of the previous World War. As the Nazis march into Paris, Eddie watches in dismay as terror descends over the city.
When four refugees are murdered, he vows to find the perpetrator. No longer knowing who to trust, Eddie must tread carefully between the Occupation and Resistance in order to survive long enough to untangle the brutal killings…
Click here to find out more about The Unwanted Dead
The City Under Siege, Michael Russell, Constable
Atmospheric and darkly evocative, The City Under Siege is set between Dublin, London and Valletta during World War Two. After a gay man is brutally murdered, Detective Inspector Stefan Gillespie suddenly finds that this is one of a series of similar killings stretching across Ireland and England. What’s more, none of the deaths were investigated as thoroughly as they should have been.
Meanwhile, in Valletta, Malta, there are rumours that a British soldier killed a Maltese teenager. Determined to retain Malta’s loyalty to Britain, the authorities send Stefan to investigate. And as he delves deeper into the case, Stefan becomes convinced that this killing is somehow linked to the murders back in England and Ireland…
Click here to find out more about The City Under Siege
Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons, David Stafford, Allison & Busby
A classic detective novel set in the 1920s, Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons follows celebrated barrister Arthur Skelton as he strives to win another case against the odds. Accused of poisoning her husband after years of abuse, Mary Dutton has already been widely condemned by the press. Unwilling to concede her guilt without hard evidence, Arthur agrees to represent her.
Against the backdrop of the general election, the case becomes increasingly high-profile as Mary wins support from various members of the public. But as Skelton digs deeper into the murky depths of the Dutton family, he begins to wonder whether he will ever expose the whole truth…
Click here to find out more about Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons
The Mimosa Tree Mystery, Ovidia Yu, Constable
The Mimosa Tree Mystery is the fourth book in Ovidia Yu’s witty, page-turning Crown Colony series, set in 1930s Singapore during the Japanese Occupation. Determined sleuth Su Lin becomes embroiled in another dangerous investigation when a neighbour, Mirza, is found murdered in his garden, a branch of mimosa in his hand.
Mirza was a known blackmailer and a collaborator with the occupying forces. The murder suspects therefore include acquaintances, Japanese officials and his own family. When Su Lin’s Uncle Chen is arrested, Hideki Tagawa — a former spy who has gained power in the new regime — offers her uncle’s life in exchange for Su Lin’s help in finding the real killer. Armed with her local knowledge and fluency in multiple languages, Su Lin must decide who she can trust as she is thrown into a world of treachery and subterfuge…
Click here to find out more about The Mimosa Tree Mystery
Sapere Books are proud to be sponsoring the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented.
This year’s judges were Janet Laurence, the author of four cookery books and a series of articles on historical cookery; Angela May Rippon CBE, a television journalist, newsreader, writer and presenter; and Professor Edward James, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at University College Dublin.
The 2021 longlist has now been announced. Many congratulations to the following authors and publishers:
Justice for Athena by J M Alvey, Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
Snow by John Banville, Faber
Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan, Hodder & Stoughton
Riviera Gold by Laurie R King, Allison & Busby
The Unwanted Dead by Chris Lloyd, Orion Fiction, The Orion Publishing Group
Execution by S J Parris, HarperFiction, HarperCollins
The Night of Shooting Stars by Ben Pastor, Bitter Lemon Press
The City Under Siege by Michael Russell, Constable, Little, Brown Book Group
Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons by David S. Stafford, Allison & Busby
Chaos by A D Swanston, Bantam Press, Transworld
The Dead of Winter by Nicola Upson, Faber
The Mimosa Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu, Constable, Little, Brown Book Group
Sapere Books are proud to sponsor the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented.
The 2020 shortlist featured eccentric doctors, notorious gangsters, stolen diamonds and much more.
On Thursday night, the fabulous Abir Mukherjee was announced as this year’s winner at the Crime Writers’ Association’s digital awards ceremony. His winning novel, Death in the East, is the fourth instalment in his Wyndham & Banerjee Mysteries Series.
Set in 1920s India, Death in the East follows the continuing adventures of dynamic duo Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Surrender-not Banerjee. Wyndham is haunted by an old case from his early days as a young constable, when his old flame Bessie Drummond was found beaten to death in her own room. Arriving at the ashram of a sainted monk – where he hopes to overcome his opium addiction – Wyndham finds a shadowy figure from his past, a man he believed was long dead. Certain that the man is out for revenge, Wyndham once again calls on Sergeant Banerjee for help. Together, they prepare to take on a sadistic and slippery killer…
We would like to send a huge congratulations to Abir, and to all of the wonderful authors who were longlisted and shortlisted this year.
Sapere Books are proud to be sponsoring the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented.
The 2020 shortlist has now been announced, and features seventeenth-century plotters, stolen diamonds, sainted monks and more.
In Two Minds, Alis Hawkins, The Dome Press
Set in nineteenth century Wales, In Two Minds follows two investigators – Harry Probert-Lloyd, a young barrister, and John Davies, a solicitor’s clerk – as they attempt to solve a grisly mystery. A faceless, naked corpse has washed up on a remote Cardiganshire beach, and no one can identify it. Harry’s attempts to solve the crime are met with local hostility and suspicion – especially when he chooses to consult an eccentric doctor with radical and controversial methods.
And when Harry’s own relations appear to be implicated in the crime, it seems he may be forced to choose between professional duty and familial ties…
Click here to find out more about In Two Minds
Metropolis, Philip Kerr, Quercus
Detective Bernie Gunther is back in the fourteenth – and final – book in Philip Kerr’s gripping series of twentieth century thrillers. It’s 1928 and Bernie is just beginning his career in Berlin, at the height of the Weimer Republic. He is soon faced with a gruesome investigation when the bodies of four prostitutes are found, all murdered in the same brutal fashion. Before Bernie can make any headway with the case, yet another girl is found dead – this time the daughter of one of Berlin’s most notorious gangsters.
A murderer with a twisted agenda is prowling the streets of Berlin, and it’s up to Bernie to put a stop to their deadly spree…
Click here to find out more about Metropolis
Death in the East, Abir Mukherjee, Harvill Secker
Set in 1920s India, Death in the East follows the continuing adventures of dynamic duo Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Surrender-not Banerjee. Wyndham is haunted by an old case from his early days as a young constable, when his old flame Bessie Drummond was found beaten to death in her own room. Arriving at the ashram of a sainted monk – where he hopes to overcome his opium addiction – Wyndham finds a shadowy figure from his past, a man he believed was long dead.
Certain that the man is out for revenge, Wyndham once again calls on Sergeant Banerjee for help. Together, they prepare to take on a sadistic and slippery killer…
Click here to find out more about Death in the East
The Bear Pit, S. G. MacLean, Quercus
Captain Damian Seeker – a trusted member of Oliver Cromwell’s guard – must once again step in when Cromwell finds himself the target of a ruthless assassin. Conspiracies against the Lord Protector are once again on the rise, and there are many who would stop at nothing to see Charles Stuart restored to the throne. Meanwhile, Seeker is also faced with an illegal gambling den and the body of a man savaged by a bear. Yet it was believed that all bears were shot when Cromwell banned bearbaiting – so where did this one come from?
As Seeker investigates further, the two cases start to converge, and he begins to realise the magnitude of the treacherous forces that threaten the realm…
Click here to find out more about The Bear Pit
The Anarchists’ Club, Alex Reeve, Raven Books
Following on from The House on Half Moon Street, The Anarchists’ Club leads us back into the dark underbelly of Victorian London. Determined to live his truth while maintaining his freedom and safety, pharmacist Leo Stanhope is doing his best to move on from the trauma and heartbreak of the past. But then a woman is found murdered at a club for anarchists – and she’s carrying Leo’s address in her purse. When Leo arrives at the club under police escort, he is dismayed to see an unwelcome face from his distant past – a man intent on blackmailing him for an alibi.
And now Leo must make a painful choice – risk having his lifelong secret exposed, or protect a possible murderer in exchange for his silence…
Click here to find out more about The Anarchists’ Club
The Paper Bark Tree Mystery, Ovidia Yu, Constable
The Paper Bark Tree Mystery is the third book in Ovidia Yu’s page-turning Crown Colony series, set in 1930s Singapore. Su Lin has landed a job as an assistant at Singapore’s new detective agency. But her dream role is cut short when Englishman Bernard ‘Bald Bernie’ Hemsworth decides that a ‘local girl’ can’t be trusted with the agency’s investigations. Su Lin therefore loses her job and is replaced with a privileged white girl. Soon after, Bernie – widely disliked – is found dead in the filing room. And when the father of her best friend is accused, Su Lin is determined to prove his innocence.
During the course of her investigations, Su Lin uncovers stolen diamonds and treacherous arms deals. And it seems that the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she is in…
Click here to find out more about The Paper Bark Tree Mystery
Sapere Books are proud to be sponsoring the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented.
This year’s judges were Janet Laurence, the author of four cookery books and a series of articles on historical cookery; Angela May Rippon CBE, a television journalist, newsreader, writer and presenter; Professor Edward James, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at University College Dublin; and Andre Paine, former editor of Crime Scene magazine.
The 2020 longlist has now been announced. Congratulations to the following authors and publishers:
THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY by Lynne Truss, Raven Books
THE KING’S EVIL by Andrew Taylor, Harper Collins
THE BEAR PIT by SG MacLean, Quercus Fiction
THE ANARCHISTS’ CLUB by Alex Reeve, Raven Books
METROPOLIS by Philip Kerr, Quercus Fiction
THE PAPER BARK TREE MYSTERY by Ovidia Yu, Constable
THE SERPENT’S MARK by SW Perry, Corvus
IN TWO MINDS by Alis Hawkins, The Dome Press
LIBERATION SQUARE by Gareth Rubin, Michael Joseph
THE BONE FIRE by SD Sykes, Hodder & Stoughton
SORRY FOR THE DEAD by Nicola Upson, Faber & Faber
DEATH IN THE EAST by Abir Mukherjee, Harvill Secker
On Thursday evening, we attended the Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Awards at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City – a starry celebration of the best crime writing of the year in the UK.
We are the proud sponsors of the Sapere Books Historical Dagger Award, which recognises the best historical crime novel of the year. From a shortlist of six, the fabulous Destroying Angel by S. G. MacLean was chosen as the winner!
Set in 1655, Destroying Angel is the third novel in MacLean’s popular and critically acclaimed Seeker series. The first book in the series, Seeker, won the Historical Dagger in 2015, so this is a second win for MacLean’s excellent series.
This third book follows Captain Damian Seeker, a trusted member of Oliver Cromwell’s guard, as he travels to the Yorkshire village of Faithly to enforce the government’s anti-Royalist laws. Upon arrival, Damian is invited to dinner at the home of Faithly’s Puritan commissioner, Matthew Pullan – a tension-filled gathering that ends with Pullan’s young ward, Gwendolen, being fatally poisoned.
With suspicion and bitterness rife in the village, Damian must discover whether Gwendolen’s death was an accident or something more sinister. Atmospheric and full of compellingly unsavoury characters, Destroying Angel’s meticulous historical details and intricate narrative keep the reader absorbed throughout.
We would like to congratulate S. G. MacLean on her well-deserved win and applaud all of the shortlistees for their wonderful work!
You can order all the books in S G MacLean’s Seeker series here.
We would also like to say a massive thank you to CWA Chair Linda Stratmann, Vice Chair Jean Briggs and everyone else on the CWA committee who put in some much hard work organising the event! We are very happy to be building an ongoing relationship with the Association and we can’t wait for next year.
We are the proud publishers of both CWA Chair Linda Stratmann and Vice Chair Jean Briggs’ novels.
Click here to find out more about Linda Stratmann’s Mina Scarletti series.
Click here to find out more about Jean Briggs Charles Dickens Investigations series.
Sapere Books are proud to be sponsoring the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical Dagger Award, which is for the best historical crime novel set in any period at least 50 years prior to the year in which the prize is presented. Read on to find out more about this year’s stunning shortlist!
Destroying Angel, S. G. MacLean, Quercus Fiction
Set in 1655, Destroying Angel follows Captain Damian Seeker, a trusted member of Oliver Cromwell’s guard who travels to the Yorkshire village of Faithly to enforce the government’s anti-Royalist laws. Upon arrival, Damian is invited to dinner at the home of Faithly’s Puritan commissioner, Matthew Pullan – a tension-filled gathering that ends with Pullan’s young ward, Gwendolen, being fatally poisoned. With suspicion and bitterness rife in the village, Damian must discover whether Gwendolen’s death was an accident or something more sinister. Atmospheric and full of compellingly unsavoury characters, Destroying Angel’s meticulous historical details and intricate narrative keep the reader absorbed throughout.
The Quaker, Liam McIlvanney, Harper Fiction
In the midst of a harsh Glasgow winter in 1969, DI Duncan McCormack is searching for a Bible-quoting murderer: the Quaker. The Quaker has already lured and killed three women after meeting them at a popular club – The Barrowland Ballroom – but so far attempts to capture him have been futile. When the body of a fourth woman is suddenly found, McCormack’s resolve stiffens as he plunges into a grim and intense pursuit of the truth. Based on the real-life story of serial killer ‘Bible John’, The Quaker is a darkly convincing portrayal of a city held captive by terror. The novel should also be commended for its effective use of multiple perspectives and skilful twists.
Smoke and Ashes, Abir Mukherjee, Harvill Secker
Smoke and Ashes follows Captain Sam Wyndham of the Calcutta police force – a secret opium addict who finds himself trapped in an illegal den during a police raid. As he makes his escape, he comes across a man who has been brutally murdered. And when he later finds a second corpse – apparently killed in the same ritualistic fashion – Sam begins to suspect that the two are linked. Fighting to keep his own vices in check, he teams up with Sergeant Banerjee to investigate the grisly deaths. Evocative and richly detailed, Smoke and Ashes should be praised for its powerful realisation of its setting – India in 1921 – and the strong narrative voice of the embittered, haunted protagonist.
The House on Half Moon Street, Alex Reeve, Raven Books
Leo Stanhope is a coroner’s assistant with a lifelong secret: he was born Charlotte – the daughter of a countryside reverend – but always knew that he was a man. Having run away to London at the age of fifteen, his dearest wish is to one day make a home with the woman he loves, Maria, and be free to live his truth without fear. But when Maria is murdered, Leo’s hopes are crushed and his freedom threatened. Heartbroken but determined, he vows to find her killer and becomes embroiled in the dark underbelly of the city. With its realistically gloomy Victorian ambience, well-paced plot and thoughtful characterisation, House on Half Moon Street is both gripping and tender.
Tombland, C. J. Sansom, Mantle
Two years after the death of Henry VIII, lawyer Matthew Shardlake is working for the old king’s daughter, Lady Elizabeth. When Edith Boleyn – the estranged wife of Elizabeth’s distant relation John Boleyn – is found murdered, Shardlake travels to Norwich to investigate. There, against the simmering backdrop of the peasants’ rebellion, Shardlake finds a dangerous, multi-layered plot waiting to be untangled. A sweeping, epic read, Tombland is to be admired for its lively evocation of Tudor England and effortlessly interwoven sense of mystery and unease.
Blood & Sugar, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Mantle
In 1781, prospective parliamentarian Captain Harry Corsham returns from the war in the US to find a chilling puzzle awaiting him. A body has been found in Deptford, horrifically murdered and bearing a slaver’s mark. At the same time, Harry’s friend, Tad Archer, has gone missing. An abolitionist, Tad had been gathering shocking information in the hope of bringing an end to the British slaving industry. Determined to find out what happened to Tad, Harry follows the trail of secrets into a web of danger and conspiracy. A thrilling and powerful debut, Blood & Sugar is both an immersive mystery and an unflinching portrayal of the atrocities of the slave trade.
The winner will be announced on the 24th October at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City. Tickets to the award ceremony are available here.
