The winners in a dozen categories of the Crime Writers' Association 2025 Dagger Awards include the KAA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year, which went to Anna Mazzola for The Book of Secrets, and the ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger, which was won by Katy Massey for All Us Sinners. Mick Herron won the Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement in crime writing, which was announced in the spring.
Two new Daggers were introduced this year. Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra won the Twisted Dagger, which celebrates "psychological thrillers, dark and twisty tales that often feature unreliable narrators, disturbed emotions, a healthy dose of moral ambiguity and a sting in the tail." The Whodunnit Dagger, which recognizes books that focus on the intellectual challenge at the heart of a good mystery, went to Lisa Hall's The Case of the Singer and the Showgirl. Check out all the Dagger winners here.
CWA chair Nadine Matheson said: "This has been another exemplary year, and our judges once again faced the exciting but difficult task of selecting from a truly impressive shortlist. The winners reflect the strength, diversity and continuing legacy of crime writing today. I would also like to extend our congratulations to the winners of the Twisted Dagger and the Whodunnit Dagger, Tracy Sierra and Lisa Hall. The inclusion of these two new categories continues to highlight the evolution and innovation happening within the genre."