by Derotha Ann Reynolds

Created on: July 17, 2011   Last Updated: July 18, 2011

There are geographic areas for crime fiction in the western publishing world: The United Kingdom, The United States, Europe, and Scandinavia. These markets all overlap, and the awards categories which represent these areas often include foreign fiction, either as a separate category, or by simply allowing foreign works to be included in the lists for consideration for the award. Because of the domination of English as a common language, this is possible throughout these areas, but of course the most overlap is between the US and the UK markets.

The Mystery Writers of America have presented the Edgar Awards Annually for 65 years at their banquet.  The awards, named after Edgar Allen Poe, have evolved into specialized categories: Best Novel, Best First Novel by an American Author, Best Paperback Original, Best Fact Crime, Best Critical/Biographical, Best Short Story, Best Juvenile, Best Young Adult, Best Play, Best Television Episode Teleplay, Best Motion Picture Screenplay, Robert L. Fish Memorial Award (best first short story by an American Author), Grand Master (Lifetime Achievement), Raven Awards (award for contribution to the mystery field other than creative writing), and Simon & Schuster – Mary Higgins Clark Award for the best thriller of the year. Because the MWA represents depth and history in the publishing industry in general, this award includes huge prestige for the recipients.

Across the Atlantic, the Crime Writer’s Association presents some of its Dagger awards in conjunction with the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England.  The “Dagger” awards presented at the festival this year include the Gold Dagger for non-fiction, The International Dagger (which awards the translator as well as the author), The Dagger in the Library (awarded to a living author of crime fiction for the pleasure afforded to library readers), the Short Story Dagger, and the Debut Dagger (for a not-yet published novel).  Later in the year, they will present their Gold Dagger (Best Crime Novel of the Year), The John Creasey Dagger, for a first published work (named after CWA’s founder), and the Ian Fleming Dagger for the best thriller, sponsored by Ian Fleming Publications. The CWA also gives the Ellis Peters Award for historical mysteries. The Cartier Diamond Dagger is their lifetime achievement award. The CWA has served the interests of crime writers in the UK for over 50 years.  A Dagger offers

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