THE 2011 CWA INTERNATIONAL DAGGER SHORTLIST
Update:This blog is now dormant but you can read all the old posts and lots of new stuff at Crime Scraps Review
http://crimescraps2.wordpress.com
Last week Karen of Euro Crime asked us to speculate which seven books that would be on the International Dagger shortlist.
Last week Karen of Euro Crime asked us to speculate which seven books that would be on the International Dagger shortlist.
My short list was :
Mercy* by Jussi Adler-Olsen [Denmark] translator Lisa Hartford
These three books failed to make the CWA judges shortlist. I had not finished reading Mercy* but the intriguing start, and watching 20 episodes of The Killing may have influenced my choice of this Danish bestseller.
When the official award shortlist was announced on Friday evening to those four selections the CWA judges added:
[the link in this review to the Appreciating Camilleri article on the Picador site is no longer is active, but the article can be read here and here]
and
The Saint-Florentin Murders by Jean-Francois Parot [France] translator Howard Curtis
I am now in the process of reading the Jean-Francois Parot, which I downloaded onto my Kindle just before Crime Fest after reading Karen's enticing review at Euro Crime.
The links are to my reviews, and you can go to the CWA website for more information about the judges, books, authors and translators here.
Last year I posted some details about the history of this award at Deductions from the CWA International Dagger.
In the next few weeks I will discuss this shortlist, and decide to which of the books I would give the award.
Photo Ann Cleeves announces the shortlist.
posted by Uriah Robinson at 10:19 AM
6 Comments:
Looking forward to reading your thoughts, Norman! We can compare notes, then. (I've now finished the Vargas so only one to go.)
I have to read all of the seven nominees.
I am an ardent fan of Fred Vargas' series. I'll follow her brilliant, quirky, creative plots anywhere. They defy convention and formulaic mystery plots.
However, I will aim to read all of the books nominated for the Dagger, although most are not in my library's system.
Must figure out the budget and purchase what's needed to complete this daunting project, Book Depository, Amazon or Abe Books (used books distributor).
Here's to a few months of reading Dagger nominees, as well as others, too.
Always eager to read what's reviewed favorably here.
Did anyone enjoy 'Three Seconds'? I did not, found it so formulaic that I couldn't recommend it to anyone. It just seemed like a cynical grab at the Scandanavian bandwagon. I received it as a gift and actually thought long and hard about passing it on to the secondhand bookshop.
Glad to see Fred Vargas and Andrea Camillieri on the list. And now I have some new authors to savour. BTW, I've just come across Jim Kelly and am enjoying his landscapes - have you reviewed any of his books?
Thanks Beth, I haven't read Jim Kelly, and have to admit enjoying Three Seconds. I named it one of my best Euro crime reads of 2011, and this thriller is perhaps a boys book.
I was not alone as Three Seconds won Best Swedish crime novel in 2009, and the authors were nominated for this award in 205, 2006 and 2007.
Fred Vargas and my special favourite Andrea Camilleri are must reads for me.
Jim Kelly's book, Death Wore White," was quite good, inventive and has an interesting police duo with backstories.
Yes, I can understand that "Three Seconds" may appeal to men more. But you've confused me because I Andrea Camilleri has been MY special favourite since I stumbled upon him. But at least I feel better about foisting it on the secondhand bookshop!
I haven't read "Death Wore White" yet, kathy d., but I can get them on kindle, so I feel I have found a seam worth mining for a little while. Thanks for the response.
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