Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned.
The Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement award was established in 1986. The CWA committee selects writers nominated by the membership. Nominees have to meet two essential criteria: first, their careers must be marked by sustained excellence, and second, they must have made a significant contribution to crime fiction published in the English language, whether originally or in translation.
See other CWA category winners and all the other literary prize winners we list.
2024 James Lee Burke and Lynda La Plante
2023 Walter Mosley
2022 C. J. Sansom
2021 Martina Cole
2020 Martin Edwards
2019 Robert Goddard
2018 Michael Connelly
2017 Ann Cleeves
2016 Peter James
2015 Catherine Aird
2014 Simon Brett
2013 Lee Child
2012 Frederick Forsyth
2011 Lindsey Davis
2010 Val McDermid
2009 Andrew Taylor
2008 Sue Grafton
2007 John Harvey
2006 Elmore Leonard
2005 Ian Rankin
2004 Lawrence Block
2003 Robert Barnard
2002 Sara Paretsky
2001 Lionel Davidson
2000 Peter Lovesey
1999 Margaret Yorke
1998 Ed McBain
1997 Colin Dexter
1996 H. R. F. Keating
1995 Reginald Hill
1994 Michael Gilbert
1993 Ellis Peters
1992 Leslie Charteris
1991 Ruth Rendell
1990 Julian Symons
1989 Dick Francis
1988 John le Carré
1987 P. D. James
1986 Eric Ambler
