Crime Writers' Association

The Crime Writer's Assocation (or CWA) is a UK-based organisation founded by John Creasey in 1953, and has become arguably the most important crime fiction institution in the country. Initiallly it awarded the Crossed Red Herring Award, from 1955 to 1959, whereupon the award was renamed the Gold Dagger. The prize was awarded each year up to and including 2005, when the award acquired sponsorship from the Duncan Lawrie Bank. From 2006 onwards the award will be known as the Duncan Lawrie Dagger, and will be given in June as opposed to November as in previous years.

Between 1995 and 2002 the award was sponsored by [Macallan]] and was known as the Macallan Gold Dagger.