Gold on debut

Friday, October 27, 2017

Jane Harper has won the UK Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger for her debut novel, The Dry.

Jane is just the third Australian to receive the coveted award, presented to the author of the best crime novel of the year. The Gold Dagger is widely regarded as one of the world's premier crime writing awards.

The Crime Writers’ Association named The Dry the Gold Dagger winner at a gala dinner in London.

In her Gold Dagger acceptance speech, Jane said she was deeply grateful to the association for recognising The Dry for the award.

“It’s truly an honour to follow in the footsteps of so many wonderful authors who have won this prize in the past,” Jane said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed so many of their books so for The Dry to now be named among them is very special.”

Jane said she was indebted to her publishers and agents for the success of The Dry.

“I would also like to express my deep gratitude to all the fantastic booksellers and readers who have embraced and championed the novel so whole-heartedly over the past year,” she said.

Since its launch in Australia in June 2016, The Dry has won several awards – including Book of the Year at both the Indie Awards and the Australian Book Industry Awards. It was named Best First Fiction at the Ned Kelly Awards and Best Crime Novel at the Davitt Awards.

Jane’s second novel, Force of Nature, has raced up the bestsellers lists in Australia and is due for release in the United States and United Kingdom in February 2018.

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