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Crime Legend Billingham Honored With Diamond Dagger
29 Jan
Summary
- Mark Billingham received the CWA Diamond Dagger for sustained excellence.
- His popular Tom Thorne series has been adapted into a TV series.
- Billingham is also a member of a rock band with other crime writers.
Author Mark Billingham has been honored with the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) Diamond Dagger for his significant contributions to crime fiction. The 64-year-old writer, celebrated for "sustained excellence," is best known for his 19-novel Tom Thorne series, which has also been adapted for television. Billingham, a Birmingham native, conveyed his immense thrill and honor at receiving the award, noting the special community of crime writers.
Billingham's influence on the genre is substantial, with his work consistently setting a high standard for contemporary crime fiction. The CWA chair highlighted his generosity towards emerging writers, emphasizing his shaping of the broader crime-writing community. Beyond his novels, he is also a member of the rock band Fun Lovin' Crime Writers, having performed at Glastonbury.
His latest book in the Tom Thorne series, "What The Night Brings," was published in June 2025. Billingham also introduced a new series featuring DS Declan Miller in 2023, with the third book expected this year. Previously, he won the CWA's Dagger In The Library in 2022. The Diamond Dagger award will be presented on July 2.
