Crime Thriller Awards shortlists announced

Overnight (NZT), the shortlists for the 2009 Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards have been revealed. The awards will be held in association with the Crime Writers Association (CWA) and Cactus TV - the culmination of a six-week season of ITV3 crime and drama programming, the 2009 Awards take place on 21st October, and will be broadcast on ITV3 later that month.

Along with the announcement of the shortlists (including the remaining CWA Dagger Awards, which have been incorporated into this event), crime writers Colin Dexter, Lynda La Plante, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell and Val McDermid will join P D James in the Hall of Fame, which was inaugurated at last year's awards. Thanks to Karen at EuroCrime and The Bookseller website for the heads-up and press release.

The shortlists:

CWA GOLD DAGGER 2009- for the best crime novel of the year
When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson (Black Swan)

In the Dark by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown)

Hit and Run by Lawrence Block (Orion)

A Whispered Name by William Brodrick (Little, Brown)

The Coroner by M R Hall (Pan Macmilan)

Dark Times In The City by Gene Kerrigan (Harvill Secker)

CWA JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER 2009 - for first books by previously unpublished writers, awarded in memory of CWA founder John Creasey

Sweetsmoke by David Fuller (Abacus)

Bad Catholics by James Green (Luath Press)

No Way To Say Goodbye by Rod Madocks (Five Leaves)

Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg (John Murray)

Echoes from The Dead by Johan Theorin (Doubleday)

The Blood Detective by Dan Waddell (Penguin)

THE CWA IAN FLEMING STEEL DAGGER 2009 - for the year’s best thriller
The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly (Orion)

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

The Last Child by John Hart (John Murray)

Calumet City by Charlie Newton (Bantam)

Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva (Michael Joseph)

The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer (HarperCollins)

The Interrogator by Andrew Williams (John Murray)

THE FILM DAGGER 2009 - for the best big-screen crime thriller story

"Gran Torino" (Warner Bros)

"Quantum of Solace" (Sony)

"Changeling" (Universal)

"Public Enemies" (Universal)

"State of Play" (Universal)

THE TV DAGGER 2009 - for the best small-screen crime thriller drama
"Wallander" Left Bank Pictures (BBC ONE)

"Red Riding" Channel 4 Films (CHANNEL 4)

"Spooks" Kudos (BBC ONE)

"Place of Execution" Coastal Productions (ITV1)

"Ashes to Ashes" Kudos (BBC ONE)

THE INTERNATIONAL TV DAGGER - for the best TV crime thriller drama from around the world
"The Wire" HBO (BBC TWO)

"Dexter" Clyde Phillips Production (FX)

"Wallander" (Swedish) Yellow Bird Films (BBC FOUR)

"The Mentalist" Warner Bros (FIVE)

THE BEST ACTRESS DAGGERJuliet Stevenson for "Place of Execution" Coastal Productions (ITV1)

Keeley Hawes for "Ashes to Ashes" Kudos (BBC ONE)

Hermione Norris for "Spooks" Kudos (BBC ONE)

Emilia Fox for "Silent Witness" BBC (BBC ONE)

THE BEST ACTOR DAGGER
Dominic West for "The Wire" HBO (BBC TWO)

Kenneth Branagh for "Wallander" Left Bank Pictures (BBC ONE)

Tom Hardy for "The Take" Company (SKY1)

Philip Glenister for "Ashes to Ashes" Kudos (BBC ONE)

Paddy Considine for "Red Riding" Channel 4 Films (CHANNEL 4)

So what do you think of the shortlists? Do you care about awards for crime writing? In my view, there's a nice mix of 'big names' and lesser known ones - some I've read, some I haven't (yet), some I've seen, some I haven't - and it will be interesting to see how it all shakes down in October. I've seen Gran Torino and Quantum of Solace of the films - both good movies IMO, but completely different - so the judging will be interesting.

Thoughts? Which books/films/tv programmes have you seen from the list? What titles would be your 'favourites' in each category? Feedback and comments welcome.