The Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009

The Suspense Is Over:
The Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009 Unmask the Winners


London, Wednesday, 21st October, 2009—Cactus TV and ITV3 in partnership with the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) are pleased to announce the winners of the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009, celebrating the crème de la crème of Crime & Thriller fiction.

The evening boasted an array of famous faces from the worlds of screen and books, and was hosted by comedian Alan Davies at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. The culmination of a six-week season of ITV3 crime and drama programming, the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2009 will be televised on ITV3 on Tuesday, 27th October at 9PM.

A highlight of the evening was the brand new award - the ITV3 Bestseller Dagger, sponsored by Specsavers. Following a 6 week TV and online campaign, it was revealed that ITV3 viewers voted for Harlan Coben as their favourite crime genre author, beating Dick Francis, Alexander McCall Smith, Nicci French and Martina Cole.

The best crime novel of the year went to international best-selling author William Brodrick who won the CWA Gold Dagger 2009, sponsored by BooksDirect, for A Whispered Name (Little, Brown).

HBO’s The Wire on BBC2 hit two home-runs, winning the International TV Dagger 2009 for the best TV crime thriller drama from around the world, as well as earning Dominic West the Best Actor Dagger 2009 for male star of a crime thriller drama. The Wire star, Jamie Hector flew in from New York to collect the award on behalf of West.

Juliet Stevenson won the Best Actress Dagger (for the female star of a crime thriller drama)
for Place of Execution by Coastal Productions (ITV1)

The year’s best thriller is The Last Child by John Hart (John Murray), which won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2009, sponsored by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.

The Film Dagger 2009 for the best big-screen crime thriller story went to Gran Torino (Warner Bros.), while the TV Dagger 2009 for the best small-screen crime thriller drama went to Channel 4 Films’ Red Riding.

Johan Theorin’s Echoes From The Dead (Doubleday) won the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2009, sponsored by Louise Penny and Michael Whitehead, as a first book by a previously unpublished writer, awarded in memory of CWA founder John Creasey.

In recognition of their outstanding careers, Colin Dexter, Lynda La Plante, Ian Rankin and Val McDermid collected trophies to commemorate their inaguration into the Hall of Fame.

The 2009 black carpet event attracted stars from page and screens big and small - including Emilia Fox, Rupert Penry-Jones, Julia McKenzie, Phil Davis, Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, Jamie Bamber, Dervla Kirwan, Bill Paterson, Keeley Hawes, Harlan Coben, Philip Glenister, Juliet Stevenson, Lucy Speed, Chris Simmons, Hugh Bonneville, Colin Dexter, Ian Rankin, Ashley Walters, Lynda La Plante, Val McDermid, Joe McFadden, Dean Andrews, Martine McCutcheon, Gemma Jones, Wil Johnson, Denis Lawson, Nathaniel Parker, Sarah Smart, John Hart, William Gaminara, Martina Cole, Alexander McCall Smith, Mark Billingham, Michael Brandon and Glynis Barber - and awards were also presented by celebrity faces with a connection to the world of crime fiction.

Amanda Ross, Managing Director Cactus TV, said: "It’s amazing to have secured the future of this event through our partnership with Specsavers and the CWA. We’ll be able to build on the event year on year."

Click here to see photos of the evening from The Bookseller.

Watch the Youtube clip from Midas Public relations