Mark Billingham pictured at house in north London for the Daily Express (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
Legendary thriller author Mark Billingham has adopted within the footsteps of literary luminaries together with Colin Dexter, Ruth Rendell and John le Carré after being honoured with crime writing’s most prestigious award. The multi-million promoting Tom Thorne creator has been named because the 2026 recipient of the Diamond Dagger by the Crime Writers’ Association.
Sleepyhead, revealed 25 years in the past, was an on the spot bestseller, introducing nation music-loving cop, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, and resulting in an extra 18 books within the collection – which was tailored by Sky 1 in 2010 starring David Morrissey as Thorne. The newest Thorne e-book, What the Night Brings, Billingham’s twenty fifth e-book, was revealed to acclaim final yr.
“Presuming this is not an administrative error, I could not be more thrilled or honoured,” joked Billingham, 64, following the announcement on Wednesday. “To be added to a list that features most of my literary heroes is fantastic. That so many are also friends is the icing on the cake and, for me, a mark of how very special the crime-writing community is.
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David Morrissey as DI Tom Thorne in the TV adaptation of Billingham’s debut, Sleepyhead. (Image: Liam Daniel / Sky 1)
Other past icons to have received the award – a literal dagger – include the late PD James and Reginald Hill. More recent recipients include Mick Herron, Lynda La Plante, James Lee Burke, Ann Cleeves, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and Lee Child.
Nadine Matheson, Chair of the CWA, said: “Across a remarkable body of work, Mark has consistently set the bar for contemporary crime fiction, while also being generous with his time and support to emerging writers. His influence on the genre extends far beyond his own novels, shaping the crime writing community as a whole. For his outstanding contribution to crime fiction, his lasting impact on readers and writers alike, and his commitment to the genre, Mark Billingham is a thoroughly deserving recipient of the Diamond Dagger.”
In 2023, Billingham, who lives together with his TV director spouse Claire Winyard, and their two youngsters in north London, launched a brand new collection that includes DS Declan Miller with The Last Dance adopted by The Wrong Hands (2024). The third e-book within the collection, The Shadow Step, is because of be revealed later this yr. His stand-alone novels embody In the Dark, Die of Shame and Rabbit Hole. A collection based mostly on the novels In the Dark and Time of Death was screened on BBC1 in 2017.
In 2022, Billingham gained the CWA’s Dagger within the Library, voted by librarians, for his physique of labor. He’s additionally been awarded the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year twice (Lazybones, 2005 and Death Message, 2009).
CWA Diamond Dagger sponsor, Karen Baugh Menuhin, stated: “I am thrilled to congratulate Mark Billingham on being chosen as the 2026 recipient of crime fiction’s highest honour. His place amongst crime writing royalty is hard won and richly deserved.”
CWA chair Nadine Matheson stated Billingham ‘formed the crime writing neighborhood as a complete’ (Image: CWA)
The Diamond Dagger recognises authors whose careers have been marked by sustained excellence and a big contribution to the style. One of the UK’s most distinguished societies, the CWA was based in 1953 by John Creasey. The awards began in 1955 with its first award going to Winston Graham, finest identified for Poldark.
Born in Birmingham, Billingham labored as an actor and humorist earlier than turning into a full-time writer, finest identified for enjoying the position of Gary within the cult youngsters’s TV present, Maid Marian and Her Merry Men. He continues to be a daily face and voice on TV and radio and can also be a member of the rock band, The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers – additionally that includes Val McDermid, Luca Veste, Doug Johnstone, Stuart Neville, and Chris Brookmyre – who carried out at Glastonbury in 2019 and 2024.
The CWA Daggers are the oldest awards within the style and have been synonymous with high quality crime writing for greater than half a century. Nominations for the CWA Diamond Dagger are beneficial by CWA members. Industry consultants then slender these all the way down to a shortlist. The winner is then voted for by a panel of previous Diamond Dagger winners.
The Diamond Dagger, sponsored by Karen Baugh Menuhin, is introduced on the annual CWA Dagger Awards, dubbed the ‘Oscars of the crime genre,’ which occur on July 2.
https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/2164402/actor-crime-writer-mark-billingham