Sheffield crime writer ‘amazed’ by award win

A Sheffield author is celebrating after winning a prestigious award for her book which explores the mind of a serial killer.
Sheffield writer Danuta Reah.Sheffield writer Danuta Reah.
Sheffield writer Danuta Reah.

Danuta Reah said she was ‘amazed’ after hearing she had won an accolade at the Dagger Awards ceremony, which is called the Oscars of the crime-writing world and is held annually by the Crime Writers’ Association.

Her short story is called ‘The Dummies’ Guide to Serial Killing’, which is a dark tale about a first-time killer who is meticulously planning his debut murder.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Danuta said: “I was amazed to hear that I’d won. I read all five of the stories on the shortlist and I knew I was up against fierce opposition.”

Danuta’s award was collected by her publisher, Dan Grubb of Fantastic Books Publishing.

He said: “I was absolutely delighted to accept the award on Danuta’s behalf. It was well deserved.

“I commissioned Danuta to write a story in the collection and knew we had something special as soon as I read it, but we are a tiny publishing house with a small crime list.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We were up against the biggest and best in crime publishing.”

A Dagger Award is something all crime writers aspire to, but only a minority will ever be part of the elite who win one of the coveted trophies.

With her victory Danuta joins an even smaller band who have more than one to their name.

In 2005 she won another Dagger Award, also in the short story category, for her story called ‘No Flies on Frank’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Her story, ‘Glazed, in Getting Even’ was shortlisted for the 2008 Dagger Award short story accolade.

Danuta, who also writes under the name Carla Banks, is the author of seven crime novels, a novella, and short stories

She said she does not usually write many short stories, though she said she would be willing to write more.

She said: “’The Dummies Guide to Serial Killing’ was the third that Fantastic Books Publishing has commissioned for one of its charity anthologies. If they want more from me, I will be happy to oblige. After all, if they hadn’t entered the story for the Dagger, I wouldn’t have won it.”

Danuta published her first novel in 1999. Her novels have been published internationally in USA, Germany, Holland, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Finland and Czech Republic.

Related topics: