Diamond Daggers are a crime writer’s best friend

The CWA will award its latest Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement to Ian Rankin, who is certainly deserving of the accolade:

When told about the award of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger, Ian Rankin

said: “I’m overwhelmed, but really feel this lifetime achievement award

should go to Inspector Rebus rather than his creator. After all, Rebus

is in his late-50s, rapidly approaching retirement, with deteriorating

health and a fixation on cigarettes, alcohol and 60s rock. Through the

course of his life, he has been knocked about, shot, pushed out of

helicopters, tortured, walked out on by a host of girlfriends, fallen

out with his family, seen friends and colleagues murdered in cold

blood, and been haunted by ghosts. He’s tackled terrorists and serial

killers, racists and bigots, pimps and dealers and gangsters. On the

other hand, all I’ve done is sit at a desk in a well-heated room,

drinking coffee and eating chocolate, while I put Rebus through the

mill for the umpteenth time. I’m still in my forties, enjoy general

good health, and feel my best books may still be ahead of me. Put

simply, he deserves this award more than I do… but I’m more than

happy to accept it on his behalf.”

Congrats to Rankin, who’ll get his award at a reception to be held May 11 at the Savoy Hotel in London.