Crime Poll: Your turn
Three months ago the Crime Writers’ Association asked its members to answer three simple questions as part of the celebrations surrounding the Association’s 60th Anniversary. (It was founded by prolific crime novelist John Creasey on Guy Fawkes Day, 1953.)
These questions were: A) Who is the Best Ever crime writer? B)Which is the Best Ever crime novel? C)Which is the Best Ever crime series?
It is fifteen years since the CWA did a similar poll. On that occasion the dead triumphed convincingly over the living. Hardboiled American writer, Raymond Chandler (1888-1959), was the clear winner of Best Ever Crime Writer, by a margin of 50% over second placed Agatha Christie (1890-1976). Dorothy L Sayers (1893-57) came third.
Best Ever crime novel was indisputably Sayers’ The Nine Tailors (1934), followed by Chandler’s The Big Sleep (1939) and The Moonstone (1868) by Wilkie Collins, the first detective novel in the English language.
Chandler’s Philip Marlowe novels and stories won Best Crime Series, followed by Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey and Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.
Now it’s your turn to have your say. Over the next three Saturday’s we will be asking Crime Readers’ Association members to cast their votes and we will be posting full instructions each week. We do hope you will join us and let us know what you think.
Will readers and writers agree?
The results will be announced the CWA anniversary, 5th November 2013, at a special event at Foyles, Charing Cross Road, London. For more details and to buy your ticket please visit the Foyles website
