The CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award 2008

Six Excellent Crime Novels Shortlisted for the Prize

Oct 1, 2008

The shortlist for the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award 2008 features six thrilling historical mysteries.

Commemorating the life and work of the prolific crime writer Ellis Peters, the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award is for the best historical crime novel (set in any period up to 35 years prior to the year in which the award will be made) by an author of any nationality first published in the UK in the preceding twelve months. The prize of £3,000 is sponsored by The Estate of Ellis Peters, Headline Book Publishing Company and Time Warner Books UK.

Against her better judgement, Adelia Aguilar is dragged back into the intrigues of King Henry II’s court. Queen Eleanor is stirring up revolt against her husband and has become the prime suspect following the poisoning of Rosamund Clifford, the King’s favourite mistress. Adelia must unravel the mystery of Rosamund’s poisoning while doing her best to avoid the wrath of the Queen and stave off civil war.

Disguised as an escaping Nazi war criminal, Bernie Gunther arrives in Buenos Aires and quickly becomes embroiled in helping to solve the gruesome murder of a young girl, a murder that bares striking similarities to Gunther’s final, still unsolved, case as a homicide detective in Berlin.

Railway detective Jim Stringer is briefly entrusted with the custody of a young aristocrat who is being transferred to Durham jail after being convicted of murdering his wealthy father. After becoming convinced of the young man’s innocence and being warned that a further murder will be committed, Stringer and his wife Lydia travel to the nearly deserted village of Adenwold where they have just 48 hours to prevent a murder.

While King Henry VIII is busy wooing a reluctant Catherine Parr, Matthew Shardlake is struggling to solve the murder of a close friend while also busily working on the case of a teenage boy who has been committed to Bedlam following an attack of religious mania. Shardlake’s attempts to solve both mysteries and, in doing so, prevent Bishop Bonner from instituted a purge against the Protestants, lead him and his loyal friends Jack Barak and Guy Malton on a nightmare journey into a killer’s twisted interpretation of the Book of Revelation.

Fleeing her abusive marriage, aristocrat Lydia Langstone turns to the mysterious Captain Ingleby-Lewis, her neighbour at 7 Bleeding Heart Square, for help. However, unknown to Lydia, legend has it that the Devil once danced in Bleeding Heart Square and the place is still permeated with mystery and intrigue.

Detective Inspector Ted Stratton is not convinced when the coroner rules the death of silent film star Mabel Morgan as suicide. Stratton’s investigation into Morgan’s death leads him to one of London’s most notorious gangsters and then to senior MI5 official Sir Neville Apse. Teaming up with MI5 agent Diana Calthrop, Stratton discovers the mysterious links between the Secret Service, an underworld Fascist organisation and the death of Mabel Morgan.

The copyright of the article The CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award 2008 in Mystery/Crime Fiction is owned by Erin Britton. Permission to republish The CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award 2008 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.