“Silence of the Grave” (Grafarþögn), a crime novel by mystery writer Arnaldur Indridason, translated by Bernard Scudder, won one of the world’s most respected crime novel awards, the British Crime Writer Association’s Gold Dagger for Fiction.
“I am in seventh heaven,” said Arnaldur to the Morgunbladid yesterday. As an Icelandic crime writer this award means a great deal to me personally. This also has great meaning for Icelandic novels – to know that even though you come from small linguistic area your books can go further than you can imagine.”
Arnaldur told Morgunbladid that he is on his way to New York where his novel Mýrin has just been published. He says that after New York he hopes to be able to sit down and start writing again. Arnaldur is working on a new book that he hopes will be available next fall.
According to the CWA Dagger Award web site the judges for these awards are all reviewers for British publications.
Gold and Silver Dagger winners receive ornamental daggers and £3,000 and £2,000 respectively.
Arnaldur’s books are sold in 26 countries; to date he has sold over a million books and made bestseller lists in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Holland, France as well as Iceland.
