HISTORY OF THE DAVITT AWARDS

Sisters in Crime Australia launched the Davitt Awards for best crime books by Australian women at its 10th anniversary convention, SheKilda 2001, to provide some much needed – and overdue – recognition for Australian women crime writers. The Davitts are named after Ellen Davitt, the author of Australia’s first mystery novel, Force and Fraud, in 1865. An e-book …

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2026 Scarlet Stiletto Awards: How To enter

Australia’s premier short story awards for crime fiction written by Australian women. QUICK INFO: Make sure to read ALL THE INFO below before entering! And if you now some quick links here they are: BEFORE YOU ENTER Before you enter, please read the terms and conditions at the bottom of this page. This details everything …

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Scarlet Stiletto Awards: FAQ

If I enter two stories, do I pay two entry fees?Yes. Supply an entry form for each story and attach a cover page to each story. If I have co-written a story with someone else, can we enter it?Yes, as long as you are both women and meet the other Requirements of Entry. Can I …

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Win a copy of Possible Springs

Penguin Random House is generously donating twenty copies of Possible Springs by Samantha Ross for the Crime Stack for June. Samantha is a refugee from Melbourne and now lives in Port Douglas in FNQ. Her debut novel blends small-town mystery, romance and magical realism. This is a special offer for members of Sisters in Crime. Join now and be in the running for a complimentary paperback copy of Possible Springs.

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2026 Scarlet Stiletto Awards: Categories

Prizes will be awarded for the best overall stories and for those that are judged to be the winners of each individual category.In order to be eligible for a category prize, stories must incorporate the themes of that category. Please note: you may enter a single story in as many categories as you want (for …

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Scarlet Stiletto awards: Sponsors

Australia’s premier short story awards for crime fiction written by Australian women. As ever, the Scarlet Stiletto Awards are supported by a huge number of wonderful sponsors. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their commitment. Without these organisations the Scarlet Stiletto Awards would not be what they are: the premier short …

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The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron

When I read true crime, I often have to remind myself that this is a real person’s life. They lived and breathed, loved and were loved. This was not a problem in The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron. Vikki Petraitis never loses sight of the women. They are why she is writing and why she has doggedly pursued this case for decades. I’m grateful for the work that she has done and the grace with which she has done it.

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