Announcing the results of the 23rd Scarlet Stiletto Short Story Awards & the special Silver Stiletto Award

True crime author Ruth Wykes (Mornington Peninsula, Vic) took out the 23rd Scarlet Stiletto Short Story Award presented on Saturday night (19 November) at SheKilda3: One-day crime spree, Sisters in Crime’s 25th anniversary convention. To mark the silver anniversary, a special silver stiletto trophy was presented – the winner, Jacqui Horwood (left), a librarian from …

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WIN! Those Opulent Days by Jacquie Pham

How refreshing to have a murder mystery set in 1920s’ Vietnam – and one by a Vietnamese-Australian adult fiction writer. Jacquie Pham has set her debut thriller in 1928 amongst a group of young men running their families’ formidable businesses. They make up Saigon’s most powerful group of friends in 1928 Vietnam’s elite society – until one of them is murdered. All members are automatically included in the draw at the end of each month.

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Pip Drysdale, The Close-Up

Love the twisty, turny plots of Pip Drysdale? Twenty copies of her latest The Close-Up are up for grabs in the November Crime Stack draw for members only. The Close-Up is an electrifying, dark and (of course) twisty thriller that follows a young novelist, once full of promise but now failing to live up to it, who becomes embroiled in the life of a hot movie star… and his stalker.

The Crime Stack is a benefit for Sisters in Crime members. Every month there are 20 books to win in a random draw of members.

Join now and be in the running for a complimentary paperback copy of The Close-Up

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Making a killing – 28 stories shortlisted for Sisters in Crime’s 31st Scarlet Stiletto Awards

Sisters in Crime Australia is proud to announce that 28 stories by 28 authors have been shortlisted for its 31st Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best crime short stories written by Australian women. This year 195 stories are vying for a record $13,400 in prize money. All authors receive a framed certificate and, if lucky, they also win one of the 16 prizes on offer. The first-prize winner also scores a spectacular trophy – a scarlet stiletto shoe with a steel stiletto heel plunging into a mount.

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Stiletto Bites: hours (and hours) of listening pleasure

To mark the 30th anniversary of the Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best short stories in 2023, Sisters in Crime, Susanna Lobez, actor-turned-barrister-turned-broadcaster-turned-true-crime-author, has been progressively narrating the winning stories in a podcast – Scarlet Stiletto Bites: Scintillating stories by Australian women. Find out how to listen here.

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Claire Sutherland, The Crag

For the September Crime Stack, Affirm Press has kindly offered 20 copies of The Crag, by Claire Sutherland, award-winning journalist, former Herald Sun Book editor, and keen climber. It’s literally a cliff-hanger. While walking on an isolated track in the windswept Wimmera, rock-climber and ambo Skye discovers the body of a young woman. The body has injuries that suggest a rock-climbing accident, but it’s been found more than 5km from the nearest cliffs at Mount Arapiles. Police ask Skye to help them navigate the perilous world of rock climbing as they try to unravel what happened.

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31st Scarlet Stiletto Awards now open – a record $13,400 in prize money

The Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best short crime and mystery stories turn 31 this year and are offering a record $13,400 in prizes. The first prize winner takes home $2000, donated by Swinburne University of Technology, plus the coveted trophy. Cate Kennedy is offering a new award for the Best Story Inspired by a Forensic Clue ($500). Closes 31 August 2024 – so start writing now, if you haven’t already.

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24th Davitt Awards: Readers’ Choice Vote opens 14 June

Voting for Sisters in Crime’s Davitt Readers’ Choice Award opens to financial members from 14 June.
An impressive 152 books are competing in Sisters in Crime’s 24th Davitt Awards for the best crime and mystery books. Six Davitt Awards will be presented at a gala dinner at South Melbourne’s Rising Sun Hotel on Saturday 31 August by award-winning author and global publishing phenomenon, Sulari Gentill. Voting closes Wednesday 31 July, 11.59 pm. The Davitts are again supported by Swinburne University of Technology.

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