Dagger in the Library

The Dagger in the Library (Golden Handcuffs in 1992–1994) is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association to a particular "living author who has given the most pleasure to readers". Yearly shortlists are drawn up of the ten authors most nominated, online, by readers, and the final decision is made by a panel of librarians. It was sponsored by Random House until 2015.

From the Wikipedia article “Dagger in the Library”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Check the official rules of the Dagger in the Library for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.