The Dagger in the Library is awarded to "the author of crime fiction whose work is giving the greatest enjoyment to readers", as nominated by UK libraries and Readers' Groups and judged by a panel of librarians. It emphasises the role played by libraries in providing an audience for authors whose careers are developing, so that nominations of authors whose discovery has particularly delighted readers (rather than established favourites) are especially welcome. The award is given for the body of an author's work, not for an individual title, and those nominated should be alive at the time of the nomination and preferably working in Britain. Nominations due 1 August 2005