M. W. Craven Explained
| M.W. Craven |
| Birth Name: | Mike Craven |
| Birth Place: | Carlisle, England, United Kingdom |
| Occupation: | Writer |
| Nationality: | British |
| Period: | 2015–present |
| Genre: | Fiction, crime, thriller |
| Notableworks: | Washington Poe Series |
Mike W. Craven (born 1968) is an English crime writer. He is the author of the Washington Poe series and the DI Avison Fluke series. In 2019 his novel The Puppet Show won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger award.[1]
Biography
Craven was born in Carlisle and grew up in Newcastle.[2] He joined the British Army at the age of 16.[3] After two and a half years' training as an armourer, he spent 10 years travelling the world with the army. In 1995, he left the army and began a degree in social work, specialising in criminology, psychology, and substance misuse, before joining the Cumbria Probation Service in Whitehaven as a probation officer.[4] After 16 years of service, with the rank of assistant chief executive, he accepted redundancy, and became a full-time author.
Awards
- 2013 CWA Debut Dagger shortlist for Born in a Burial Gown[5]
- 2019 CWA Gold Dagger winner for The Puppet Show[6]
- 2020 CWA Gold Dagger longlist for Black Summer[7] [8]
- 2021 CWA Gold Dagger longlist for The Curator[9]
- 2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger winner for Dead Ground[10]
- 2023 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger shortlist for The Botanist[11]
- 2023 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award winner for The Botanist
Personal life
Craven lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne, and his springer spaniel, Bracken.
Novels
Avison Fluke series
| Order | Title | Year |
|---|
| 1 | Born in a Burial Gown | 2015 |
| 2 | Body Breaker | 2017 |
| Short stories | Assume Nothing, Believe Nobody, Challenge Everything | 2015 |
|
Washington Poe series
| Order | Title | Year |
|---|
| 1 | The Puppet Show | 2018 |
| 2 | Black Summer | 2019 |
| 3 | The Curator | 2020 |
| Short stories | Cut Short | 2020 |
| 4 | Dead Ground | 2021 |
| 5 | The Botanist | 2022 |
| Quick Reads Novella | The Cutting Season | 2022 |
| 6 | The Mercy Chair | 2024 | |
Ben Koenig series
| Order | Title | Year |
|---|
| 1 | Fearless | 2023 |
| 2 | Nobody's Hero | 2024 | |
Reception
Craven's work has been well received in publications such as The Times,[12] Woman & Home,[13] Female First,[14] Whispering Stories,[15] [16] and What's Good To Read[17]
Notes and References
- Web site: M. W. Craven . 2021-01-12.
- Web site: Dead Ground: The Sunday Times bestselling thriller . Hachette Australia . 2021-08-31.
- Web site: M.W. Craven . Goodreads . 2021 . 2021-01-12.
- Web site: M W Craven . FantasticFiction . 2021 . 2021-01-12.
- News: CWA Winners Archive . CWA . 2021-08-31.
- News: Carlisle author Mike Craven wins the most prestigious award in crime writing . News & Star . 2019-11-04 . 2021-08-31.
- News: The Gold Dagger . CWA . 2021-01-12.
- News: Crime author longlisted for prestigious writers award . News & Star . 2020-06-20 . 2021-08-31.
- News: The Gold Dagger . CWA . 2021-08-31.
- Web site: 2022 CWA Dagger Awards Announced . 2023-07-10 . The Crime Writers’ Association . en.
- Web site: 2023-05-17 . The 2023 CWA Daggers Shortlists Have Been Announced . 2023-07-10 . Ian Fleming . en-GB.
- News: The best crime fiction for June 2020 — rich or poor, they’ve got plenty to hide . The Times . 2020-06-10 . 2021-09-17.
- News: The best book club books that get conversation (and wine) flowing . Women&Home . 2021-05-25 . 2021-09-17.
- News: Review: Dead Ground by M. W. Craven . Female First . 2021-06-02 . 2021-09-17.
- News: The Curator by M. W. Craven – Book Review . Whispering Stories . 2020-06-14 . 2021-09-17.
- News: The Puppet Show by M. W. Craven – Book Review . Whispering Stories . 2019-01-28 . 2021-09-17.
- News: Dead Ground by M.W. Craven Review . What's Good To Read . 2021-09-17.
