CRIME thriller writer Sharon Bolton has been recognised for her entire body of work.

The Darwen-born author, who has written five award-winning top-sellers as SJ Bolton, won the CWA Dagger in the Library 2014 award.

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She described the award as “a great, great honour”.

The annual gong celebrates a writer’s entire works rather than an individual titles.

Previous winners include Belinda Bauer, Steve Mosby, Mo Hayder, Colin Cotterill, Stuart MacBride and Alexander McCall Smith.

Authors must have published three books to be eligible for the award.

Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association, Alison Joseph, said: “The Dagger in the Library celebrates what we crime writers do best – great story-telling.

“It is judged by readers, for readers.

“It is also a reminder of the central importance of libraries to the world of books and to the lives of readers and writers. Congratulations to Sharon for this well-deserved win.”

Publishing director Sarah Adams said: “We are thrilled to see Sharon’s novels receive this public recognition.

“The unique, addictive and consistent quality of her writing never ceases to amaze us, and she richly deserves to celebrate and be celebrated.

“Our thanks go to all of Sharon’s supporters and to the judges.”

The literary award was Sharon’s third of the year.

Much of the former Darwen Moorland High School pupil’s inspiration comes from her life in East Lancashire, where many of her relatives remain.

She has previously told the Lancashire Telegraph: “I love the desolate beauty of the moorland countryside around East Lancashire. There’s nowhere quite like it.

“It is the perfect setting for the sort of books I write.

“When I’m home I spend a lot of time wandering around the older parts of the town and letting my imagination wander.

“I love Darwen’s old mill buildings and terraced houses. A lot has been knocked down since I was there, which is a shame.

“I love going up Darwen Tower and I also like walking along the River Darwen. It disappears under buildings and comes back again. It brings back memories and generates ideas.”

This year, for the first time, readers compiled a longlist on the ten most popular writers as crime lovers everywhere were invited to vote online for their favourite authors.

This was then whittled down to five shortlisted authors by a panel of judges, including previous winner Steve Mosby, CWA Director Lucy Santos and a group of UK librarians.

This year, in the United States, she won RT Magazine’s Best Contemporary Thriller for Like This, For Ever, and the Plume de Bronze in France for Now You See Me. Filming of the movie adaptation of her debut, Sacrifice, took place in Ireland starring Radha Mitchell and Rupert Graves. Her latest book is A Dark and Twisted Tide and was published by Corgi.