The Devil’s Draper by Dr Donna Moore Shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger Award

Fly on the Wall Press is delighted to announce that The Devil’s Draper by Dr Donna Moore has been shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association Historical Dagger Award.

Set in 1920s Glasgow, The Devil’s Draper follows Scotland’s first policewoman, Mabel Adair, as she investigates disturbing allegations surrounding one of the city’s most prestigious department stores. Blending historical detail with gripping mystery, the novel has earned widespread critical acclaim for its vivid portrayal of women navigating power, corruption, and justice in a male-dominated world.

The novel is the second instalment in the acclaimed Mabel Adair Mysteries series, following The Unpicking (Fly on the Wall Press, 2023). The third title, Murder, Classified, is due for release in May 2027. The series has also been acquired for audio publication by Penguin Random House.

Judges’ Comments

“Being a policewoman in the 1920s is to be relegated to clerical work, comforting female victims and searching female villains, but when there are rumours of abuse and threat in a Glasgow department store, our protagonist is recruited by a local businesswoman to investigate. The Devil’s Draper takes us into a space in which women found success in collaboration and in the interstices of a man’s world.”

About The Devil’s Draper

When disturbing rumours of abuse at prestigious Arrol’s department store begin circulating through 1920s Glasgow, Mabel knows the case will not be taken seriously by her male colleagues. With time running out and victims afraid to speak, she forms an unlikely alliance with Johnnie, a street-smart thief, and Beatrice, a shrewd businesswoman with connections across the city.

As their investigation takes them from glittering shop floors to the shadows of Glasgow’s criminal underworld, the trio uncover corruption reaching into the highest levels of society. When evidence begins disappearing and witnesses fall silent, Mabel must decide how much she is willing to risk for justice in a world where women’s voices are routinely dismissed.

Critical Acclaim

• “Glasgow, the ‘dear, green place’ is here a dark one, and I unreservedly recommend you go there.” — Katherine Mezzacappa, Historical Novel Society

• “The plot flows effortlessly, the characters are beautifully formed and the setting is sublime. Highly recommended.” — Anne Cater, Random Things Through My Letterbox

• “A warm, engaging novel about female spaces and sisterly solidarity triumphing over a misogynistic, narrow-minded system.” — Alastair Mabbott, The Herald

• “A gripping and entertaining mystery.” — Scottish Field Magazine

• “Moore perfectly balances the historical minutiae with a plot in overdrive.” — Crime Time

Book Information

Paperback: 978-1-915789-40-2

Ebook: 978-1-915789-41-9

Format: 198 × 129 mm

Price: £11.99

Review copies of The Devil’s Draper and The Unpicking are available on request.

For media enquiries, interviews, or electronic proof copies, please contact Isabelle Kenyon at Fly on the Wall Press.

Orders available via BookSource, Gardners, Askews, and all major retailers. sales@flyonthewallpress.co.uk