Who is Australian Crime Writer David Whish-Wilson?
Australian Crime Writer David Whish-Wilson is the West Australian author of eleven novels, three creative non-fiction books, short stories, essays, reviews and academic articles. He was born in Newcastle, NSW but raised in Singapore, Victoria and WA.
He left Australia aged eighteen to live for a decade in Europe, Africa and Asia, where he worked as a barman, actor, streetseller, petty criminal, labourer, exterminator, factory worker, gardener, clerk, travel agent, teacher and drug trial guinea pig.
David’s first novel in the Frank Swann crime series, Line of Sight (Penguin Australia) was shortlisted for a Ned Kelly Award in 2012. He has since written three more in the series. The first three were published in Germany by Suhrkamp Verlag.
David wrote the Perth book in the NewSouth Books city series. Perth was short-listed for a WA Premiers Book Award.
David also teaches in the prison system in Perth and previously in Fiji, where he started the countries first prisoner writing program.
David currently lives in Fremantle, Western Australia with his partner and three kids, where he teaches creative writing at Curtin University.
Praise for Australian Crime Writer David Whish-Wilson
- ‘Whish-Wilson is a storyteller, there is no greater praise.’ Bruce Pascoe
- “A new novel from David Whish-Wilson is always cause to celebrate… The prose is crisp, the characters well-drawn, the plot intricate, the brutality visceral and confronting… everything you would want from a great crime novel.” WritingWA Reviews
- ‘A clever tale of criminal plots, family bonds, and the birth of a new world. Holds like a vice and never lets go. Every turn of the page builds the pressure.’ Rohan Wilson
- ‘A lyrical coming-of-age tale and an historical crime novel, lit by something fresh, honest and generous.’ Joan London
- Old Scores confirms Whish-Wilson as a master crime writer with an unrivalled gift for examining and depicting the culture of the ‘wild west’.” WritingWA Reviews
Awards
- Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards Fiction Book of the Year (Shortlisted 2025)
- Danger Awards – Crime Fiction (Shortlisted 2025)
- 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize (Longlisted 2022)
- Western Australian Writer’s Fellowship (Shortlisted 2021)
- Ned Kelly Award (Shortlisted 2011, 2020)
- Curtin University Faculty of Humanities Minor Creative Work of the Year (Winner 2015)
- Patricia Hackett Prize for best short story published in Westerly (Winner 2014)
- Curtin University Faculty of Humanities Book of the Year Award (Winner 2014)
- Western Australian Premier’s Award (Shortlisted 2014)
- Curtin University Faculty of Humanities Creative Work of the Year Award (Winner 2011)
