The prestigious Martin Beck award, named after a fictional Swedish police detective, is given by the Swedish Crime Writer's Academy. Previous winners include Arnaldur Indridason, Alexander McCall Smith, Ruth Rendell, and Len Deighton.  With DEAD AT DAYBREAK's shortlisting, Deon Meyer joins John le Carré, Robert Harris, Peter Temple, and Andrea Maria Schenkel on the shortlist. The winner will be announced on 30 November.

Deon Meyer's books are sold in 18 countries, and have been awarded many prizes around the world: the Deutsche Krimi Prize in Germany, the ATKV Prize in South Africa, and Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policière and Le Prix Mystère de la Critique in France. HEART OF THE HUNTER was longlisted for the IMPAC Prize and was selected as one of Chicago Tribune's '10 best mysteries and thrillers of 2004'

In South Africa his latest Afrikaans novel THIRTEEN HOURS has gone straight to the top of the charts. Rights are already sold to Hodder  UK, Grove US, Random Canada, Aufbau in Germany, Centerpolygraph in Russia and Editions du Seuil in France.

Random House Kodansha, who publish Matt Rees and Peter Temple, have signed up two titles: HEART OF THE HUNTER and DEVIL'S  PEAK, in Deon's first Japanese rights deal.

Deon Meyer's next novel to be published in the US, Canada and the UK is BLOOD SAFARI.

See more on his excellent website: www.deonmeyer.com