He has ghost written celebrity memoirs – Geri Halliwell’s is possibly one of the best known – and now Michael Robotham has beaten out the likes of JK Rowling and Stephen King to win the top prize in the UK Crime Writer’s Association awards.

His book Life or Death, published by Little, Brown and Company, won the Gold Dagger for the best crime novel of the year.

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Rowling (for her book The Silkworm under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith) and King (for Mr Mercedes) were also nominated in the category.

Rowling was one of the first to congratulate Robotham for his win, taking to Twitter.

Massive congratulations to @michaelrobotham, my Little, Brown stablemate, on winning the CWA Gold Dagger last night! pic.twitter.com/hJqdJ4wJP4

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 30, 2015

Robotham’s award-winning crime thriller is about a prisoner who escapes from jail the day before he is due to be released.

Crime Writer’s Association judges said Life or Death was a “compelling and fascinating book”.

“When you start reading Life Or Death, you’ll want to stay curled up in an armchair with one of the best thrillers you’ll read this year,” they said.

Robotham was given the award at a ceremony at London’s Malmaison Hotel on Tuesday night.

After the ceremony he tweeted: “Gob-smacked. But not completely speechless thank goodness.”