First Novel Prize 2024 Shortlist

At the end of six and a half months of intense debating, doubting and deciding, the Prize Manager, the readers and the organisers are delighted to announce the First Novel Prize 2024 shortlist.

A Cypress Tree Has no Shadow by Kevin Gerard Neill

Blank Times by Caroline New

Dwell by Rue Baldry

Little Creatures by Jon Barton

Moose Xing by Kim Merrill

Pickpocket by Penny Grace Young

Placeholders by James Roseman

The Broken and the Mended by André Mangeot

The Cackle Hill Rapture by Jo Aldridge

Three Steps of the Sun by Axel Forrester

Many congratulations to our shortlisted writers!

Thank you to all our entrants this year, which opened our eyes to how much remarkable writing there is out there.

Thank you to our many sponsors of free places, whose generosity this year allowed the largest number of sponsored entries on the shortlist.

Taking into account the very many entries that we found hard to not shortlist in 2024, we have taken the decision to introduce a longlist starting with the 2025 edition.

We will announce the First Prize and the Shortlist Prize winners on the 31st of August 2024.