The UK’s Women’s Prize for Fiction Names a 2024 Shortlist

From the longlist’s eight debuts, one remains on the shortlist for the 29th Women’s Prize for Fiction in the United Kingdom.

Image: Women’s Prize Trust

By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson

Winner’s Announcement: June 13

Today (April 24) in London, the United Kingdom’s Women’s Prize for Fiction has released its 2024 shortlist, which is drawn from a 16-title longlist that had the distinction of comprising eight debut publications.

In its 29th year and sponsored by Audible and Baileys (though without those sponsors’ names on the title since 2017, as you’ll remember),

With the company’s new Women’s Prize for Nonfiction being activated this year, it’s good to disambiguate, and we can do that by pointing you to the longlist (February 15) and the shortlist (March 27) for that side of the operation.

The winners of both the fiction and nonfiction prizes are to be announced on June 13.

The winner of the 2024 fiction competition, today’s focus in the ping-ponging of the two prizes,  is to receive an anonymously endowed £30,000 (US$37,299) and a copy of the Bessie, the bronze statuette by Grizel Niven.

This shortlist has plucked from that big longlist three writers with considerable track records—Anne Enright, Kate Grenville, and Claire Kilroy—as well as two authors honored for their second releases—V.V. Ganeshanathan and Claire Kilroy—and the debut publication of Aube Rey Lescure. This means that seven of those eight nominated debut publications did not make the cut for the shortlist.

In terms of international markets from which this work comes, Two of the authors are Irish, one is British, one is Australian, one is American and one is American and French.

Of the six titles on the shortlist, three are the work of independent publishers: Jamie Byng’s Canongate; Duckworth Books; and Faber & Faber.

Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024 Shortlist

Jurors in the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction are, from left, Indira Varma; Anna Whitehouse; Monica Ali; Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ; and Laura Dockrill. Image: Women’s Prize Trust

The tradition among book contests, of course, is for the jury chair to make a statement promoting the writerly values and enjoyment of the reading chosen for the shortlist.

Jury chair Monica Ali today is quoted, saying, “This year’s shortlist features six brilliant, thought-provoking, and spellbinding novels that between them capture an enormous breadth of human experience. “Readers will be captivated by the characters, the luminous writing, and the exquisite storytelling.

“Each book is gloriously compelling and inventive and lingers in the heart and mind long after the final page.”

More from Publishing Perspectives on international book and publishing awards programs is here. More from us on the Women’s Prize for Fiction is here, and more on the United Kingdom’s awards-heavy book and publishing market is here. More on International Women’s Day is here.