Book of the Year - Debut Fiction
Book of the Year - Debut Fiction Winner and Shortlist
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With settings ranging from 1970s Ireland to ninth-century England, and from an artist’s house in 1920s Provence to a UN-run camp for ISIS brides in Iraq, the six debuts on this shortlist – whether comic, shocking or deeply moving – showcase the best new novels of last year, each published to break through the noise.
The Winner
The Names
Florence Knapp
Phoenix
Florence Knapp’s debut may ask the reader to consider if a name can shape the course of a life, but there was no uncertainty for the judges when crowning The Names the winner of this category. The panel agreed that Phoenix executed an “immaculate piece of publishing” by creating bespoke strategies for every retailer, from Waterstones to indie bookshops. Not only did the team create an “undeniably strong” package, but the campaign was also playful, the judges noted, citing the innovative personalised marketing materials.
The judges said that it was impossible “to ignore the power of what Phoenix did with The Names”. It was a winning match; Knapp’s “intelligent, perceptive writing” that asked “serious, deep questions about identity”, paired with Phoenix’s “phenomenal” campaign, resulted in “jaw-dropping” sales – a true testament to the power of a seamless author-publisher relationship. The judges are certain that Knapp “will have an amazing literary career”.
The Shortlist
Fundamentally
Nussaibah Younis
Weidenfeld & Nicolson
A dark comedy about deradicalising ISIS brides might sound like a tricky proposition, but W&N, convinced of both the novel’s comic genius and the author’s impeccable credentials – as a peacebuilding practitioner and a globally recognised expert on contemporary Iraq – fought in a fierce eight-way auction. The distinctive cover reflected both the humour in the book and the dynamic between the two main characters, and the marketing campaign spread the word with bold messaging emphasising the same.
Nesting
Roisín O'Donnell
Scribner UK
Acquired in a competitive nine-publisher auction, Nesting is the story of Ciara’s determination to extricate herself from an abusive husband and build a new life for herself and her children amid the housing crisis in Ireland. Scribner flagged Nesting as a lead debut from the beginning, resulting in extensive review coverage. A FANE event with Laura Bates reached more readers, as did a six-episode sponsored read on the How to Fail podcast, helping to extend sales well beyond launch.
The Artist
Lucy Steeds
John Murray Press
A full eight months after publication, The Artist hit the bestseller lists, a testament to the faith and tenacity of the team at JMP. The initial sales were modest, until the novel was shortlisted for a significant prize, at which point the team went back to pitch for slots that had initially turned down the book. The Artist won both the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize – the bestselling winner to date – and later scooped Waterstones Book of the Year.
The Boy from the Sea
Garrett Carr
Picador
Set in a Donegal fishing community in the 1970s and told in the communal voice, Garrett Carr’s adult fiction debut was snapped up by Picador in a 24-hour pre-empt. The author’s personal connection to Donegal (his father was a fisherman) and his experience of writing with dyslexia provided a compelling hook for media coverage, with reviews in every major UK and Irish publication. The Boy from the Sea was an Observer Best Debut of 2025 and was selected as a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime.
The House of Wolf
Tony Robinson
Sphere
Set amid the struggle for succession in Anglo-Saxon England, the debut novel from the presenter of Channel 4’s Time Team and star of Blackadder was launched with a spectacular cover reveal, viewed 67,000 times. Video content of the author recorded at Sutton Hoo and a behind-the-scenes audiobook recording was used across social channels. In person, Tony Robinson undertook a seven date FANE tour From Baldrick to Alfred the Great to reach fans and readers across the UK.
The Names
Florence Knapp
Phoenix
Phoenix emerged victorious in the 13-publisher bidding war for The Names, a book that ponders the question: can a name shape the course of a life? Phoenix pulled out all the stops in a campaign that began with an author proof tour two months ahead of publication, interviews on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and event slots at Hay, Edinburgh and Cheltenham. The Names finished the year as the bestselling debut in the General and Literary Fiction category, selling more than 92,000 copies in hardback through the TCM.
