Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2026 awarded to Anna Holdház
The 2026 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize has been awarded to Anna Holdház for her novel-in-progress, A Geography of Escape. Holdház, a writer and artist based in London, impressed the judges for her “atmospheric prose, emotional precision, and strikingly original voice”.
The book brings together themes of migration, inheritance, grief and displacement, and Holdház drew on her Eastern European and American inheritances, captivating the judges with her “ability to move between the intimate and the uncanny”.
As the winner, she receives £1,500 and a one-on-one consultation with a literary agent at prize sponsor WME, including editorial feedback and publishing advice.
This year’s judging panel was chaired by broadcaster and writer Vogue Williams and included novelist Ela Lee, Viking publishing director Harriet Bourton, college assistant professor and director of studies in English Dr Clare Walker Gore, and Emeritus Fellow Dr Isobel Maddison.
Williams said: “I’ve loved reading the entries and I am delighted with our shortlist and winner. A Geography of Escape stood out for its exceptional voice and I’m looking forward to all to come for this special writer.”
Hellie Ogden, agent at WME, said: “A Geography of Escape grabbed us quickly with its sharp prose and unique voice. This is a very skilled writer chosen from an excellent shortlist. The prize goes from strength to strength, and we are delighted to be repeatedly uncovering very exciting new talent.”
