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Andrew Miller's Costa Book of the Year-winning Pure (Sceptre) has been shortlisted for the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction.
Miller is joined by the Man Booker-shortlisted Esi Edugyan's Half Blood Blues (Serpent's Tail) and Patrick de Witt's The Sisters Brothers (Granta) on the six-strong list, which also comprises On Canaan’s Side by Sebastian Barry (Faber), The Stranger’s Child by Alan Hollinghurst (Picador) and The Quality of Mercy by Barry Unsworth (Hutchinson).
The shortlist was announced today (4th April) at the launch of the Borders Book Festival which takes place in Melrose from 14th-17th June, with a line-up including David Frost, Jeremy Vine, Rory Bremner, Kirsty Wark and James Naughtie.
Also announced was a new sponsorship deal with Jura Malt Whisky, enabling each of the shortlisted authors the opportunity of a week-long stay in the exclusive Writer’s Retreat on the Hebridean Isle of Jura.
Rob Bruce, head of PR for Jura Single Malt Whisky, said: "Jura has a long literary history, and the shortlisted writers will follow in the footsteps of George Orwell who wrote his famous novel 1984 whilst staying on the island."
The winner of the Walter Scott prize will be announced on 16th June at the Borders Book Festival.