LONDON (AP) 鈥� Four debut novelists are among six books on a U.S.-dominated list of finalists for the 2026 , which is open to female English-language writers from any country.
American authors take four of the six places on the shortlist for the 30,000 pounds ($40,000) prize, announced Wednesday by a judging panel led by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Among them are bestselling writer Lily King鈥檚 campus-set romance 鈥淗eart the Lover鈥� and twisty family saga 鈥淔lashlight,鈥� a finalist for last year鈥檚 .
First novels making the list include U.S. writer Virginia Evans鈥� 鈥淭he Correspondent,鈥� a novel told in letters with an older woman as protagonist that became a slow-burn hit after its release in 2025; and Addie E. Citchens鈥� 鈥淒ominion,鈥� a story of power and patriarchy centered on a Black church in Mississippi.
Rounding out the list are two debut novels by British writers: Marcia Hutchinson鈥檚 鈥淭he Mercy Step,鈥� a girl鈥檚 coming-of-age story set in northern England, and Rozie Kelly鈥檚 tale of love and grief, 鈥淜ingfisher.鈥�
Gillard, who was Australia鈥檚 leader between 2010 and 2013, said the books are all page-turners with intriguing characters that explore 鈥減ower 鈥� where it lies, where it doesn鈥檛 lie. How you find the ability to chart your own life course, what it means to potentially have others that are pushing you in different directions as you try and chart that life course.鈥�
The number of debut novelists doesn鈥檛 mean the authors lack experience. Hutchinson is a former lawyer in her 60s, while Evans wrote seven unpublished novels before finding international success with 鈥淭he Correspondent.鈥�
鈥淚 think the way the publishing industry is working now, there are quite a number of authors coming to the fore for whom being a fiction author is well and truly a second act in a life that has brought other careers,鈥� said Gillard.
鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to see that,鈥� Gillard told The Associated Press 鈥� though she is not in a rush to join them. While former leaders including Bill Clinton in the U.S. and Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland have written or co-written political thrillers, Gillard says she is not working on a novel.
鈥淣ever say never, but I鈥檓 not sure about that,鈥� said Gillard, who has written a memoir and nonfiction books about women and leadership. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 a fiction lover, a fiction reader, and it鈥檚 been just fantastic to have this experience鈥� as a Women鈥檚 Prize judge.
Next, the five judges will meet to choose a winner. Previous winners of the fiction prize, founded in 1996, include Zadie Smith, and . A sister was founded in 2024.
Winners of both prizes will be announced June 11 at a ceremony in London.
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