We are delighted to announce the BPA First Novel Award 2021 Shortlist. This year’s judges, literary agent Hellie Ogden from Janklow & Nesbit and award-winning author Kiran Millwood-Hargrave (The Mercies, The Girl of Ink and Stars), found it difficult to choose just six titles from an impressive Longlist but can’t wait to read a further 15,000 words of the selected entries. Prizes include agent introductions as well as cash and an editorial report. We look forward to announcing the winner, as well as the runner-up and highly commended entrant, in late September. The names of all longlisted writers will be announced at the same time.

We received over 1,100 entries from writers throughout the UK, as well as from Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe. The shortlist contains an interesting mix of genres including Literary, Historical, YA Mystery, Crime, Speculative and Horror.

Many congratulations to the authors of the following six outstanding titles:

A Short Walk Through a Wide World

A Single Drop of Sea

Afterdeath

Bone Rites

The Lost Child

Tide-Turner