Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott, Abbotsford, near Melrose in the Scottish Borders (David Cheskin/PA)
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Ryan McDougall3 days ago
The shortlist for a prestigious book award named after a Scottish author has been revealed.
Six books written by authors from England, Ireland and the Netherlands have made it to the final bout in the annual Walter Scott Prize competition.
The shortlist was revealed in a treasure hunt-styled video shot in Abbotsford in the Scottish Borders, home to the prize and to Sir Walter Scott himself.
The books were revealed in Abbotsford’s walled gardens, entrance hall and library, with the trail ending at Sir Scott’s study, where he wrote many of his books.
The books that made the shortlist were: The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry (Canongate); The Mare by Angharad Hampshire (Northodox Press), The Book of Days by Francesca kay (Swift Press), Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon (Fig Tree), The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller (Sceptre), and The Safekeep by Vael van der Wouden (Viking).
The winner will be announced on June 12 and will receive a prize of £25,000, while the other shortlisted authors will receive £1,500.
All shortlisted books must be set at least 60 years ago and must have been published in 2024 in the UK, Ireland or Commonwealth.
The panel of judges, chaired by writer Katie Grant, said in a joint statement: “From the escapades of young combatants in the Peloponnesian war in Sicily in the 5th century BC to a tender story of families isolated at home in the great British winter freeze of 1962/3, the shortlisted novels for this year’s Walter Scott Prize paint a wide literary canvas of richness and subtlety.
“They are a celebration of storytelling, encompassing a tale of revenge and reconciliation in post-occupation Netherlands, a picture of family claustrophobia in Tudor England, an exhilarating cross-country adventure through the Wild West, and a revelatory exploration of evil – under a thick social disguise – in 1950s New York.
“Together the books illustrate the founding principles of the Prize, bringing stories set in the past into our own time, through fine writing that is infused with ambition and originality to produce novels guaranteed to live long in the memory.”
The judges, in addition to Ms Grant, are art historian James Holloway, children’s author Elizabeth Laird, broadcaster James Naughtie, writer and filmmaker Saira Shah, bookseller Rosamund de la Hey, and previous prize winner Rosi Byard-Jones.
The prize is in its 16th year and is run by The Abbotsford Trust, a Scottish charity that manages Sir Scott’s former home.
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It is supported by Hawthornden Foundation, the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust, and the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry in memory of Elizabeth Buccleuch.
Matthew Maxwell Scott, great-great-great-great grandson of Walter Scott, and Trustee of Abbotsford, said: “The best historical fiction is not dry fact – it also tells us how the past felt, and holds a mirror to the present.
“By recognising the very best writing, the aim of the Prize is to inspire more people of all ages to discover the joy and value of historical fiction, to give both established and emerging writers a wider readership, and to bring together authors, readers and audiences to celebrate and question each other.
“It’s therefore wholly appropriate that this Shortlist announcement comes direct from Abbotsford, the home of great historical fiction.”
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