Six “bold and playful” novels, including The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley and Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly, have been shortlisted for the prestigious Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, per theguardian.com. This prize, now in its third year, recognises outstanding debut fiction published in the UK, with the winner receiving a £5,000 award. Bea Carvalho, Waterstones’ head of books, praised the authors for their confident storytelling and unique perspectives, noting their ability to handle complex themes with sensitivity and flair. The prose is said to “sing from the very first line,” according to a bookseller at Waterstones Crewe. Last year’s prize went to Alice Winn’s In Memoriam, which became the bestselling debut of 2023.
