The Guardian writer Paula Cocozza, Gail Honeyman and Preti Taneja are all in the running for the 2018 Desmond Elliott prize. She was praised by the judging panel, including the author Sarah Perry, the journalist Samira Ahmed and Waterstones fiction buyer Chris White, for having created “a persona as winning and as wily as her invited guest”. Perry said: “In evocative and elegant prose Cocozza delves deep into the psyche of a strange and troubled woman. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the GuardianHoneyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine won the Costa first novel award in January. Photograph: PRManderson praised the judges, saying: “Sarah, Samira and Chris have done a tremendous job and it is with great joy that we present their chosen shortlist.

Source: The Guardian April 27, 2018 11:24 UTC