The winner of the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award will be announced at a dinner at the National Liberal Club on Weds 24 May 2022. The prize will be presented by this year’s guest adjudicator, novelist Louisa Young.

Wednesday 24 May, 7 for 7.30 pm, Lady Violet Room, National Liberal Club, London SW1A 2HE

The three-course dinner with wine costs £70.00 per person. 

To book please contact the booking office at bookings@nlc.org.uk or call 020 7968 0912. Please book early and inform the club of any dietary requirements

The Dictator’s Wife, by Freya Berry (Headline Review) 

One woman’s journey to unravel her past becomes a dark, brooding thriller and a profound meditation on who is complicit in the violence of a totalitarian regime. 

Tiepolo Blue, by James Cahill (Sceptre)
An immensely atmospheric novel charting the rites of passage of a middle-aged professor of art history. Cahill lovingly recreates 1990s London and an art world on the cusp of change. 

My Name Is Yip, by Paddy Crewe (Doubleday)
A stunning evocation of a largely lawless society during the American Goldrush. Crewe has created a memorable protagonist and his skilful use of language evokes both character and landscape to terrific effect. 

When We Were Birds, by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo (Hamish Hamilton)
A haunted and haunting debut about love and loss. Lloyd Banwo’s lush prose and spell-binding imagery create a lyrical and beautifully crafted portrait of Trinidad. 

Black Butterflies, by Priscilla Morris (Duckworth)
Set during the siege of Sarajevo, this is a powerful account of war and the toll it takes on civilians caught in the crossfire. A compelling blend of fact and fiction. 

The Whalebone Theatre, by Joanna Quinn (Fig Tree)
An impressive and assured debut, Quinn’s multi-layered novel is a sweeping family saga set in Dorset and rich in period detail. Her nuanced characterisation, striking imagery and driving narrative are superb. 

Lucy Popescu, chairing the judging panel, commented: ‘We are proud to recommend six exceptional debuts. These dazzling novelists cover a range of subjects from art and privilege, love and loss, knowledge and selfhood, the pursuit of power and the devastating consequences of war. We travel with them through Eastern Europe to the American Frontier, from England’s past to Trinidad today.’