Two Irish authors have made the longlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Kit de Waal is nominated for a second time for The Best of Everything, the story of a working-class Caribbean woman in 1970s Birmingham, a cathartic and uplifting celebration of found families, and the life-changing power of kindness and love.
Belfast writer Wendy Erskine is longlisted for her debut novel, The Benefactors, a daring, polyphonic representation of the North through the stories of three Belfast mothers to 18-year-old boys, exploring class, money and what it ultimately means to be a parent.
Sponsored by Audible and Baileys, the award is worth £30,000.
Julia Gillard, chair of judges and former prime minister of Australia, said: “Across a longlist that is international in both scope and setting, these 16 books masterfully demonstrate the power of fiction to examine the messy business of being human. From climate change to artificial intelligence, they navigate the issues of our time with urgency and purpose, they immerse us in environments and experiences that are sometimes like our own, but more often are radically different, and they explore identities and perspectives that are often ignored or forgotten, amidst those inherently universal and recognisable.
“Spotlighting both emerging novelists and small, independent publishers, my fellow judges and I are proud to share a list that so wonderfully reflects the thriving creativity of contemporary women authors, as well as the crucial work of the Women’s Prize Trust in bringing unheard voices to the fore. It is truly a treasure trove for readers, and we offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the nominated writers.”
[ The Best of Everything by Kit de Waal: Navigating the ups and downs of lifeOpens in new window ]
Irish author, broadcaster and DJ Annie Macmanus is also a judge, along with poet, novelist and essayist Mona Arshi; author, presenter, poet and speaker Salma El-Wardany; and writer, podcaster, actor and comedian Cariad Lloyd.
The longlist
Gloria Don’t Speak by Lucy Apps (Weatherglass Books)Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi (4th Estate)Moderation by Elaine Castillo (Atlantic Books)Flashlight by Susan Choi (Jonathan Cape)Dominion by Addie E Citchens (Europa Editions UK)The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine (Sceptre)The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Michael Joseph)The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson (Cassava Republic Press)The Others by Sheena Kalayil (Fly on the Wall Press)Kingfisher by Rozie Kelly (Saraband)Heart the Lover by Lily King (Canongate)Audition by Katie Kitamura (Fern Press)A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar (Scribner)Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Canongate) The Best of Everything by Kit de Waal (Tinder Press)A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang (Dead Ink)
The shortlist will be announced on April 22nd and the winner will be revealed on June 11th.
Previous winners include Yael van der Wouden (2025), Barbara Kingsolver (2023, 2010), Maggie O’Farrell (2020), Kamila Shamsie (2018), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2007), Zadie Smith (2006), and Ann Patchett (2002).