Meet the Best First Novel Award Shortlisted Authors: Q&A and readings

7:00 pm, 30 April 2025 London

FREE but booking essential.

Booking limited to two tickets per member.

Lucy Popescu presents the debut novelists shortlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award. Come and meet the authors, buy their books and hear them read ahead of our winner’s announcement on 21 May.

All My Precious Madness by Mark Bowles (Galley Beggar Press)

A poignant meditation on a son’s love for his father, masculinity, the desire for human connection, and the consolations of poetry. Bowles’s controlled, satirical novel is unforgettable.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Sceptre)

An atmospheric, multi-layered novel combining elements of sci-fi, fantasy, spy thriller and romantic fiction. Utterly original, Bradley’s debut is a masterclass in compelling storytelling.

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon (Fig Tree)

An inventive, bittersweet novel about the power of the imagination. Lennon skilfully weaves the Irish vernacular into his tale; his imaginative characterisation and evocative descriptions are a joy.

The Borrowed Hills by Scott Preston (John Murray)

Preston’s economical, atmospheric, sometimes lyrical writing, brings the hardships of hill farming vividly to life. His driving narrative, powers of description and imagery are stunning.

Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili (Bloomsbury)

A haunted and haunting debut about love and loss, Vardiashvili transports us to Georgia in the noughties. A powerful account of the devastation wrought by war and its far-reaching effects.

Tiananmen Square by Lai Wen (Swift Press)

Set in China during the 1970’s and 80’s, culminating in the mass student uprising in Tiananmen Square and its harrowing aftermath, Wen’s outstanding, epic tale is beautifully told.

Lucy Popescu commented: “We are thrilled to announce our shortlist of six outstanding debuts. These brilliant novelists cover complex issues including state repression, belonging and identity, rural life, masculinity, love and loss. These are diverse and compelling narratives written with real flair and compassion.”

The winning novel will be selected by this year’s guest adjudicator, the novelist Tracy Chevalier, and announced at a dinner at the National Liberal Club in London on 21 May.

The Best First Novel Award Shortlisted Authors: Q&A and readings