The British Book Awards 2024 Book of the Year Shortlists have been revealed today. Showcasing the enormous range and depth of modern publishing, these prestigious awards celebrate the whole journey of a book, from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand. There are 13 Book of the Year Awards: Children’s Illustrated, Children’s Non-Fiction, Children’s Fiction, Fiction, Début Fiction, Crime & Thriller, Pageturner, Non-Fiction: Lifestyle and Illustrated, Non-Fiction: Narrative, Audiobook Fiction, Audiobook Non-Fiction, Discover, as well as the Overall Book of the Year.

Philip Jones, Editor of The Bookseller and Chair of The British Book Awards judges, comments: “This year’s titles did what the industry does best: start conversations, connect communities and push boundaries. Our collective ability to support the creative endeavours of writers and illustrators, and to judge and deliver what readers want, continues to be a wonder to behold. It is an honour to celebrate these success stories.”

- Three decades after his father King Charles III won a British Book Award, Prince Harry follows in his footsteps with two nominations

- Non-Fiction and memoir are in the spotlight with celebrity blockbuster books from Prince Harry, Britney Spears, Steven Bartlett, Sir Patrick Stewart, Philippa Gregory, David Mitchell and Johnny Marr

- Multiple nominations for newcomers and stalwarts alike, including Yomi Adegoke, Steven Bartlett, and Lisa Jewell

- Romantasy legend Rebecca Yarros stands out as one of the only authors to have two separate titles shortlisted, with Fourth Wing nominated in the Pageturner category and the sequel Iron Flame nominated in the Fiction category.

- Also shortlisted in the Fiction category is Jilly Cooper for Tackle!, her 49th novel, and LoveReading favourite Kate Mosse for The Ghost Ship, both of whom received New Year’s Honours in King Charles III’s Honours list this year.

- Previous winners Richard Osman, Alice Oseman, Katherine Rundell, Colleen Hoover and R.F. Kuang are all nominated again for 2024

See the full shortlists below and scroll to purchase!

Book of the Year - Crime & Thriller Shortlist

• The Woman Who Lied by Claire Douglas 

• The Last Devil To Die by Richard Osman 

• None of This is True by Lisa Jewell 

• Damascus Station by David McCloskey

• The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith

• The Secret Hours by Mick Herron 

Book of the Year - Début Fiction Shortlist

• Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

• The List by Yomi Adegoke 

• In Memoriam by Alice Winn 

• Godkiller by Hannah Kaner 

• Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

• Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated by Eric Ozawa, illustrated by Ilya Milstein 

Book of the Year - Discover Shortlist

• Imad’s Syrian Kitchen by Imad Alarnab, illustrated by Evi-O.Studio 

• Lessons from Our Ancestors by Raksha Dave, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong 

• A Bollywood State of Mind by Sunny Singh 

• April’s Garden by Isla McGuckin, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri 

• Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth 

• Pageboy by Elliot Page 

Book of the Year - Fiction Shortlist

• Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 

• So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan

• Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang 

• Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker

• Tackle! by Jilly Cooper 

• The Ghost Ship by Kate Mosse 

Book of the Year - Non-Fiction: Lifestyle & Illustrated Shortlist

• Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book by Nathan Anthony, illustrated by Sophie Yamamoto 

• Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken 

• Marr’s Guitars by Johnny Marr

• Murdle by G. T. Karber

• GHOSTS: The Button House Archives by Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond 

• Let The Light Pour In by Lemn Sissay 

Book of the Year - Non-Fiction: Narrative Shortlist

• The Extra Mile by Kevin Sinfield, with Paul Hayward 

• Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett 

• Normal Women by Philippa Gregory 

• Spare by Prince Harry

• The Woman in Me by Britney Spears 

• Politics on the Edge by Rory Stewart 

Book of the Year - Pageturner Shortlist supported by Stylist

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 

• The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods 

• It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover 

• Icebreaker by Hannah Grace 

Book of the Year - Audiobook Fiction Shortlist

• The List by Yomi Adegoke, narrated by Sheila Atim and Arinzé Kene 

• The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith narrated by Robert Glenister 

• Poor Things by Alasdair Gray, narrated by Russ Bain and Kathryn Drysdale 

• None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, narrated by Nicola Walker and Louise Brealey

• The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden, narrated by Lauryn Allman 

• Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell, narrated by Samuel West 

Book of the Year - Audiobook Non-Fiction Shortlist

• The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life by Steven Bartlett, narrated by Steven Bartlett

• Strong Female Character by Fern Brady, narrated by Fern Brady 

• Unruly: A History of England’s Kings and Queens by David Mitchell, narrated by David Mitchell

• Spare by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex narrated by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex

• Big Beacon by Alan Partridge, narrated by Alan Partridge 

• Making It So by Sir Patrick Stewart, narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart 

To look at the shortlisted books for children, head over to LoveReading4Kids.

Remind yourself of the 2023 winners here.

The twelve Book of the Year winners will be decided by separate panels, with judges including ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ star Toby Jones, broadcaster and author Nihal Arthanayake, TV presenters Lorraine Kelly, Adrian Chiles and Yinka Bokinni, and writers Candice Brathwaite and Janice Hallett. Produced by The Bookseller, The British Book Awards, also known as the Nibbies, are the UK’s definitive celebration of books and reading. This year’s winners will be unveiled at a ceremony taking place at Grosvenor House London on Monday 13th May, 2024.

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