A chilling dystopia, a ‘property thriller’ and the story of Truman Capote’s downfall are amongst the six titles shortlisted for the 2019 Glass Bell Award, which was announced at midday on Thursday 1st August.
Leading the shortlist is the international bestseller The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, which has sold almost a million copies worldwide, and was last week announced as the UK’s fourth bestselling book for the first six months of 2019.
It is up against three thrillers – the Man Booker longlisted Snap by celebrated crime writer Belinda Bauer, Our House by Louise Candlish, which won the British Book Award Crime & Thriller of the Year, and M.W. Craven’s CWA Gold Dagger-shortlisted The Puppet Show.
Rounding off the shortlist are celebrated debuts Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott and VOX by Christina Dalcher.
The winner of the prize, which rewards ‘compelling storytelling with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised’ will be announced at the bookshop on Monday 16th September. The prize, which is judged by Goldsboro Books founder and MD David Headley and his team at the bookshop, sees the winner awarded £2,000 and a beautiful, handmade, engraved glass bell.
David said: ‘I strongly feel that this is a really topical and relevant shortlist, reflecting a range of modern concerns, from property anxiety and the redemptive power of love to toxic friendships and the erosion of hard-won rights. These utterly incredible stories, all of them eye-opening, gripping and completely absorbing, have prompted much discussion and debate during the judging process, and we have a hard task ahead of us deciding the winner.’
2019 Glass Bell Shortlist
Snap by Belinda Bauer (Transworld)
Our House by Louise Candlish (Simon & Schuster)
The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven (Little, Brown)
VOX by Christina Dalcher (HQ)
Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg- Jephcott (Cornerstone)
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris (Bonnier Zaffre)
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