Ahead of the winner announcement Aaron & Lucy spoke with the director of the award and one of this year's judges.

The insight helps us understand the prize and what is considered when deciding between the books.

We'll be jumping into another shortlist next week; the International Booker Prize 2026.

Before then we've got our interviews with the team who brought you Eden's Shore.

Check out our previous episodes on some of the shortlisted & longlisted books from this year's Queen Mary Prize, our chapter-by-chapter read along of Eden's Shore & last year's International Booker Prize shortlist.

In this episode, Aaron & Lucy discuss Ghost Driver by Nell Osborne, published by Moist Books.

This is the final book we’re covering from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist before the winner is announced — and we break down its themes, style, and where it sits among this year’s contenders.

🏆 The Winner Is Next

📅 The winner is announced tomorrow (Wednesday)
🎧 We’ll be back with a reaction episode as soon as the result drops

We’ll also be releasing a special episode featuring:

• Neil Griffiths — Director of the Prize
• Susanna Crossman — one of this year’s judges

🌊 Eden’s Shore Specials Incoming

We’ve got a packed week of episodes coming your way:

• An episode with Tom Alexander, Anna Bu Kliewer, and Sofia Hericson
• A second interview episode with Oisín Ó Fágáin himself

📚 Eden’s Shore is also featured on the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2026 list.

🌍 What’s Next

Next week, we jump into the International Booker Prize:
📅 Shortlist announced Tuesday
🎧 We’ll kick things off with a longlist reaction & shortlist prediction episode

📚 Stay tuned — it’s a huge week on the podcast as we wrap one prize and dive straight into another!

In this episode, Colin, Lucy & Aaron discuss Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group by Rebecca Gransden, published by Tangerine Press.

This is the first book we’re covering from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist, and we unpack the novel’s structure, atmosphere, themes, and how it stands out within this year’s field.

📖 What’s Coming Next

We’ll be continuing our shortlist coverage with two more books before the winner is announced:

• Spit by David Brennan — published by époque press

• Ghost Driver by Nell Osborne — published by Moist Books

📚 Read along with us as we work through the shortlist and discuss what might take home the prize.

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