Somehow I managed to miss the announcement of the shortlist for Historical Fiction for 2026 which was published in April. This is my favorite prize to follow because I love historical fiction, although I get tired of WWII historical fiction.
Back in February I blogged about the long list here. Since that time the only additional book on that list that I read was Helm which I wrote about here. It has been difficult finding the other books because my library doesn't always buy them or there is a long wait list.
The shortlist, which was announced April 16, 2026, was:
The Pretender by Jo Harkin (Bloomsbury)The Matchbox Girl by Alice Jolly (Bloomsbury)Benbecula by Graeme Macrae Burnet (Polygon)Once the Deed is Done by Rachel Seiffert (Virago)Seascraper by Benjamin Wood (Viking)
Of that list the only one I've read was Seascraper which I read last year when it was on a Booker Prize list. I liked it very much.
The winner for 2026 was announced June 12, 2026 and is The Matchbox Girl by Alice Jolly.
I checked and of course my library doesn't have it but I put a "notify me" tag on it.
