The Historical Writers' Association has announced its 2026 Longlist for the Crown Awards. The 2026 Crown Awards (Debut, Non-Fiction, and Gold) are for full length books published for the first time in English in the UK between 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026. The Gold Crown is for authors who have previously published full length novels. Below is the longlist for the Gold Crown.
I’ve read three of the longlisted books: The Bookbinder’s Secret, The Art of a Lie, and Nonesuch. Click through to read my thoughts, but I can tell you that I liked each of them. I probably liked Nonesuch the best even though it has fantasy elements in it. It is a brilliant depiction of living through The Blitz. And I say that as someone who is not always a fan of WWII fiction. The Art of a Lie has a convoluted plot which may attract some people and repel others. I was fine with it. I only recently read The Bookbinder's Secret (last month, in fact) and I thought it was a debut novel but I must be wrong. I liked it but did criticize some stylistic choices.
It is always a good sign for a longlist when I've liked the books on it that I have already read, so I intend to look up some of the others. I already have The Pretender. It's been waiting for me to find a big chunk of time (it's a big one!).
Here is the list (the descriptions are from the HWA website).
LONGLIST
The Bookbinder’s Secret by AD Bell (HQ)
An apprentice bookbinder at the turn of the 20th century is drawn into a dangerous intrigue. At once an enthralling mystery and a love letter to the lost art of bookbinding.
The Tarot Reader of Versailles by Anya Bergman (Manilla Press)
A rich blend of meticulous historical research into the extraordinary life of Marie-Anne Lenormand; magic, political intrigue at the heart of the French Revolution. It offers a vivid description of a world on the brink of violent transformation and its possible wider repercussions.
The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron (Orion)
A vivid historical escape to Venice through the story of an Englishman who left his life of slavery behind him. This masterful storytelling dives into the streets of Venice bringing intrigue, sword fighting, revelries, and conspiracy.
The Last Witch by CJ Cooke (HarperCollins)
The true story of Helena Scheuberin’s defiance against one of Europe’s most notorious witchfinders is a gripping fusion of well-researched history, gothic horror, and psychological suspense. Its haunting atmosphere and fierce female solidarity make it a powerful and unforgettable historical novel.
A Scrooge Mystery by Andreina Cordani (Zaffre)
A very original idea and a fabulously fun read. This is a totally absorbing sequel to A Christmas Carol which transports you back to Dickens’s London.
The Pretender by Jo Harkin (Bloomsbury)
A fictionalised telling of the early life of Lambert Simnel – pretender to the throne of Henry VII – which combines enviable stylistic verve with a wonderfully warm heart.
Lion Hearts by Dan Jones (Head of Zeus — an Aries Book)
The wars in France have created an unbreakable brotherhood that only fighting for your very survival can do. The Essex Dogs once fought and killed for each other. And must do again, reunited in Lion Hearts. Dan Jones gives us an epic conclusion to a truly memorable trilogy.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Swift Press)
A masterfully-told story which immerses you in a small close-knit rural community in 18th-century Massachusetts, told by an unusual but totally relatable main protagonist: wife, mother, and compassionate midwife. We could not put this book down.
The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek translated by Nick Caistor (Open Borders Press)
Cold, brutal, gripping. Grounded in reality and drawing from actual eyewitness accounts, The Winter Warriors is an inspiring retelling of an almost-forgotten war.
The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Mantle)
Sprightly crime caper set in a confectionery shop in vivacious Georgian London. Threaded with twists and turns and memorable characters, sparkling with wit and pathos.
Nonesuch by Francis Spufford (Faber & Faber)
A rich, immersive and assured blending of history and fantasy set in a claustrophobic World War Two London. Full of stylish prose; genre-bending too.
A Far-flung Life by ML Stedman (Doubleday)
Poignant and tragic family saga from the late 1950s set on a vast Western Australia sheep station; very memorably portrayed. Bleak, beautiful and epic, yet full of character nuance.
The HWA Gold Crown Award judges are: Amy McElroy (chair), Ellen Alpsten, Rebecca Batley, Sharon Bennett Connolly, Jean Fullert
