The Abbotsford Trust has revealed the longlist for the 2026 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, which “celebrates quality, innovation, durability, and ambition of writing.”
John Banville made the longlist for his novel Venetian Vespers, set in the late Victorian era, alongside Damian Barr for The Two Roberts, about the Scottish artists Bobby MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun. Oisín Fagan was longlisted for his 18th-century-set Eden’s Shore, as were Sarah Hall for Helm, about a fierce wind that impacts England across centuries, and Jo Harkin for The Pretender, set in Tudor-era Great Britain.
Tristan Hughes was longlisted for Boundary Waters, set in 19th-century Canada, alongside Alice Jolly for The Matchbox Girl, about a girl in World War II-era Vienna; Melissa Lucashenko for Edenglassie, set partially in 1850s Australia; and Graeme MacRae Burnet for Benbecula, about a murder in 1850s Scotland.
Rachel Seiffert was nominated for Once the Deed Is Done, about a group of people in post World War II Germany, as were Lucy Steeds for The Artist, set in 1920 Provence, and Benjamin Wood for Seascraper, about a fisherman in 1960s England.
Katie Grant, the chair of judges for the prize, said in a statement, “The 2026 list spans all human experience and emotional intensity, with our authors crafting their work on both the small domestic canvas and broader, more epic scale. And readers be warned: In amongst the clever, the funny, the poignant, the piquant, the moving, the intriguing and the surprising, in this year’s list you’ll find writing so visceral it will remain with you long after you have closed the book.”
The Walter Scott Prize was established in 2010. Previous winners include Hilary Mantel for Wolf Hall and The Mirror & the Light, Sebastian Barry for On Canaan’s Side and Days Without End, and Andrew Miller for The Land in Winter.
The shortlist for the award, which comes with a cash prize of 25,000 British pounds—about $34,000—will be revealed in April, with the winner announced in June.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
