First Novel Prize 2025 Shortlist

The organisers and the judges are delighted to present this year’s shortlist, selected from an outstanding field of entries.

Sarah Haynes – The Last Time She Saw Him

Lottie Westgate – Rosemary Spencer AI PI

Lucy Williams – The Wreck

Michael Fleming – No More Bets

Nicola Mira – Hydra

Anthony Streeter – The Terrible Gift of Sentience and Sorrow

Jeffery Stephens – The Betrothed

Gregory Aboujaoude – How to Survive Mount Lebanon

Moyette Gibbons – God and the Blues

Jason McIntyre – Two-Niner

Warm congratulations to all our shortlisted writers!

We look forward to announcing the First Prize and the Shortlist Prize on or around the 15th of September 2025.