THE four authors shortlisted for the prestigious Walter Scott prize for best Historic Fiction have spoken of their pride at having their book selected.

The winner receives £25,000, and each shortlisted author receives £1,500, making the Walter Scott Prize amongst the richest fiction prizes in the UK.

Previous winners are Hilary Mantel and Sebastian Barry (both twice winners), Andrea Levy, Tan Twan Eng, Robert Harris, John Spurling, Simon Mawer, Benjamin Myers, Robin Robertson, and Christine Dwyer Hickey.

Andrew Greig author of ‘Rose Nicholson’ said: “I am immensely pleased and encouraged and generally chuffed. It’s somehow particularly apt that a central character of Rose Nicholson is the first Lord Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch, a Border reiver on the rise.”

James Robertson author of ‘News of the Dead’ said: “I’m very happy to be shortlisted for the prize. Scott’s life and work have had an influence on my own writing so it feels right to be in the running for a prize bearing his name. I don’t think of myself as a historical novelist, but as a writer with a deep interest in history and time.’

Amanda Smyth author of ‘Fortune’ said “I am absolutely thrilled to be on the shortlist, especially after seeing such a strong longlist. My first novel was also historical fiction, but I had never before now considered myself to be a historical novelist.”

Colm Tóibín author of ‘The Magician’ said: ‘My novel The Magician is set between 1880 and 1950 in Germany and the United States. It covers the First World War, the Munich Revolution, German inflation, the rise of Hitler, the Second World War, the division of Germany and the Cold War. It is told through the point of view of one man, who had a different response to each of the events listed above. I did a great deal of reading and I tried to imagine Thomas Mann’s life in this time. Having my work recognised and honoured in this way by the Walter Scott Prize is wonderful.”

The judges said: “Debate at Walter Scott Prize meetings is always lively. Hard choices must be made. But informed, as always, by the WSP’s criteria of ambition, innovation, enduring appeal and quality of writing, the four books on our shortlist shone brightly in this year’s firmament. We hope readers will celebrate the art and craft of each and enjoy four very different tales very differently told.”

The winner will be announced at a special event at the Borders Book Festival on Friday 17th June 2022, which also honours the winners of the prize’s counterpart for young writers, the Young Walter Scott Prize.