Announcing the 2023 Women’s Prize shortlist

We are delighted to share with you the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist!

Half of this year’s list – described as ‘ambitious, eclectic and hard-hitting’ – is made up of first-time novelists appearing alongside novels by previous Women’s Prize-winning and shortlisted authors.

This year’s shortlist has been selected by an independent judging panel chaired by broadcaster and writer Louise Minchin. Louise is joined on the judging panel by novelist Rachel Joyce; journalist, podcaster and writer Bella Mackie; novelist and short story writer Irenosen Okojie; and Tulip Siddiq, Member of Parliament.

Chair of judges Louise Minchin said: ‘This is an exquisite set of ambitious, diverse, thoughtful, hard-hitting and emotionally engaging novels. A glittering showcase of the power of women’s writing. My fellow judges and I feel it has been a huge privilege to read these novels, and we are delighted to be part of their journey, bringing them to the attention of more readers from across the world.’

The six shortlisted books are as follows:

• Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris
• Pod by Laline Paull
• Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks
• Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
• The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Although the 2023 shortlist offers globe-spanning settings – from former Yugoslavia, Jamaica and the Indian Ocean, to Italy, Virginia and Ireland – the writers themselves are predominantly British: four of the list are British alongside one American and one Irish author.

Find out more about these six spectacular books and watch the judges announce the shortlist here:

The winner of this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction will be awarded on Wednesday 14th June 2023.

Make sure you join in the conversation @WomensPrize about this year’s brilliant novels and don’t forget to get your ticket to our virtual shortlist book club!