The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2022: Some Longlist Contenders?

The deadline for publishers to submit books published in 2021 for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2022 is 23rd December 2021. The prize is open to novels written in English and published in 2021 in the UK, Ireland or the Commonwealth. Reflecting the subtitle ‘Sixty Years Since’ of Scott’s famous novel, Waverley, the majority of the storyline must take place at least 60 years ago.

Like other historical fiction fans, I shall be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the longlist in February 2022 and the shortlist the following month. As in previous years, I’ll try to read as many as possible of the longlisted novels that I haven’t read already and all those that make it on to the shortlist.

There have been some fantastic historical fiction novels published in 2021. Below are some I’ve read that I think might make the longlist, some books in my TBR pile which, judging from reviews, may well deserve a place, and a few others I don’t yet have copies of but which look like possible contenders for inclusion (subject in each case to them meeting all the eligibility criteria). Links from the titles will take you to my review or the book description on Goodreads.

Check back when the longlist is announced to see if any of my picks match the judges’ choices.

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Books I read in 2021 

• Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
• The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed
• The Hidden Child by Louise Fein
• Snow Country by Sebastian Faulks
• The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
• Mrs England by Stacey Halls
• A Woman Made of Snow by Elisabeth Gifford
• Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Books in my TBR pile

• Lily by Rose Tremain
• Still Life by Sarah Winman
• A Net For Small Fishes by Lucy Jago

Books on my RADAR

• Learwife by J.R. Thorpe
• Moth by Melody Razak

Are any of your favourites on my list?  What other historical fiction novels published in 2021 do you think deserve to be on the longlist?