THE MEMORY OF US by Dani Atkins and FELICITY’S WAR by Jean Fullerton shortlisted for the RNA’s 2025 Romantic Novel Awards

THE MEMORY OF US by Dani Atkins and FELICITY’S WAR by Jean Fullerton have been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s 2025 Romantic Novel Awards – the former made The Romantic Thriller Award shortlist, while the latter was shortlisted for The Romantic Saga Award.

The RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Awards are presented annually, recognising and celebrating the very best in romantic fiction.  This year’s winners will be announced during the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Awards ceremony at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City on 19th May.

Seána Talbot, the RNA chair, says: ‘This year’s shortlist is a tremendous testament to romantic fiction’s diversity and strength. We are proud to celebrate these outstanding books and this exciting mix of new and established writers. They make a vital contribution to this popular, much-loved genre.’

Sharon Ibbotson, the RNA Awards Coordinator, says: ‘Our reader-judges have once again chosen wonderful love stories as this year’s favourites, and their authors deserve their praise. Congratulations to all our finalists and thanks once again to our reader-judges – these awards wouldn’t happen without them.’

In THE MEMORY OF US (Head of Zeus) an accident leaves Amelia with memories of a love story that never existed. Lexi and Nick recreate them in the hopes of triggering the truth – but soon they start to fall for one another…

FELICITY’S WAR (Corvus) follows the recently heartbroken Fliss in wartime London. On a journalistic assignment she crosses paths with Detective Inspector Timothy Wallace – a man who shares her passion for truth and justice, though not her political beliefs. Despite their differences, an instant spark ignites between them. Can their blossoming romance endure the perils ahead?

Dani is already a recipient of three RNA Romantic Novel Awards, with THIS LOVE winning the Goldsboro Romantic Book of the Year Award 2018 and the Epic Novel of the Year Award 2018, A SKY FULL OF STARS winning the Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2022 and SIX DAYS winning the Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award in 2023.

Dani’s most recent novel, ALWAYS YOU AND ME, was published by Amazon Publishing earlier this month, and Jean’s next novel, THE EAST END GIRLS, is the start of an exciting new series with Bookouture and will be published in June.

Photo credit: Hannah Couzens

About Dani Atkins

Dani Atkins was born in London, and grew up in Cockfosters, Hertfordshire. She now lives in a 350-year-old cottage with her husband, one Siamese cat and a very soppy Border Collie.

Dani has been writing for fun all her life but, following the 2013 publication of her novel FRACTURED (Head of Zeus), she has made writing her full-time career. FRACTURED has since been published in sixteen languages and has sold more than half a million copies since first publication in the UK.

Praise for THE MEMORY OF US

‘A love story to get lost in – a beautifully written, gripping and moving novel about the lengths we will go to for the people who mean the most to us. Lexi and Nick's story felt timeless and unique all at once, and I was utterly captivated, from start to finish.’ – Holly Miller

‘Gripping, devastating and romantic – this book has it all. A tale of mystery, intrigue, despair and hope – but above all, of love.’ – Gillian Harvey

‘Wow. Atkins really understands her craft. This book has everything, heartache, passion and twists galore. She’s one of my favourite writers. Always delivers.’ – Jenny O’Brien

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 About Jean Fullerton

Jean was born and bred in the overcrowded streets surrounding London Docks where her family have lived since 1825. Being born within the sound of Bow Bells, she’s a true cockney who grew up in what was then the working-class dockland community in Wapping and Stepney, East London. All her published books are set in the streets and alleyways she roamed as a child.

Jean worked for 30 years as a community nurse in East London, starting as a staff nurse and finishing as a university lecturer in Health Studies at London South Bank University.

Praise for Jean Fullerton

‘The queen of East End sagas’ – Elaine Everest

‘Warmth, humour and characters readers care about are Fullerton’s hallmarks.’ – Peterborough Evening Telegraph

‘A brilliant author who is not afraid of the truth’ – Geoffrey Harfield, Historical Novels Society

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RECIPES TO LIVE FOR by Sally Andrew shortlisted for the 2024 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

Sally Andrew’s mouth-watering cookbook, RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR, has been shortlisted for the prestigious 2024 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in two categories – the Acknowledgements Award and Local Regions Award.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau. Every year, they honour the best food and wine books, printed or digital, as well as food-focused television. This year there are participants from 221 countries and regions, with 1250 nominations. The winners will be announced in an awards ceremony in June 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.

The other titles that made the Acknowledgements Award shortlist are: DOOR73 by Eric Ivanidis and Marcelo Ballardin (Belgium); QUININE REMAINS by Townsend Middleton (India); LOS FERMENTOS DEL BOSQUE by Andrea Martin (Spain); NOODLES, RICE & EVERYTHING SPICE by Christina de Witte and Mallika Kruppinen (Thailand). The other titles nominated for the Local Regions Award are: DEL GARUM AL LIMONCELLO by Enzio Falcone (Italy); COMERES RAJANOS, COCINAS RAYANAS edited by Confraria Gastronómica do Alentejo (Portugal); LAGOM SVENSK by Louise Bondebjer (Sweden); EAT LOCAL: BUENGKAN by Suthipong Suriya (Thailand) and REGIONAL COOKING OF ENGLAND by Carol Wilson (UK).

RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR features recipes from Sally Andrew’s beloved Tannie Maria murder mystery series, as well as some tantalising new additions, all seasoned with beautiful photographs of the food and the South African landscape. Spiced with enjoyable sayings from the four bestselling novels, as well as letters written to ‘Tannie Maria’s Love Advice and Recipe Column’, RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR is as warm and witty as Tannie Maria herself, guaranteed to delight fans and newcomers to the series.

Many of the dishes are slow foods and traditional South African recipes, but there are also quick meals and new inventions, from nachos to spekboom ice cream. Whether you are craving a Karoo lamb pie or sweet melktert or a syrupy koeksister, you’ll find something to discover and savour among Tannie Maria’s culinary delights.

The Tannie Maria murder mystery series was recently adapted into an acclaimed television series, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER. Season Two will be released in 2025.  Amongst other accolades, it was shortlisted in the Comedy Drama and Sitcom category at the Rose d’Or Awards and is now available to watch on terrestrial television in the UK.

Sally is currently working on the next novel in the Tannie Maria series.

About Sally Andrew

Sally Andrew divides her time between Muizenberg on the Cape Town coast and a nature reserve near Ladismith in the Klein Karoo, South Africa, where she lives with her artist partner and various wildlife (including a giant eland and a secretive leopard). Sally has published a number of non-fiction books on adult and environmental education.

Her first novel, RECIPES FOR LOVE & MURDER: A Tannie Maria Mystery was a Kirkus Best Book of 2015, A Wall Street Journal Best Mystery Book 2015, The Bookseller Fiction editor’s Choice 2015 and A Good Housekeeping Book of the Month. She is now writing the fifth book in the bestselling series.

Praise for Sally Andrew’s Tannie Maria mystery series

‘If you want a vivid, amusing and immensely enjoyable read about detection (and cooking) in an intriguing part of southern Africa, then this is the book for you. A triumph.’ – Alexander McCall Smith

‘Utterly delicious, to the very last morsel.’ – Deon Meyer

‘Chock full of good food and interesting characters.’ – Kerry Greenwood, author of the PHRYNE FISHER and CORINNA CHAPMAN series

‘Murder mysteries, good food, and South African anecdotes make the perfect recipe for a murder mystery series. These books follow Tannie Maria, a recipe writer turned true crime fighter, as she solves mysteries. With an average of 4/5 stars on Goodreads, you can bet that these funny and charming books are well worth adding to your TBR.’ – Jade McGee, Woman & Home

 Visit Sally’s website.

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Sheila O’Flanagan shortlisted for the 2024 Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year Award

International bestselling novelist Sheila O’Flanagan has been shortlisted for the 2024 Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year Award. Part of the An Post Irish Book Awards, the Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year Award is given to an Irish author whose works contributed significantly to the reader experience and enjoyment of Irish books during 2024, as nominated by librarians and library book club members. Previous winners include Claire Keegan and John Boyne.

The other authors on this year’s shortlist are as follows: Eoin Colfer, Sally Rooney, Donal Ryan, Jo Spain and Colm Tóibín. The winner will be announced at a gala dinner at the Convention Centre in Dublin on 27th November 2024 and you can take part in the voting process here.

Larry Mac Hale, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, says: ‘The shortlist for this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards is, once again, remarkable, showcasing the immense talent of Irish writers and the strength of our literary community. Each category highlights exceptional writing, with well deserving authors, publishers, illustrators, and booksellers being recognised.’

Previously Sheila won the Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2011 for her novel ALL FOR YOU, and had THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL and WHAT EDEN DID NEXT shortlisted for the same prize in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Photo credit: Bill Waters

About Sheila O’Flanagan

Sheila O’Flanagan is an international bestselling novelist, with more than 9 million copies sold. Most of her novels have been immediate and long-lasting No 1s in Ireland, UK Top 10 Sunday Times Bestsellers and Kindle Bestsellers, and she is published in more than twenty languages around the world. She is the recipient of the prestigious Irish Tatler Literary Woman of the Year Award.

Praise for Sheila O’Flanagan

‘One of my favourite authors’ – Marian Keyes

‘One of our best-known, best-loved and most prolific women’s fiction authors’ – Irish Independent

‘Reading a Sheila O'Flanagan novel always feels like sitting down for a cup of tea with a friend – she writes with such warmth and empathy.’ – Beth O’Leary, author of THE FLATSHARE

 ‘Sheila writes with such verve and positivity and emotional intelligence.’ – Veronica Henry

 Visit Sheila’s website.

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THE TUMBLING GIRL by Bridget Walsh shortlisted for 2024 HWA Debut Crown Award

THE TUMBLING GIRL, the first title in Bridget Walsh’s sharp and witty Variety Palace Mystery series, has been shortlisted for the 2024 HWA Debut Crown Award.

The HWA Awards celebrate the best historical writing, fiction and non-fiction, and its ability to engage, illuminate, entertain and inform legions of readers. To be considered, the bulk of the work must take place at least thirty-five years prior to publication.

The other titles on this year’s Debut Crown Award shortlist are as follows: THE GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua; THE MAIDEN by Kate Foster; THE PAINTER’S DAUGHTER by Emily Howes; THE BEHOLDERS by Hester Musson and THE REVELS by Stacey Thomas.

Ayo Onatade, chair of the judges, says: ‘Once again, we have immersed ourselves in a wide variety of historical novels and the shortlist has taken us around the world… Debut authors continue to show that historical fiction is alive and kicking and that it is always a delight to become engrossed in such wonderful stories. All the judges have thoroughly enjoyed themselves reading the nominations, which get better and better each year.’

THE TUMBLING GIRL was first published by Gallic Books in May 2023, and prior to publication it won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction. It was also shortlisted for the 2024 Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and reached No. 1 in the US Amazon Kindle New Historical Thriller Chart. It sees an unlikely duo – ex-actress Minnie Ward and private detective Albert Easterbrook – team up to solve a grisly spate of murders in Victorian London.

The action continues in THE INNOCENTS, published by Gallic Books earlier this year to great acclaim: it was included in The Guardian’s ‘Best recent crime and thrillers’ round-up, amongst other accolades. The next novel in the series, THE SPIRIT GUIDE, will be published by Pushkin Press in 2026. THE SPIRIT GUIDE sees Minnie and Albert uncovering the dark secrets behind a female-only spiritualist group that purports to help its members commune with deceased loved ones.

About Bridget Walsh

Bridget Walsh lives in Norwich. She has a PhD in ‘Murder in the Victorian Domestic Sphere’ and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

 Praise for THE TUMBLING GIRL

‘Bridget Walsh’s THE TUMBLING GIRL is the first in what promises to be an entertaining series of historical mysteries… a narrative that neatly weds historical detail and quiet wit.’ – Nick Rennison, The Sunday Times, ‘The best historical fiction books of May 2023’

‘Ms. Walsh does a splendid job depicting Minnie’s flea-bitten yet appealing theatrical world and Albert’s monied yet treacherous milieu.’ – Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

‘It’s a sparkling novel and a complete delight to read. The characters and world are wild, vivid and enchanting. A wry, warm and proper rib-tickling slice of dirty Victorian gothic. And Bridget has such an ear for dialogue, and a flair for character.  I can’t wait to see what Minnie and Albert are up to next.’ – Julia Crouch

‘Smart, funny and expertly plotted, THE TUMBLING GIRL cartwheels off the page. I loved my time with these characters. A cracking start to a charismatic and distinctive series.’ – Emma Styles

‘THE TUMBLING GIRL is brilliant. Travel back in time for a chilling mystery set in London's seedy backstreets and high class clubs. Beautifully written by a true authority on Victorian domestic murder, this book keeps you guessing till the end!’ – A.J. West

Visit Bridget’s website.

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THE TUMBLING GIRL by Bridget Walsh makes 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger shortlist

We’re thrilled to share the news that THE TUMBLING GIRL by Bridget Walsh has been shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2024.

Nick Rennison picked THE TUMBLING GIRL for The Sunday Times list of ‘The best historical fiction books of May 2023’, saying ‘Bridget Walsh’s THE TUMBLING GIRL is the first in what promises to be an entertaining series of historical mysteries… a narrative that neatly weds historical detail and quiet wit’ – and the CWA shortlisting is another accolade confirming this promise and the pleasure Walsh’s series is bringing to readers.

One of the annual, highly esteemed CWA prizes, the 2024 ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger is awarded to the best UK-published crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality. Previous winners include BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S. J. Watson, THE CUTTING ROOM by Louise Welsh and THE AXEMAN’S JAZZ by Ray Celestin.

The other shortlisted titles for this year’s prize are: IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Jo Callaghan, THE GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua, THE MAIDEN by Kate Foster, WEST HEART KILL by Dann McDorman and GO SEEK by Michelle Teahan.

The shortlists for all the 2024 CWA prizes were announced on 10th May at Bristol’s CrimeFest, the UK’s largest crime fiction convention, and the winners will be announced at the award ceremony at the CWA Gala Dinner on 4th July.

Maxim Jakubowski, chair of the CWA Daggers’ committee, commented: ‘Once again, our independent judges across all the Dagger categories have come up trumps. Their selections feature well-established authors and new faces, a refreshingly diverse palette highlighting the talent of writers from all origins and publishers large and small, and a steadfast affirmation of how healthy the crime and mystery field is right now.’

The first of the sharp and sparkling Variety Palace Mysteries, THE TUMBLING GIRL sees an unlikely duo team up to solve a grisly spate of murders in Victorian London. It won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction in 2019, and was first published by Gallic Books in May 2023, garnering starred reviews in Publishers Weekly (where it was also a ‘Book of the Week’ pick) and the Library Journal. It also reached No. 1 in the US Amazon Kindle Historical Thriller chart. 

The second in the series, THE INNOCENTS, was published in April 2024. It also achieved a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was included in The Guardian’s ‘The best recent crime and thrillers’ round-up as well as The Financial Times’ ‘Best New Crime Books’ list. Bridget is currently working on the next in the series, THE SPIRIT GUIDE, which sees Minnie and Albert uncovering the dark secrets behind a female-only spiritualist group that purports to help its members commune with deceased loved ones. It will be published by Gallic Books in Spring 2025.

About Bridget Walsh

Bridget Walsh lives in Norwich. She has a PhD in ‘Murder in the Victorian Domestic Sphere’ and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

More Praise for THE TUMBLING GIRL

‘Ms. Walsh does a splendid job depicting Minnie’s flea-bitten yet appealing theatrical world and Albert’s monied yet treacherous milieu.’ – Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

‘Walsh impresses in this series launch featuring an unlikely pair of investigators in 1876 London… diligent research pays off in spades here, and her rich and nuanced portrayal of the period will leave readers feeling like they’re on the soggy streets of London. Imogen Robertson readers will be eager for a sequel to this un-put-downable mystery.’ – Publishers Weekly, starred review and a ‘Books of the Week’ pick

‘Walsh resurrects the culture and crimes of Victoriana without cliché or condescension, but with warmth, wit, remarkable texture and rare authority.’ – Tom Benn

‘Such an accomplished crime murder mystery, with an addictively gritty plot and truly remarkable cast of characters. I fell in love with this deliciously dark and compelling Victorian read.’ – Essie Fox

 Visit Bridget’s website.

 Follow Bridget on X (previously Twitter) and Instagram.