Congratulations to Scribe author Gavin McCrea, whose debut novel Mrs Engels has today been shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize.
Chair of the judges Iain Pears said of the book: "McCrea has cleverly included just enough historical detail to set a very evocative scene, then lets his cast tell the story. The writing always surprises, his characters are compelling without having to be likeable and, as all of we judges noted, Mrs Engels is perhaps the most feminist novel we read for the Prize."
Well done to Gavin, and also to Lisa McInerney and Julia Rochester, the other shortlisted authors.