British author Alice Jolly has won the 2026 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for her novel The Matchbox Girl, per bbc.com.
The book follows Adelheid Brunner, a mute autistic patient of Dr Hans Asperger at the Vienna Children’s Hospital during the 1930s Nazi occupation. Jolly received the award at a ceremony at the Borders Book Festival near Melrose, marking the 17th year of the literary prize.
Judges praised the novel for its originality, innovation and ambition, calling it a gripping exploration of a highly complex topic. They described The Matchbox Girl as an honest, powerful and unusual work of storytelling dexterity. Jolly was selected from the first ever all-British shortlist for the award, which is administered by the Abbotsford Trust.
Accepting the prize, Jolly stated that the accolade validates historical fiction as a serious form of literature. She explained that her writing process began with an investigation into the conflicting historical narratives surrounding Dr Asperger. The novel explores how individuals were drawn into the crimes of the Nazi era, while also highlighting the forgotten colleagues of Dr Asperger who attempted to maintain their principles and research.
The background of the novel connects to real-world medical history. Dr Asperger identified the form of autism that bore his name in 1944, though documents uncovered in 2018 revealed he collaborated with the Nazi regime by sending child patients to a clinic where they were killed.
•Featured image: Alice Jolly/Walter Scott Book Prize
