The 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist has been revealed with Marcia Hutchinson and her acclaimed novel, The Mercy Step, securing a coveted spot for Cassava Republic Press.
Hutchinson’s inclusion highlights a banner year for independent publishers, who account for nine of the 16 titles selected. The longlist, described by judges as a “treasure trove,” features a mix of seven debut novelists and established literary heavyweights, all competing for the £30,000 prize.
The selection of The Mercy Step highlights the Women’s Prize Trust’s ongoing mission to amplify diverse narratives. Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of Judges, praised the list for its international scope and its ability to “bring unheard voices to the fore.”
“These 16 books masterfully demonstrate the power of fiction to examine the messy business of being human,” Gillard said. “They navigate the issues of our time with urgency and purpose.”
Claire Shanahan, Executive Director of the Women’s Prize Trust, noted that after three decades, the prize continues to “transform the literary landscape” by putting vital narratives, like those championed by Cassava Republic, into the hands of a global audience.
The 2026 Women’s Prize longlist full list:
Marcia Hutchinson – The Mercy Step (Cassava Republic Press)
Lucy Apps – Gloria Don’t Speak (Weatherglass Books)
Hannah Lillith Assadi – Paradiso 17 (4th Estate)
Elaine Castillo – Moderation (Atlantic Books)
Susan Choi – Flashlight (Jonathan Cape)
Addie E. Citchens – Dominion (Europa Editions UK)
Wendy Erskine – The Benefactors (Sceptre)
Virginia Evans – The Correspondent (Michael Joseph)
Sheena Kalayil – The Others (Fly on the Wall Press)
Rozie Kelly – Kingfisher (Saraband)
Lily King – Heart the Lover (Canongate)
Katie Kitamura – Audition (Fern Press)
Megha Majumdar – A Guardian and a Thief (Scribner)
Charlotte McConaghy – Wild Dark Shore (Canongate)
Kit de Waal – The Best of Everything (Tinder Press)
Alice Evelyn Yang – A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing (Dead Ink)
The judging panel, which includes Mona Arshi, Salma El-Wardany, Cariad Lloyd, and Annie Macmanus, will now whittle the 16 books down to a shortlist of six.
The winner will be announced on Thursday June 12 at a ceremony in Bedford Square Gardens, London, where they will receive the “Bessie” statuette and the anonymously endowed cash prize.
