Novels Judge’s Report 2019
Judge’s Report from Headline Publishing
Cabbage Island: The feedback I received from my colleagues on Cabbage Island was glowing. I have subsequently read it and completely agree with their comments. For all of us, it was the clear winner.
The synopsis does exactly what it should; it’s well-thought out and contains just enough detail that the reader is left eager to continue reading. Crucially, the characters that the author introduces in the synopsis are colourfully brought to life throughout the opening chapter and the quality of writing certainly delivers on the promise of the synopsis.
We also wanted to draw attention to the fantastic sense of place that the author manages to conjure up through the atmospheric and vivid descriptions of the bridges and the island – we were very impressed. Overall, the drama of the opening scene makes for a compelling, tense and exciting read with plenty of twists and turns, thus immediately drawing the reader into its clutches and leaving you wanting to know how it progresses.
Ten Virtuous Acts: We have chosen this as the runner-up for a number of reasons. For starters, the author’s characterisation is convincing and the voice strong throughout. This particularly applies to the central character, Helen, whose flaws (namely, her stealing addiction) elevate, and add important layers to, her character.
Sense of place was well-executed, with a true-to-life portrayal of London grounding it and the idea of using the Sri Lankan civil war as a setting makes it feel original.
Much like Cabbage Island, the opening chapter of Ten Virtuous Acts was incredibly compelling and, at the same time, powerful, shocking and chilling – I don’t think any of us was expecting it! We were all interested to find out how Helen manages to channel the trauma of rape to positively impact and influence her life, and others, going forward.
I am sure the author is careful around this subject in the rest of the novel, but it is important to mention that an issue of this scale and sensitivity should be addressed and dealt with delicately. Whilst, for the most part, the author writes well, we felt that the writing in Cabbage Island was slightly more elevated than it was in Ten Virtuous Acts and that the dialogue would benefit from a little refining and tidying up to lift and take the novel where it needs to go.
Short list in alphabetical order
A Train on a Beach by Jamie D Stacey
Blind by Averil Meehan
Cabbage Island by Matthew Ross
Death Of A Painter by Matthew Ross
Golden Tesserae by Elizabeth Willcox
Macy After Midnight by Donna Marchetti
Ten Virtuous Acts by Sandra Jensen
The Black Sword by Donna Brown
The Downfall by Laure Van Rensburg
The Edge of Hate by L.B. McLeod
The Lush of Rona by Sharon Boyle
The Other Side of Heaven by Tracy Fells
The Violent Hour by Sarah Dawson
Thickened with Blood by Kieran Marsh
Tom and the Crimson Cat by Valerie Thompson
Long list in alphabetical order
1666 by Sean Dooley
A Calamity of Waters by Chloe Turner
A Pair of Blue Butterflies by Claire Whatley
A Train on a Beach by Jamie D Stacey
An Honest Review by Tessa Barrie
And The Walls Came Tumbling Down by Anna Korving
Anthony ‘Bag of Noodles’ and the Sticky Grenade by Ian Johnson
Blind by Averil Meehan
Cabbage Island by Matthew Ross
Corruption Contagion by Helen Larder
Darkness in Velez-Malaga by Paul S. Bradley
Death Of A Painter by Matthew Ross
Eldritch by Jasmina Svenne
Even Gods Are Blind by Zoe Walker
Finnegan Begins Again by Stephen Brown
Flying Down Blake Street by Joanne Clague
Game On by Colin Brezicki
Golden Tesserae by Elizabeth Willcox
Hidden by Kathy Cuddihy
I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore by Gill Darling
Just Being There by Cassandra Leighton
Lost Behind Words by Tabitha Forney
Macy After Midnight by Donna Marchetti
Meroughsey by Marilyn Thompson
Middle Cut by David G. Gibson
Not Over Yet by Mike Padgett
Outliving Her Past by Rachel Carrington
Rogue Prey by Nik Morton
Safe Harbours by Kathy Cuddihy
Silent as the Snow by Emily Pattullo
Silent Was Our Song by Nathalie Chong
Ten Virtuous Acts by Sandra Jensen
The Black Sword by Donna Brown
The Cage by David Fenton
The Downfall by Laure Van Rensburg
The Echo Chamber by Rod Cookson
The Edge of Hate by L.B. McLeod
The Fourth Prince by Donna Brown
The Ghosts of Tumbledown by Sally Doherty
The Glass House by Jody R Cooksley
The Lush of Rona by Sharon Boyle
The Mothers by Nollaig Frost
The Other Side of Heaven by Tracy Fells
The Palimpsest by Michael Coram
The Time That Magic Took by Lucy Caird
The Violent Hour by Sarah Dawson
Thickened with Blood by Kieran Marsh
Tom and the Crimson Cat by Valerie Thompson
What We Learnt At Number Nine by Rebekah Heaney
Wild by Deborah Tomkins
