Novels Judge’s Report 2024
Judge’s report from Headline Publishing
Winner: The English Fraulein
Runner-up: French Connections
The English Fraulein
We really admired the author’s handling of the sensitive subject matter and thought they brought a warmth and familiarity to their writing, but at the same time, the sample felt fresh in its execution – which is no easy feat in such a crowded space of the market. There’s an immediacy to their writing that means the reader is thrust into the action of the story from those first few lines, but without losing that all-important sense of place, time and character, which we thought the author captured astutely on the page. This tension is then carefully sustained throughout the material and we thought the cliffhanger delivered a satisfying conclusion to the sample, and made us eager to keep reading. It was really well-written and the synopsis sets a very clear stage for the story to come. Overall, we were incredibly impressed by the material and thought it would make for a moving, heart-wrenching and inspiring tale of bravery in the face of fear and some of the darkest days of World War II. Huge congratulations to the author!
French Connections
We really enjoyed the first person narrative and the way it immediately pulled us into the story. We thought it gave the material a sense of urgency that propelled the story forward, and we were struck by the author’s ability to maintain that pacing throughout. On the whole, we found the author’s characterisations to be strong – considered and believable, and likeable/unlikeable in all the right moments – and we were particularly impressed by their dialogue, which flowed nicely on the page. Whilst this is an appealing and commercial proposition, which we found to be hugely readable, we would encourage the author to consider whether there’s a slightly more nuanced way to approach the hook and/or set-up, so that it is bringing something original and unique to this space of the market, making it as strong a proposition as it can be.
