The Centre, by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi (Pan Macmillan, Picador) and Chrysalis by Anna Metcalfe (Granta) have made the 6-person shortlist for this year’s Nota Bene Prize.

The Nota Bene Prize, run by Agile Ideas, an independent literary and marketing agency, “champions influential fiction and seeks to guide open-minded readers towards acclaimed works of fiction that have been recommended by trusted, passionate, and notable readers”.

Sophie Percival, digital manager at Agile Ideas, said: “Our 2024 shortlist is full of books that embody our ethos at the Nota Bene Prize—each shortlisted title offers a diverse and compelling story written by the rising talents of the industry, and we can’t wait to shine a light on these literary gems.