Stephen Buoro’s The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa, Santanu Bhattacharya’s One Small Voice and Jacqueline Crooks‘ Fire Rush have been longlisted for the 70th Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award.

Open to any debut novel written in English, the £2,500 Authors’ Club Best First Novel prize aims to support UK-based authors, publishers and agents. Commenting on this year’s longlist, the judging panel chair Lucy Popescu said: ‘There are fresh perspectives on the coming-of-age narrative and a thrilling range of themes, from corruption and religious intolerance, through neurodiversity and masculinity, loss and bereavement, wealth and privilege, obsession and desire, to ghosts and superstition.’

The shortlist will be announced on 25 March at the National Liberal Club in London, and the winner will be announced on 22 May. To see the full longlist, click here.