Donal Ryan's novel Heart, Be at Peace shortlisted for 2024 Nero awards
- The Nero awards celebrate remarkable writing talent in the UK and Ireland across various categories.
- This year's shortlist includes 16 books by authors with diverse themes and storytelling styles.
- Donal Ryan's work was acknowledged in the fiction category, reflecting the high standard of contemporary literature.
In December 2024, the Nero book awards announced their shortlist, highlighting the literary contributions from various authors across genres in the UK and Ireland. A total of 16 books were recognized in categories of fiction, debut fiction, nonfiction, and children’s fiction. The awards emerged after the discontinuation of the Costa Coffee book prizes in June 2022, aiming to celebrate extraordinary writing talent. The shortlist features notable authors including Donal Ryan, whose novel 'Heart, Be at Peace' is a state-of-the-nation narrative exploring rural Ireland through 21 perspectives. Other shortlisted works include 'Lost in the Garden' by Adam S Leslie and 'The Hypocrite' by Jo Hamya, demonstrating a diversity of storytelling styles and themes. The nonfiction category was particularly notable this year, all entries being debut works, showcasing the impact of social media and historical narratives through titles such as 'Pixel Flesh' by Ellen Atlanta and 'Maurice and Maralyn' by Sophie Elmhirst. Additional contenders in the debut category highlight fresh voices in literature, and the children's fiction nominations include 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' by Patrick Ness. The judging panel consisted of esteemed authors who meticulously selected these outstanding works from a plethora of submissions, underlining the commitment to recognizing and promoting literary excellence in the region.