Here they are: the contenders for this year’s East Anglian Book Awards, organised by the Eastern Daily Press, Jarrold, and Writers’ Centre Norwich in association with the UEA.

They are the 18 shortlisted titles across the six subject categories bidding for the overall top £1000 prize for East Anglian Book of the Year, courtesy of the PACCAR Foundation.

That winner will follow in the footsteps of last year’s overall winner, Jill Dawson, for her Suffolk-set novel The Crime Writer.

The category winners and the overall winner will be announced at special awards Literary Lunch event on Friday November 24, which will feature best-selling authors Elly Griffiths, Sarah Perry, Rory Clements and Raffaella Barker talking about their work.

The shortlisted titles are:

Fiction (judge: Sarah Perry)

here.

Since the awards began in 2008, they have highlighted the works of well over 130 authors, almost 170 titles, and more than 90 local, regional and national publishers.

Chris Gribble, CEO of Writers’ Centre Norwich says: “We’re delighted to partner with the East Anglian Book Awards for the tenth year.

“From our home in Norwich, England’s first UNESCO City of Literature, these awards showcase the strength of publishing, writing and reading across the whole of the East of England. Every year we are in awe of the talent that our region cultivates and inspires”.

And Chris Rushby, Books and Stationery Buyer, Jarrold, said: “Jarrold is delighted once again to be part of the East Anglian Book Awards in this milestone tenth year.

“In over 30 years of bookselling I’ve never come across a part of the country with the sheer breadth of good writing and publishing that this one continues to display – and a reading public as fascinated by the history and culture of its region.

“These awards both celebrate that breadth of activity and highlight the best of it, which can only be a good thing.”

As well as the six subject categories (and the overall winner), this year will also see the return of our award for lifetime achievement in local publishing, and also the ‘Book by the Cover’ design award, sponsored by the East Anglian Writers.

Read about previous winners here.