We’re thrilled to have two of our brand new fiction titles shortlisted for The List Festival Awards 2025 in the Best Rising Scottish Author category! Summer Hours by Alessandra Thom and The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley are both sparkling debut novels by two of the most exciting new voices in Scottish literature, and we are delighted to see them recognised in this way. 

This is how the prize described each of our shortlisted authors:

Alessandra Thom – Winner of 2023’s Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award, Alessandra Thom has made her Edinburgh-set debut with Summer Hours, a sizzling story of what happens when the lines of friendship are blurred.

Chris Barkley – The Man on the Endless Stair sees the beautiful Scottish Isles as remote, picturesque and the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery when troubled but talented young author Euan is taken there on a trip by decorated novelist Malcolm Furnivall.

Congratulations to both Chris and Alessandra – we will be cheering you on for the announcement of the winners on Friday!

To read a full list of the nominees, check out The List website here.