2026 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction

The 2026 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction went to Alice Jolly for The Matchbox Girl. It was chosen from a shortlist of five novels, the first five-book shortlist in the prize's history and the first made up entirely of British authors. The other shortlisted books were The Pretender by Jo Harkin, Benbecula by Graeme Macrae Burnet, Once the Deed Is Done by Rachel Seiffert and Seascraper by Benjamin Wood. The shortlist was announced on April 16, and the winner was presented on June 11, 2026, at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose.