2026 Ngaio Marsh Awards - Best Novel Longlist

By Ngaio Marsh Awards | Posted: Wednesday Aug 26, 2026

Congratulations to all the authors on the Best Novel Longlist for the 2026 Ngaio Marsh Awards especially our very own Liam McIlvanney!

After an extended judges' deliberation, due to the high quality and diverse range of entrants this year, we are stoked to at last reveal our longlist for the 2026 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel.

12 terrific stories from 12 terrific Kiwi storytellers. Whakamihi (congrats) to all our 2026 longlistees:

• LUCKY THING by Tom Baragwanath (Text Publishing)

• CARVED IN BLOOD by Michael Bennett (Simon & Schuster)

• SOFTLY CALL THE DEVIL by Chris Blake (Bonnier Echo)

• THE BIRDS BEGAN TO SING by Jeffrey Buchanan (Text Publishing)

• BLACK SILK & BURIED SECRETS by Deborah Challinor (HarperCollins)

• THE DEADLY DISPUTE by Amanda Hampson (Penguin)

• BELLA DONNA by Jill Johnson (Black & White/Bonnier)

• THE GOOD FATHER by Liam McIlvanney (Bonnier)

• WHEN THE DEEP DARK BUSH SWALLOWS YOU WHOLE by Geoff Parkes (Penguin)

• THE VANISHING PLACE by Zoe Rankin (Moa Press)

• HOOKED UP by Fiona Sussman (Bateman Books)

• A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY by Jennifer Trevelyan (Allen & Unwin)

The finalists for all the 2026 categories - Best Novel, Best First Novel, and Best Kids/YA - will be announced later in Spring.