This weeks Literary Ledger 10 to 17 April 2026
Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world.
I) Walter Scott Prize Shortlist Announced
Five authors are currently in the running for the prestigious Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, which carries a prize of £25,000. In a notable first for the award’s seventeen-year history, this year’s shortlisted titles are all written by British authors.
The prize is run by the Abbotsford Trust, an independent Scottish charity established in 2007 to manage and conserve Abbotsford House, the historic home of Sir Walter Scott, while also preserving his literary legacy. Scott is widely credited with establishing the historical novel as a genre through his immensely popular Waverley novels, which include Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe. Looking at the list, I’ve already added most of them to my TBR.
The shortlisted books are:
The Pretender by Jo Harkin – A historical novel reimagining Lambert Simnel’s transformation from hidden peasant boy to briefly crowned claimant to the English throne amid 15th-century dynastic conflict.
The Matchbox Girl by Alice Jolly – A non-speaking girl in 1938 Vienna enters a clinic for unusual children and begins to suspect disturbing truths as Nazi occupation tightens around them.
Benbecula by Graeme Macrae Burnet – A man reflects on his brother’s 1857 family murders in rural Scotland while grappling with isolation and his own mental decline.
Once the Deed is Done by Rachel Seiffert – Set in northern Germany in 1945, it follows a boy who witnesses refugees fleeing through wartime snow and later a Red Cross officer uncovering buried secrets as a town suppresses what happened that night.
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood – A young shrimp fisherman in a bleak coastal town dreams of becoming a musician, but his life is disrupted when a mysterious visitor offers a glimpse of escape and a potentially illusory path to a different future.
The winner will be announced at the Borders Book Festival on 12 June.
II) A Quiet Quarter for Hachette UK: Revenue Slips 4%
At first glance, this might sound alarming, and for Hachette UK, it probably is to some extent. However, the headline is slightly misleading. While it’s true that the company made less in this quarter than it did in the same period last year, the context matters.
Last year’s first quarter was unusually strong, which makes this year’s performance look weaker by comparison. In reality, the UK division simply had a quieter publishing schedule, with fewer major releases driving sales.
So, rather than signalling a serious decline, this feels more like a timing issue than a collapse in performance. The drop itself is relatively modest at 4%. Still, it does reflect a slight downturn, and that’s not something anyone at Hachette would be particularly pleased to see.
III) A New Chapter for Curtis Brown Creative
Curtis Brown Creative, the writing school originally set up by and connected to the literary agency Curtis Brown, has been bought out by its own senior management team.
In practical terms, this means the people already running the school have now taken full ownership, separating it from the wider Curtis Brown Group structure. Known within UK publishing for its courses for aspiring writers, CBC has built a strong reputation as a gateway into the industry as an author.
Day-to-day operations are likely to remain largely the same, but decision-making will now be more independent. This shift allows CBC to focus more directly on their courses, with greater freedom over its commercial and strategic direction, while Curtis Brown can concentrate more fully on its core work in author representation.
IV) Inside Bloomsbury’s Big Structural Shake-Up
In a major reorganisation of its structure, Bloomsbury Publishing is planning to cut around 55 roles across both the UK and US as it shifts towards a new operating model.
From what I can gather, the company previously used a matrix structure, a system where employees report to more than one manager at the same time. In theory, this can be effective, as it allows expertise to be shared across teams and encourages stronger collaboration between departments.
However, Bloomsbury is now moving away from this approach. Instead, the company will be reorganised into three standalone business units:
The three new divisions will be:
Academic & Professional
USA Publishing
Consumer UK Publishing
Each unit will now have its own editorial teams, as well as dedicated marketing and sales, and rights and audio functions. In other words, rather than relying on shared central teams, each division will become more self-contained.
The planned cut of around 55 roles comes down to removing duplicated positions and simplifying how teams are organised after the split. It’s a structural decision as much as a financial one.
That said, it’s difficult to ignore the wider context. Over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, Bloomsbury Publishing has seen sales double and profits rise by 154%, reaching around £361 million. So while this move may streamline operations, it also means job losses at a time when the company is, by most measures, performing strongly.
I don’t claim to be an expert in corporate restructuring, but it does raise questions. You’d hope people get moved into new roles rather than made redundant, but I’m not holding my breath.
The full trailer for The Hunger Games has dropped and I’m genuinely excited. The colouring looks incredible, so vibrant, which is exactly what we wanted, and it really leans into that 1970s aesthetic. You can see it in everything, from the set design to the costumes, hair, and makeup, all with that slightly futuristic twist.
Okay, some thoughts. We all know casting in The Hunger Games franchise is usually chef’s kiss, everyone looks the part. But sometimes I worry that for a few actors, it’s more about the aesthetic than the performance. Unfortunately, there are a couple of nepo babies I’m a bit unsure about (cough cough Maya Hawke, Iris Apatow). They tend to play versions of themselves, and while they look right, I’m hoping there’s more depth there this time.
That said, I have high hopes for the rest of the cast, especially the adults. Ralph Fiennes, Jesse Plemons, Glenn Close, and Kieran Culkin all feel like really strong additions.
I’ve also seen some concerns about Joseph Zada and the accent he’s using for a young Haymitch Abernathy (originally played by Woody Harrelson). Some people think it sounds off, but I’ve also seen people from Appalachia say it’s actually pretty accurate, it just sounds unfamiliar if you’re not used to hearing it. Personally, I think it’s impressive, and I can kind of hear a older Haymitch in there. It’s hard to fully judge from just a trailer, but from what we’ve seen so far, I liked it.
I also really respect how Francis Lawrence approaches these films. He clearly cares about staying true to Suzanne Collins’ vision, not changing things for the sake of it, but making thoughtful adjustments that actually add to the story.
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