Books+Publishing, in partnership with the Australian Publishers Association (APA) are pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA).
Now in its 26th year, the Australian Book Industry Awards are judged by industry professionals with diverse expertise from all aspects of the book industry. From big publishers to small, children to adults, audiobooks to illustrated, biographies to literary fiction, the ABIAs represent the full scope of the book industry across fourteen categories.
The winner in each category, as well as the winner of the overall Book of the Year award, will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Grounds of Alexandria in Warrane/Sydney on the evening of Thursday 21 May.
The shortlisted titles in selected categories are:
General Fiction Book of the Year
- The Detective, Matthew Reilly (Macmillan, Pan Macmillan Australia)
- Last One Out, Jane Harper (Macmillan, Pan Macmillan Australia) *
- Mad Mabel, Sally Hepworth (Macmillan, Pan Macmillan Australia) *
- One Hundred Years of Betty, Debra Oswald (Allen & Unwin)
- The Unquiet Grave, Dervla McTiernan (HarperCollins Publishers)
- The Wolf Tree, Laura McCluskey (HarperCollins Publishers)
Literary Fiction Book of the Year
- Chosen Family, Madeleine Gray (Summit Books, Simon & Schuster Australia)
- Eros, Zoe Terakes (Hachette Australia)
- I Want Everything, Dominic Amerena (Summit Books, Simon & Schuster Australia) *
- Pissants, Brandon Jack (Summit Books, Simon & Schuster Australia)
- Tenderfoot, Toni Jordan (Hachette Australia)
- Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConaghy (Penguin, Penguin Random House Australia)
To view all the shortlists and more information, click here.
The books marked * have been reviewed by QRC. Click on the title to read our review.