We’ve read all six shortlisted Booker Prize novels, but this is the one to pick up

A major highlight in the literary calendar is almost upon us, as the winner of the 2026 Booker Prize is due to be announced this evening (9 November) at 9.45pm.

Headed by classicist Mary Beard, the judging panel selected the six shortlisted titles in September, spanning historical fiction (May We Feed the King), contemporary realism (The Disappearers), and near-future speculative fiction (The End of Everything). Yet for readers seeking their next novel, Douglas Stuart’s John of John is our top recommendation.

Set against the austere backdrop of an insular Free Presbyterian community in the Outer Hebrides, John of John offers a devastating, enduring look at identity and repressed sexuality, and father-son relationships. Previous winner of the Booker Prize for Shuggie Bain, author Douglas Stuart told The Booker Prize: “I set out to write about the bond between a father and son despite the deep silence between them. I was drawn to the Outer Hebrides because when we talk about class or sexuality or social upheaval, our rural places are so often overlooked.

“On Harris I found a rich, inspiring culture; a culture shaped by community, with a history of crofting and weaving, in a place that is the stronghold of the Gaelic language and a very devout form of Presbyterianism. There was such richness that I couldn’t help but be inspired. It’s not that I wanted to tell this story now – although the world is as divided as it ever was, and queer people are under increasing attack – but it’s more that this is the story I had to write, and there was nothing that I could do but to write it.”

On their selection, the judges said: “There’s a vivid sense of time and place, as the island becomes the site of bristling tensions between secret lovers, feuding families, and a stand-off between tradition and modernity. This excavation of family, violence, and shame is woven through with beautiful imagistic detail, and – unexpectedly but wonderfully – shades of hope.”

After reading all the titles in this year’s shortlist, we think John of John is the top book to add to your list – here’s why.

Read more: We’ve read the entire Booker Prize shortlist – here are our reviews of every book

'John of John' by Douglas Stuart, published by Picador

Trading Glasgow’s streets for the Isle of Harris, previous Booker Prize-winner Douglas Stuart turns to the wind-battered Outer Hebrides for his third novel, John of John.

The story follows Cal, formally John-Calum Macleod, who retreats to his family’s home after his ambitions as an artist on the mainland hit a wall. Back on the island, he must navigate an uneasy homecoming defined by silence and scrutiny. Cal conceals his sexuality from his father, John, a sheep farmer and weaver steeped in the uncompromising codes of their strict Free Presbyterian community.

“It’s this father-son relationship that shines in John of John, depicted so thoughtfully and tenderly by Stuart, who gives readers a masterclass in writing about complex masculine relationships,” said IndyBest deputy editor Sabrina Sahota after reading the book.

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‘May We Feed the King’ by Rebecca Perry, published by Granta

I also highly recommend the fiction debut from award-winning poet Rebecca Perry, May We Feed the King. It’s a luminous reimagining of historical narrative that strips away the familiar pomp of medieval courts to reveal something far more intimate.

The novel centres on a dedicated curator tasked with staging an exhibition inside a historic royal residence. Through this quiet investigative work emerges the story of a monarch who actively resists his crown. Unwilling to claim sovereign power, his hesitation triggers court intrigue and whispers of unfitness, resulting in a profound meditation on agency, desire, and the true weight of duty.

Rich in material detail, May We Feed the King challenges how we assemble memory and reckon with the past, making it a quietly powerful standout for devoted history lovers and genre skeptics alike.

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For more, here are 16 best new books to read this autumn