- Debut novelist wins The Nero Gold Prize for the first time in Awards’ history
- Provocative novel inspired by real-life child custody cases lands prestigious £30,000 prize
- Prize given to Claire Lynch by Nick Hornby, Chair of Judges
- “One of the greatest literary prizes” (The Times), the Nero Book Awards are the only multi-category awards exclusively for writers based in the UK and Ireland
19.45 GMT Wednesday 4th March: The prestigious 2025 Nero Gold Prize, Book of the Year, has been awarded to the debut novelist Claire Lynch for her book, A Family Matter (Chatto & Windus),which tells the story of a family torn apart by secrets, as the lie behind a mother’s long-term absence from her child’s life begins to unravel.
The £30,000 prize and trophy were presented to Claire Lynch by Chair of Judges, award-winning author and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Nick Hornby, at a ceremony in central London hosted by broadcast journalist Sarah Montague. Hornby chaired a panel that also included Chief Presenter for BBC News, Reeta Chakrabarti, and Daisy Goodwin, New York Times bestselling novelist and creator of the ITV show, Victoria. Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock delivered an address on the night, reflecting on the transformative power of books in her personal life and career. This is the first time a debut novel has won the prestigious prize, and a second consecutive win for Chatto & Windus, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK.
Nick Hornby, Chair of Judges, said: “The judges all loved A Family Matter. We admired its wry humour, its deft storytelling, and its love for all its characters, even those who behave in ways we find hard to understand, and who make choices which we would regard as morally questionable. It is both readable and intelligent, and it offers hope and consolation. We believe that this novel will be read and thought about for years to come, and we very much hope that the prize will help Claire Lynch further establish herself in a literary career which will produce more novels as satisfying as this one.”
Celebrating books across four categories (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Debut Fiction and Children’s Fiction), the Nero Book Awards are the only major multi-category awards exclusively for writers based in the UK and Ireland. Since launching in 2023, these Awards have established themselves as one of the most respected prizes in the literary world, championing outstanding writing and readability. When the shortlists were revealed in November, the 16 nominated books saw an average week-on-week UK sales increase of 75%, in the two weeks following the Shortlist announcement.
Category winners were revealed in January 2026, with each subsequently competing for the Nero Gold Prize, Book of the Year. A Family Matter was chosen as the Debut Fiction category winner. At the time, it was praised by the category judges, including actor Paterson Joseph (Wonka, Peep Show), as a ‘delicately written yet powerful story’. The other titles in contention for the Nero Gold Prize were Seascraper by Benjamin Wood (Fiction Award), Death of An Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry (Non-Fiction Award) and My Soul, A Shining Tree by Jamila Gavin MBE (Children’s Fiction Award).
A Family Matter tells the story of a family torn apart by secrets across two generations. Maggie has always lived her life with the absence of her mother – her father never speaks of her, and it feels impossible to ask. Then an official letter arrives with news from the past and Maggie must face a truth far bigger than just her family’s secret. This humane story shows how far – or not – we have come as a society. It asks how we might heal from the wounds of the past, and what we might learn from them.
The novel draws on real court cases from the 1980s and is full of hope and levity as well as moments of darkness. Published in May 2025, it has resonated with famous authors including Mark Haddon, Emma Donoghue and Barbara Kingsolver, and been highly praised in the media. The Guardian called it ‘smart and heartbreaking’, whilst The New York Times said it ‘burns like a sparkler, quick and mesmerising’.
Claire Lynch has spent her career teaching literature in universities. She is the author of the non-fiction book Small: On Motherhoods, and lives in Windsor with her wife and three daughters.
Gerry Ford, Founder of Caffè Nero and The Nero Book Awards, said: “As the Nero Book Awards continue to grow, it becomes even harder to pick the Nero Gold Prize winner. For 2025, our judges have selected a provocative, thought-provoking book which showcases great writing. These Awards were established to discover the best talent being published in the UK and Ireland, and Claire Lynch is a great example of this. I look forward to seeing how she progresses in her career.”
The Nero Gold Prize winner receives £30,000, whilst the other category winners will each receive £5,000. Previous winners of the Nero Gold Prize have included The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (2023 Fiction winner) and Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst (2024 Non-Fiction winner). Winning the Nero Gold Prize propelled both authors to new audiences and chart success and both were in attendance at the ceremony tonight. Sophie Elmhirst spoke this evening about the impact of winning the Nero Gold Prize.
To be eligible for the 2025 Nero Book Awards, books must have been first published in English in the UK or Ireland between the 1st of December 2024 and 30th of November 2025. At the time of entry, authors must have been alive and resident in the UK or Ireland for the past three years.
The Nero Book Awards are a not-for-profit organisation started and managed by independent, family-owned coffee house group Caffè Nero, in partnership with The Booksellers Association, Brunel University of London and Right To Dream. The Awards form part of Caffè Nero’s long-standing Arts Program, reflecting its commitment to the arts, encouragement and recognition of artistic talent and the support for and fostering of a love of reading in communities across the UK and Ireland.