Golden Child by Claire Adam (Desmond Elliott Prize)
A book picked up by Sarah Jessica Parker’s publishing imprint has won a debut novel award.
Claire Adam has scooped the Desmond Elliott Prize for her “psychological thriller” Golden Child.
Set in Trinidad, it tells the story of a father’s relationship with his two very different twin sons and a race to save the child “he has never really understood”.
Sarah Jessica Parker attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala 2018 (Ian West/PA)
Author Adam was born and raised in Trinidad and now lives in London.
In the US, her debut was the second book selected by Sex And The City star Parker’s literary imprint.
The Line Of Beauty author Alan Hollinghurst, who chaired the panel of judges, said: “Our 2019 winner Claire Adam demonstrates masterly control as she details the tragic fracturing of a family, and the beauty and the latent violence of her Trinidadian setting are miraculously vivid.
Author Claire Adam (PA)
“Her novel combines the harsh force of a fable with the unforgettable strangeness of real life and – like all the very best debuts – Golden Child gives a sudden and enlightening view of both a new subject and a new mind.”
Last year, the prize was awarded to Preti Taneja for her debut novel, We That Are Young, which has since been published around the world.
Book picked up by Sarah Jessica Parker’s publishing line wins debut award
